Wrong Way Driver Causes Accident

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man faces drunk-driving charges after allegedly pulling out of a midtown nightclub early last Sunday morning, heading north in the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway and colliding head-on with another vehicle.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the area of 50th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported vehicle collision. The investigation revealed a driver, later identified as Rhoderick Ronda, 26, of Fawngrove, Pa., exited a bayside parking lot at 49th Street and drove north in the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway.

Ronda’s vehicle then crashed head-on with another vehicle traveling south on Coastal Highway. The driver of the struck vehicle was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. Ronda was subjected to a battery of field sobriety tests, which he did not complete to OCPD officers’ satisfaction.

He submitted to an intoximeter test, which returned a resulting breath-alcohol reading of .22, or nearly three times the legal limit. Ronda was arrested and face multiple traffic charges including driving while impaired, driving while intoxicated and negligent driving. The crash closed the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.