DWI Chase Ends in Crash

DWI Chase Ends in Crash
Social Issues Government49

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was arrested on drunk-driving and other charges last weekend after leading resort police on a chase through downtown, during which he allegedly knocked over a few signs before crashing into a utility pole.

Around 6 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City police received a complaint from a private citizen about a vehicle stopped on the center median at 17th Street with a suspected drunk driver outside the vehicle. The witness told police the driver, later identified as Shawn Allen Chaney, 42, of Ocean City, then got back in the vehicle and drove off the elevated median, heading south on Coastal Highway.

With an OCPD sergeant following him, Chaney allegedly struck numerous curbs, ran over a sidewalk and knocked down two street signs at 12th and 9th streets.

Officers in marked police vehicles then got behind Chaney in the area of 9th Street and, suspecting the suspect might be drunk, attempted to stop the vehicle. Chaney did not stop and made a U-turn at 15th Street and continued north with officers in pursuit. At 18th Street, the vehicle struck a utility pole while traveling around 35 miles per hour and came to a stop.

Chaney was treated at the scene by Ocean City paramedics and was flown to PRMC in Salisbury with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. Because Chaney was being treated for injuries sustained in the crash, he was not formally charged until the next day. Chaney was charged with 20 total traffic violations including driving under the influence and while impaired by alcohol along with fleeing and eluding. Incidentally, Chaney was arrested just four days earlier for suspicion of driving under the influence while operating the same vehicle.

Traffic Stop Nets Cocaine

BERLIN — A Philadelphia man was arrested on cocaine distribution charges last week after a large amount of cocaine was allegedly found in his work boot following a routine traffic stop near Berlin.

Shortly after 9 a.m. last Saturday, a Maryland State Police trooper patrolling along Route 113 north of Route 50 pulled over a vehicle for the improper display of registration tags. Upon making contact with the driver, later identified as Antonio Cortez Monroe, 34, of Philadelphia, the trooper detected several criminal indicators and requested assistance from a K-9 unit.

A K-9 search resulted in a positive alert on the vehicle, which was then searched. During the search, a clear Baggie was located inside a work boot. While the baggie was being retrieved, Monroe fled the scene on foot and was apprehended after a short chase and struggle. After Monroe was placed under arrest, the baggie was retrieved from the work boot in the trunk.

Inside the Baggie were several chunks of compressed cocaine that had apparently been chipped from a brick of cocaine. The cocaine was seized and weighed and was found to be about 121 grams, or 4.3 ounces, with an estimated street value of $12,000. Also found during the search was a stun gun, which was in arm’s reach of the driver’s seat. Monroe was also found to be in possession of $2,317 in currency, which was also seized along with his vehicle.

Monroe was charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, attempting to flee and numerous traffic violations. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered held on a $250,000 secured bond.

Three Years For Assault

SNOW HILL — A West Ocean City man, arrested in July for allegedly punching his girlfriend and choking her daughter with a flashlight during a dispute over loud music, pleaded guilty this week in Circuit Court to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years in jail.

Around 6:30 a.m. on July 23, Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched to residence on Keyser Point Rd. for a reported domestic disturbance. The victim told police a verbal confrontation with her boyfriend, Jeffrey M. Hedrick, 41, of West Ocean City, turned physical when the suspect allegedly pulled her hair and bit her ear. The dispute was allegedly over loud music being played.

The victim’s daughter attempted to intervene when Hedrick allegedly pushed her against a wall in the garage and attempted to choke her with a flashlight. The mother and daughter went inside the residence and locked the door. Once he was locked out, Hedrick allegedly began damaging his girlfriend’s property in the garage before leaving on a scooter, according to police reports.

Hedrick returned allegedly intoxicated a short time later and kicked in the front door of the residence and renewed the verbal altercation with his girlfriend in an argument that continued in the front yard. When Hedrick attempted to leave again on the scooter, he allegedly attempted to run over his girlfriend and her daughter.

He then ran back into the garage, grabbed a pool stick and struck the victim’s vehicle. On Tuesday, Hedrick pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years in jail.

Off-Duty Officer Convicted

SNOW HILL — An off-duty Prince George’s County Sheriff’s deputy, arrested in Ocean City in August after allegedly producing her badge and pointing her gun at the head of another woman during an altercation in the downtown area, was found guilty this week of second-degree assault and now awaits her fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.

Around 3:12 a.m. on Aug. 14, Ocean City police responded to the area of 2nd Street and Baltimore Ave. for a reported assault involving a handgun. OCPD officer met with a female victim and numerous witnesses. The victim told police she and another female acquaintance, identified as Jennifer Nicole Douglas, 26, of Fort Washington, Md., had gotten into an argument over keys to vehicle that had escalated into a physical altercation.

During the altercation, Douglas allegedly produced a star-shaped badge and a handgun, which she pointed at the victim’s head, according to police reports. Douglas left the scene in a vehicle and was later located by OCPD officers in the area of 42nd Street.

At the time of the stop, Douglas identified herself as a Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Deputy. During a search, police recovered a .40 caliber Glock handgun. This week in Circuit Court, Douglas was found guilty of second-degree assault and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. The other charges against her were not prosecuted.

Killer Gets Extra Year In
Jail For Escape Attempt

SNOW HILL — Convicted killer Justin Hadel, serving a life sentence for the 2007 death of Christine Sheddy, got an extra year tacked on last week for his attempted escape from jail in July while awaiting sentencing.

Hadel, 20, of College Station, Texas, was found guilty of first-degree murder in June for the beating death of Christine Sheddy, a 26-year-old Delaware woman reported missing in November 2007 from a farm in Pocomoke where she had been staying with friends. Hadel was found guilty in June and sentencing was set for September. However, while awaiting sentencing, Hadel attempted to escape from jail.

On July 12, jail officials learned Hadel had removed a 12- to 14-inch steel hinge pin from the door of the Administrative Segration 4 area and attempted to use the new-found tool to pry open an exterior window, according to charging documents.

Hadel removed the hinge pin and placed paper in the hinge area to conceal the removal of the hinge pin. Hadel then used the hinge pin and pried the security window casing in an attempt to escape confinement through the window. Last week in Circuit Court, he entered an Alford plea to the first-degree attempted escape charge and was sentenced to an additional year in jail.

Berlin Break-In Suspect Sentenced

SNOW HILL — A New York man, arrested in September after breaking into a Berlin residence and later confessing the crime, pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to first-degree burglary and was sentenced to four years in jail, most of which was then suspended.

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Sept. 16, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a residence on Georgetown Rd. in Berlin for a reported burglary in progress. The troopers met with a victim, who told police she had just returned home to find a white male at her rear door. The victim said the suspect stared at her for a few seconds before running off in the woods.

The investigation revealed the rear door had been pried open and the suspect had removed several items from within the residence. A thorough search of the area, including Maryland State Police K-9 units and the MSP Trooper 4 helicopter, was conducted, but the suspect was not immediately located.

The next day, an off-duty Ocean City Police officer saw a male matching the description of the suspect in the area acting suspiciously and contacted the MSP. Troopers responded to the area and were able to locate the suspect, identified as Matthew Wade Bailer, 26, of Olean, N.Y. MSP detectives interviewed Bailer and were able to obtain a full confession to the burglary. Last week in Circuit Court, Bailer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in jail, all but one year of which was then suspended.