OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on assault charges last weekend after allegedly beating his girlfriend repeatedly over the course of a few days, including once to the point she was knocked out.
Around 7:45 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City police officers responded to the Howard Johnson Hotel on the Boardwalk at 11th Street for a reported domestic assault that had just occurred. The officers arrived and met with a suspect, later identified as Garry Bell, 52, of Sinking Spring, Pa., who told police he and his girlfriend had been drinking and that things had gotten “heated.”
A background check revealed Bell was wanted on an outstanding warrant in Pennsylvania and he was taken into custody. The officers spoke to the hotel maintenance and security worker who told police Bell and his girlfriend had been drinking at the hotel bar and that a bartender observed Bell walk away with the bar manager’s leather jacket.
The security guard told police he went up to the couple’s unit to question them about the missing jacket and saw fresh scratch marks on the female’s neck. After being unable to find the stolen jacket, the security guard went back to the front desk in the lobby and called the police.
The OCPD officer and the security guard went back up to the couple’s room and were greeted by the female victim, who was crying and had a fresh open cut on her bottom lip. The security guard told the officer the cut on the victim’s lip was new and wasn’t there when he first made contact with them a short time earlier.
The officer interviewed the victim, who said she and Bell had been drinking at the hotel bar and when they went back to the room, he had “beaten the [expletive deleted] out of her.” The victim told police she had been beaten up by Bell over the last four days and that Bell was on the run from a warrant in Pennsylvania. Collectively, the victim had bruises on her arm, lower back area, shoulder and scratches on her neck.
The bruises appeared to be days old and not fresh, according to police reports. The victim told police during the altercation last Thursday, Bell had struck her in the head and knocked her out, allegedly saying, “I’m going to [expletive deleted] kill you [expletive deleted].”
At that point, the officers called Ocean City EMS to respond to treat the victim’s injuries. Ocean City Communications confirmed the outstanding warrant from Pennsylvania. Bell was transported to the Public Safety Building for processing and was “extremely uncooperative” during the entire encounter with police, according to charging documents. Bell was charged with second-degree assault and was also held on the outstanding warrant.
Swiped Game Console Leads To Burglary Charges
WEST OCEAN CITY — A Fruitland man was arrested last week on an outstanding warrant for first-degree burglary after allegedly swiping an Xbox from a West Ocean City residence and later pawning it in Salisbury.
On April 23, an OCPD officer responded to a residence on Keyser Point Rd. in West Ocean City for a reported break-in. The officer met with the two victims, who reported they had left their apartment that morning to go to work, and when they returned, the discovered their Xbox 360 had been stolen. The victims told police they suspected a person known to them only as “Chris,” who used to hang out with them. They did not know the suspect’s last name, only that he worked at a nearby restaurant and what type of vehicle he drove.
The officer observed a cut screen and a shoe scuff mark on the window frame, indicating the suspect gained entry to the residence through a window on the front porch. Through investigation, the officer learned a suspect, later identified as Christopher Bowen, 21, of Fruitland, had pawned an Xbox 360 at Crazy Louie’s in Salisbury on the morning of the alleged break-in.
A check on Bowen revealed he was the owner of a vehicle matching the description provided by the victims. In addition, a check with the pawn shop revealed the Xbox 360 pawned at Crazy Louie’s by Bowen had the same damage described by the victims. Based on all of the evidence, the officer obtained a warrant for Bowen, charging him with first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property. Bowen was arrested on the warrant last Tuesday.
Squatters Arrested
OCEAN CITY — Two squatters were arrested for breaking into and setting up housekeeping in a vacant north-end Ocean City condominium last week.
Around 3:30 p.m. last Friday, an OCPD officer was dispatched to 136th Street. The unit’s owner had called the OCPD from out of town to report there were signs someone was living in the unit when no one was supposed to be. Upon arrival, the officer found no one in the unit, but it did appear someone had been living in it uninvited.
Around 9:30 a.m. the next day, the officer did a follow up check of the unit and observed the door open with an individual standing in the doorway. By the time the officer parked the patrol vehicle, the door to the unit had been locked but no one had come out. As additional officers arrived, two individuals, later identified as Mershica Johnson, 53, of Berlin, and Harrison McCray, 52, of Frankford, Del., exited the unit and were detained.
