BERLIN — The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in locating a Berlin man wanted for failing to check in with the agency’s Sex Offender Monitoring Unit.
Tymir D. Johnson
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the whereabouts of Tymir Denard Johnson, 31, from the Berlin area. Johnson was last observed by law enforcement at his residence on December 17 when a Parole and Probation agent along with a detective from the Sheriff’s Office conducted a home visit. Since that time, neither agency has had contact with Johnson although multiple attempts have been made.
Johnson is classified as a child sex offender and a sexually violent offender under Maryland law and served seven years of a 15-year sentence. Warrants have been obtained for Johnson for failing to register and violation of probation. Anyone with information on Johnson’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office at 410-632-1111.
Pistol Whipping Leads To Assault Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man faces first-degree assault and other serious charges this week after allegedly pistol-whipping another man and threatening his wife and child with a replica handgun during an altercation in a hotel lobby on Wednesday night.
Around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Ocean City Police responded to the lobby of a 59th Street hotel for a reported altercation with one of the combatants in possession of a handgun. While en route, the OCPD officer observed a Chevy work van leaving the hotel property and determined the vehicle may have been associated with the individual who had the gun. The officer stopped the van and identified the driver as John Holter, 50, of Millsboro. According to police reports, Holter admitted being at the hotel just prior to the traffic stop and admitted getting into a physical altercation.
Holter told police earlier in the night he allowed a local man and his wife to borrow his car and his cell phone. When the couple did not return the car and cell phone, Holter told police he drove to the hotel to confront them. He told police he did not know if the pending altercation would escalate, so he brought a replica BB handgun, which he carried in his waistband at the small of his back. According to police reports, Holter told the officer he knew the altercation would likely escalate, and he brought the BB gun pistol in an attempt to scare the couple into thinking it was a real gun.
When Holter encountered the couple in the lobby, the male individual began punching him with open and closed fists and pushed Holter down a flight of stairs. Holter responded by retrieving the BB gun and striking the male victim in the head with it. Holter then dropped the gun and left the hotel lobby.
OCPD officers met with the victims, including the male who had been struck in the head with the weapon, his wife and their 18-month-old daughter. The victim told police Holter struck him in the back of the head with the handgun, but he was able to push him down and Holter dropped the gun. The victim told police he believed the handgun was authentic and he feared Holter would use it on his wife and daughter and that he feared for their lives.
When Holter dropped the gun, the male victim told his wife to grab the weapon to prevent him from using it against them. Based on the evidence, Holter was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and weapons violations. He was released last Thursday after posting a $25,000 bond.
Convenience Store Fight
OCEAN CITY — Two men were arrested on assault charges last week after a fight in an Ocean City convenience store.
Around 2:30 a.m. last Wednesday, Ocean City Police responded to a reported fight inside the 7-Eleven store on 26th Street and Philadelphia Avenue. As an OCPD police vehicle pulled up, a store clerk ran out of the store and approached the officers. An OCPD officer detained one of the men, later identified as Carl Saint-Juste, 23, of Ocean City, who was not wearing a shirt.
OCPD officers located the other combatant in the store, identified as Kevin Nock, 23 of Eden. Saint-Juste told police Nock had approached him in the store and made a racial slur toward him and then punched him, so Saint-Juste punched him back. Witnesses statements and video surveillance showed Saint-Juste and Nock saying things to each other before Saint-Juste approached Nock and pushed him.
Saint-Juste then walked away from Nock, but approached Nock about a minute later. At that time, Nock allegedly punched Saint-Juste in the face and the two began a violent fight. Nock and Saint-Juste got a hold of each other and wrestled each other to the ground while others in the store watched the fight. According to police reports, it was clear from the video the fight was mutual and both Nock and Saint-Juste were placed under arrest.
According to witnesses, Nock entered the store and asked to use the restroom. Saint-Juste, who is not an employee of the store, told Nock the restrooms were not for customers and told Nock to leave. Saint-Juste then approached Nock and shoved him, causing a display of Valentine’s cards to get knocked over and scatter across the floor.
