BERLIN — A Berlin man was arrested on fleeing and eluding charges last week after allegedly leading police on a high speed chase first on a dirt bike and then on foot.
Around 5:50 p.m. last Thursday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was patrolling in the area of Germantown Road and Harrison Road in Berlin and attempted to stop a dirt bike for failing to stop at a stop sign and for being an unregistered vehicle on the roadway. The operator, later identified as Gilbert Leon Foreman, 34, of Berlin, failed to stop and continued to flee to Assateague Road and then to Seahawk Road.
Foreman then turned on Sinepuxent Road where the dirt bike reached speeds exceeding 80 mph in a 40 mph zone. He then fled to Henry Road where he drove the dirt bike into a wooded area, ditched it and fled on foot. A K-9 unit was deployed in the area and was able to track Foreman through a heavily wooded area to a residence located on Henry Road.
Once the suspect was located, he began running again and began to crawl under a porch. He was finally taken into custody. Foreman was charged with fleeing and eluding and was released pending trial.
Drug Bust At Park-and-Ride
WEST OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury woman was arrested on possession charges last weekend after being found with drugs in her purse at the Park-and-Ride in West Ocean City.
Around 10 p.m. last Friday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies were patrolling at the Park-and-Ride in West Ocean City when they were flagged down by a citizen reporting a male harassing a female in the area of the bus station. Deputies identified the female a Kim Van Duuren, 37, of Salisbury. During the course of the investigation, Van Duuren allegedly admitted to having marijuana in her purse.
A search of the bag revealed various types of prescription pills for which Van Duuren had not been prescribed. Through further investigation, deputies learned Van Duuren had purchased the prescription pills from another person to whom they had been prescribed. Van Duuren was arrested and charged with possession of CDS, not marijuana. She was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was released pending trial.
$500 Fine For Swiping $10K
OCEAN CITY — An Illinois man arrested in June after swiping $10,000 in cash from a vehicle pleaded guilty this week and was fined $500.
On June 25, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Coral Drive for a reported theft of $10,000 in cash from a vehicle that had occurred earlier. Through the investigation, a suspect was identified as Demetrius Mobley, 22, of Hillside, Illinois. A search of Mobley’s property resulted in the recovery of the $10,000.
Mobley was arrested and charged with one count of theft from $10,000 to under $100,000. On Tuesday, Mobley pleaded guilty and was fined $500.
Suspects Sought In Delivery Driver Robbery
SALISBURY — One juvenile has been arrested and police are seeking four others wanted in connection with the robbery of a food delivery driver is Salisbury on Tuesday and with a residential break-in shortly thereafter.
Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Salisbury Police responded to the area of Mabel Ave. for a reported robbery of a Sub Runners food delivery driver. The investigation revealed a food order was placed with Sub Runners and the order was to be delivered to the 900 block of Mabel Ave. The driver took the order to the location and when he exited the vehicle to make the delivery, he was approached by five African-American male juvenile suspects who physically assaulted him and stole the food he was delivering.
The delivery driver was injured and the suspects fled the area in an unknown direction with the food they had stolen. About six minutes later, Salisbury Police responded to the area of Johnson Street for a residential burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers observed suspects climbing from a window of the residence.
The suspects saw the police and began to flee the area on foot and the officers were able to apprehend one of the suspects, identified as a 16-year-old juvenile male from Salisbury. The burglarized residence was found to be vacant and evidence was collected inside directly linking the suspects to the robbery of the food delivery driver minutes earlier.
The suspect who was apprehended was arrested and charged with robbery, burglary, theft and assault and was released to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services where he is currently being detained. Salisbury Police are still seeking the other four suspects, all described as African-American males between 14-17 years of age. Detectives are continuing to investigate the food delivery driver robbery and assault as well as the associated residential burglary of the vacant home. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3113, or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. As always, information can be given anonymously and there could be a reward offered.
Jail For Back-to-Back DUIs
SNOW HILL — A Pittsville man arrested on impaired driving twice in as many days last spring pleaded guilty this week and was sentenced to four years in jail, all but four and half months of which was then suspended.
Around 4:45 p.m. on April 21, a citizen reported to the Maryland State Police Berlin barrack that a vehicle was swerving from lane to lane along Route 50. A short time later, MSP troopers located the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as Justin Michael Sauve, 24, of Pittsville.
A background check revealed Sauve’s driver’s license was suspended and revoked. According to police reports, he also exhibited signs of impairment. A subsequent probable cause search revealed several items including trace amounts of heroin and marijuana along with several hypodermic needles. Sauve failed standardized field sobriety tests and was arrested for driving while impaired, driving while suspended and revoked and various CDS charges.
Around 5:40 p.m. the very next day, the MSP Berlin barrack received another tip from a concerned citizen regarding the negligent driving of the same vehicle Sauve was driving. The MSP troopers responded to the area of Route 50 and Seahawk Road near Stephen Decatur High School and located the vehicle and found Sauve driving again, one day after his prior arrest.
Sauve was again arrested for driving on a suspended and revoked license and for driving while impaired by drugs. This week, Sauve pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and driving while impaired and was sentenced to four years. All but four and half months of the sentence was then suspended.
Bike Week Stats
OCEAN CITY — Local and state law enforcement agencies had their hands full last weekend with thousands of motorcycles descending on the resort area and across the Lower Shore for the fall Bike Week event.
The OCPD handled 1,306 calls for service during the four-day event, including 977 officer-initiated calls and 329 citizen-initiated calls. The 1,306 calls for service was down from the 1,600 recorded during the fall Bike Week event last year and the 1,740 recorded two years ago.
The OCPD made 465 total traffic enforcement actions, resulting in 209 citations and 256 warnings. During Bike Week last weekend, the OCPD made 47 total arrests including 17 for DUI, seven for weapons and six for drugs. By comparison, during last year’s fall Bike Week, the OCPD made 30 arrests. It’s important to note the crime statistics for Bike Week reflect the OCPD’s entire activity during the four-day event and naturally aren’t all attributed to Bike Week.
The Maryland State Police and the allied law enforcement agencies conducted 759 traffic stops, issued 334 citations, 569 warnings and 69 repair orders. Six accidents were investigated including two involving motorcycles, two involving alcohol and one involving a deer. There were 22 arrests for DUI, two of which involved motorcycles. The MSP made three other arrests for various crimes and one gun was seized.
Harvest Season Warnings
SNOW HILL — The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office this week is reminding residents and visitors of the continuing harvest season around the county and the potential dangers associated with it.
Farmers will be out with heavy equipment over the next several weeks in their fields. Residents are advised to give them the proper attention they need. When approaching heavy equipment on the roadway, a good rule of thumb is to make eye contact with the driver of the equipment. Often times they will slow and pull over when it is safe to do so. Also be mindful that with the harvest, many of our local deer will be more visible and will move from field to field which will result in more motor vehicle crashes. Be careful when driving during the early morning hours and evening hours when deer like to move.