A walk-through determined the kitchen had been cleaned and the beds in the upstairs bedrooms had been made. However, there were several snacks on the coffee table in the living room that weren’t there when the officer conducted his original search the night before, indicating the suspects had been in the unit for a significant period of time. Johnson and McCray were arrested and charged with fourth-degree burglary.
Shoplifter Charged
BERLIN — A Pittsville woman was arrested on theft charges this week after allegedly rolling out of the Wal-Mart in Berlin with a shopping cart full of merchandise before getting pulled over on Route 50 near the Maryland State Police Berlin barrack.
Around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Wal-Mart for a reported theft complaint. While en route, the officer was advised a female suspect later identified as Florence Simone, 56, of Pittsville, had pushed a loaded cart out of the store without paying for the merchandise.
Wal-Mart security advised the officer Simone had left the scene and provided a description of the vehicle, which was relayed to the Maryland State Police and Berlin Police. A short time later, an MSP trooper on patrol observed the vehicle in the area of Routes 50 and 113. The trooper attempted to stop Simone, but she allegedly continued on and was finally stopped on Route 50 in the area of the MSP Berlin barrack.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene and observed numerous food and home goods not in bags in the back of Simone’s vehicle. Simone was asked to produce receipts for the merchandise but was unable to do so. Wal-Mart Asset Protection associates were brought to the scene and were able to identify the stolen property as belonging to the store. The total value of the items came to over $377.
Simone was arrested for theft under $1,000. She was issued a criminal citation and released on her signature. She was also trespassed from Wal-Mart.
Employee Theft Arrest
WEST OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was arrested on theft and theft scheme charges last weekend for allegedly stealing from the convenience store in West Ocean City where he worked.
Around 8 a.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the Wawa on Route 50 for a reported employee theft scheme. Upon arrival, the deputy met with store management and reviewed evidence. As a result, James Rothgeb of Ocean City was arrested and charged with theft from $1,000 to $10,000 and theft scheme from $1,000 to $10,000. Rothgeb was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was later released on a $15,000 unsecured bond pending trial.
Suspended Sentence For Naked Guy On Roof
OCEAN CITY — A Florida man, arrested in September after climbing on the roof of a north-end condo while completely naked following a domestic dispute, pleaded guilty this week to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 32 days, or the length of time he spent behind bars awaiting trial.
Shortly after midnight on Sept. 12, Ocean City Police responded to the area of Wight Street and 140th Street for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, OCPD officers heard loud screaming coming from the second floor of the building and observed a suspect, later identified as Ed Willie Hughes III, 29, of Delray Beach, Fla., shouting at a female.
The officers observed Hughes was completely naked and was screaming profanity toward the female and all of the OCPD officers on the scene. According to police reports, once Hughes realized the officers were the police, he began climbing on top of the unit’s roof and stated he wasn’t coming down and going to jail.
By this time, neighbors in the adjacent unit to the south came out on their balconies during the screaming and the strange scene. In addition, neighbors across the street also came out on their balconies, according to police reports. OCPD officers were able to get Hughes to come down from the roof and into handcuffs and he was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.
OCPD officers escorted Hughes to a vehicle so he could be transported and processed. Once inside the vehicle and properly seat-belted in, Hughes began to strike his own head against the rear passenger window stating “I’m gonna [expletive deleted] kill myself,” according to police reports. Officers then opened the rear door and escorted Hughes to a caged transport vehicle to prevent any self-inflicted injury.
On Monday, Hughes pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 32 days. He was then given credit for the 32 days he spent in jail awaiting trial, resulting in no new jail time.
Disorderly Conduct Probation
BERLIN — A Delmar man arrested in August on trespassing and disorderly conduct charges after returning to the Casino at Ocean Downs after being told to leave earlier was found guilty last week and was placed on probation and fined.
Around 7:15 p.m. on Aug. 13, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy responded to the Casino at Ocean Downs in Berlin for a reported trespasser. Upon arrival, the deputy observed a suspect later identified as Richard Moore, 44, of Delmar, in the casino parking lot acting in a disorderly manner.
The deputy was informed Moore had been removed from the property and trespassed from the property earlier in the night by a different deputy and security staff. Moore was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing. Last week, Moore was found guilty of disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for three years and fined $150.