Saint-Juste told police Nock had bothered him first, so he believed he was justified in punching Nock. Nock complained of a laceration near his ear and a possible broken finger, while Saint-Juste complained of a swollen lip. Both were arrested and charged with assault.
Jail Time For Choking
SNOW HILL — A Pennsylvania man arrested last August after choking his girlfriend to the point she lost consciousness in an Ocean City motel parking lot pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 45 days.
Around 1:45 a.m. last August 12, Ocean City Police were dispatched to the Sea Bay Motel parking lot on 60th Street for a reported domestic assault. Officers arrived and found a suspect, later identified as Todd Kemble, 28, of Myerstown, Pa., being detained by a motel security guard. When Kemble saw the OCPD officer arrive, he made a dash for the motel door, but was ordered to return to the area and sit down, along with the female victim who was still sitting on the parking lot.
The security guard told police he witnessed Kemble and the female victim walking toward the motel while arguing and yelling profanities at each other. As the couple walked through the parking lot, Kemble allegedly pushed the victim three or four times, according to the security guard’s testimony.
The security guard told police the couple had separated to different areas of the parking lot when Kemble suddenly and directly charged toward with victim with his arm straight out, knocking the victim to the ground. According to the security guard, Kemble followed the victim to the ground and began to choke her with both arms around her neck.
The security guard shouted for Kemble to stop and ran toward the couple on the ground. The witness told police he observed the victim’s head drop and her body go limp. The security guard told police the victim went unconscious as a result of the chokehold and that she was completely unresponsive for about 15 seconds.
The security guard told police Kemble shook the victim’s head while saying “wake up baby” several times and that the victim’s eyes rolled back in her head. The security guard said the victim eventually became conscious again, but was extremely dazed and confused.
Once the OCPD officer arrived and heard the witness account, he checked the victim for signs of injury. According to the police report, the victim had two fresh bright red circular marks on her neck just below the jaw line. Her cheeks were extremely flush red and she had a fresh scratch mark across her chest.
The officer questioned Kemble, who admitted he had been in an argument with the victim and that it had turned physical. Based on the testimony and signs of injury on the victim, Kemble was charged with first- and second-degree assault. Last week, Kemble pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 18 months, all but 45 days of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years upon his release and fined $500.
Guilty Plea In Handgun Case
SNOW HILL — One of three men arrested in October after a citizen’s report of a vehicle driving all over the roadway in Berlin led to weapons charges pleaded guilty this week to carrying a handgun and was sentenced to six months, all but one month of which was suspended.
Around 8:30 p.m. last October 8, the Maryland State Police received a call regarding a possibly intoxicated driver traveling north on Route 113 approaching the town of Berlin. According to the citizen report, the vehicle was reportedly all over the roadway and was unable to keep a consistent speed.
A Berlin Police officer observed the suspect vehicle, a gold Nissan Altima with Virginia registration, in the area of Route 113 and Branch Street. The Berlin officer conducted a traffic stop, and as the vehicle was slowing to pull over, the occupants were observed making furtive movements within the vehicle.
When the vehicle stopped, the officer made contact with the occupants, including the driver, identified as Wesly Vargas, 18; the front seat passenger, Qualil Rivera, 18, and the rear passenger, Deontae Rogers, 18, all of Norfolk. The odor of burnt marijuana was detected in the vehicle and a probably cause search was conducted.
During the search, several partially smoked marijuana cigarettes were discovered, along with a quantity of unsmoked marijuana. During a search of the glove compartment, two handguns were located along with two extended magazines. The first was a .40 caliber Glock that was next to a 22-round magazine loaded with 20 rounds of .40 caliber bullets.
The second weapon discovered was a .38 caliber Ruger LCP with a serial number that appeared to be scratched off. Berlin Police also located a box of .38 caliber ammunition behind the driver’s seat. On Monday, Rogers pleaded guilty to carrying a handgun in a vehicle and possession of a handgun under age 21 and was sentenced to six months, all but one month of which was suspended. Vargas and Rivera have not yet faced trial.