OCEAN CITY — A Silver Spring, Md. man was charged with drunk-driving and numerous other counts last weekend after allegedly crashing his vehicle into other parked vehicles and injuring his two passengers in uptown Ocean City before fleeing the scene on foot.
Around 2 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the north end of the resort responded to a reported multi-vehicle collision with property damage and personal injuries on Newport Bay Drive just west of Coastal Highway. Multiple witnesses reported the driver, later identified as Kyle Sutherland, 26, of Silver Spring, had just left a nearby bar and was talking on his cell phone while driving when his Dodge Avenger collided with an unattended parked vehicle.
According to police reports, the force of the collision caused the struck vehicle to lurch forward into another parked vehicle, causing extensive damage to both. The first vehicle struck was damaged to the point it had to be towed. Sutherland’s Dodge Avenger was also disabled from the force of the crash. According to police reports, Sutherland left the scene on foot. Also according to police reports, there was vomit on the street next to the Dodge Avenger.
The passengers in Sutherland’s vehicle were injured, including at least one passenger who had to be transported to the hospital. The airbags in the Dodge Avenger deployed because of the force of the collision, according to police reports. Again, Sutherland left the scene, but was located a short time later at the end of Newport Bay Drive by police who had responded quickly to the scene.
According to police reports, Sutherland exhibited signs of being intoxicated including slurred and mumbled speech and glassy, bloodshot eyes. He also had scratches on his face consistent with the description of the collision. At first, Sutherland told police he had not been driving the Dodge Avenger at the time of the collision, but his own passengers and independent witnesses told police he had been behind the wheel. According to police reports, Sutherland was belligerent and uncooperative during the investigation.
At that point, he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, hit-and-run and related traffic and property damage charges. During the booking process, he continued to be belligerent and yelled at the arresting officer. Sutherland refused to submit to an alcohol-concentration test and refused to sign any forms. A background check revealed his Maryland license had been suspended.
