NEWARK – A Pocomoke woman was arrested on theft charges this week after a month-long investigation revealed she allegedly stole money that was intended for a mentally challenged Worcester County resident.
On Monday, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives arrested Martha Fagan Anderson, 60, of Pocomoke, a Worcester County Developmental Center employee, and charged her with felony theft scheme over $500. The arrest came after a one-month joint investigation involving a WCDC internal investigator and WCBI detectives.
The investigation began after WCBI detectives received information Anderson was stealing funds intended for a mentally challenged county resident. Anderson’s job at WCDC was to assist clients with independent living. A review of the agency’s records and receipts turned up many discrepancies.
As a result, an arrest warrant was obtained for Anderson and she was taken into custody on Monday and charged with theft scheme over $500. She was taken before a District Court commissioner and released on her own recognizance.
Local Faces Heroin Charges
OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man was arrested on heroin possession charges last week after getting pulled over by Delaware authorities along Route 113 north of the state line.
Last Friday, Delaware State Police pulled over Alfredo Maccari, 47, of Ocean City, on Route 113 on suspicion of driving under the influence. Upon approaching the vehicle, police noticed the expiration sticker on the license plate had been altered from “08” to “09”. While police were questioning Maccari about the altered tags and expired registration, they noticed a bulky item in his front pants pocket, which turned out to be a bag of candy.
However, upon closer inspection the officers learned the bag of candy also contained 24 smaller bags of heroin. A further search revealed two more bundles on Maccari’s person containing 22 other plastic bags of heroin. A K-9 unit was called in to assist with the search and located two more small bags of heroin under the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
Also discovered in the vehicle were numerous items of paraphernalia. All told, around 10 grams of heroin were found on Macarri and in his vehicle. He was arrested and charged with heroin trafficking, possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession of paraphernalia and multiple traffic violations. He is being held in Delaware on a $27,000 bond.
Tip Leads To Drug Raid
OCEAN CITY – Resort police made a pair of significant drug busts last week after getting a tip the two suspects had arrived in Ocean City to peddle their wares.
Last Friday, members of the Ocean City Police Department’s narcotics unit received information about two individuals who arrived in Ocean City from Baltimore with a quantity of drugs. The two individuals, Vicky L. Brown, 53, of Baltimore, and Antwan D. Brown, 26, of Baltimore, were identified and located at the Parrot Lagoon Apartments on St. Louis Ave.
Armed with a search and seizure warrant, the OCPD’s Quick Response Team (QRT) raided the apartment in question and recovered crack cocaine, approximately a quarter of a pound of marijuana, packaging materials and over $2,700 in U.S. currency. Vicky Brown was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of crack cocaine and marijuana. Antwan Brown was arrested and charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Each of the suspects were taken before an Ocean City District Court Commissioner and were ordered held on $35,000 bonds before being transferred to the Worcester County Jail.
Several Arrests During Fight
OCEAN CITY – Several local residents were arrested on various charges last weekend during a fight in the parking lot of a mid-town nightclub.
Around 1:30 a.m. last Sunday, an OCPD officer was dispatched to a reported assault in progress in the parking lot of Fager’s Island on 60th Street. Upon arrival, the officer observed a man later identified a Larry Larron Tyre, 27, of Berlin, holding another man in a headlock while punching him repeatedly in the left side with a closed fist. A crowd had gathered around the fight when the police arrived.
The officer approached the fight, identified himself as the police and instructed Tyre to stop hitting the man. However, Tyre allegedly continued to strike the other man despite police orders. Finally, the officer resorted to pepper spray to subdue Tyre. The entire time police were struggling with Tyre, patrons of the establishment streamed outside and gathered around the scene, according to police reports.
The officer instructed Tyre to lie on the ground, but the suspect refused. The officer then resorted to an angle kick to Tyre’s lower leg, which got him face down on the ground and allowed police to handcuff him without further incident. Tyre was charged with disorderly conduct and affray.
While police were attempting to get the situation with Tyre under control, another suspect, later identified as Israel D. Smith, 37, of Berlin, interfered with the arrest. The officer was struggling with Tyre when Smith and group of females came behind him and starting yelling at the officer. The officer told Smith repeatedly to back off and stop interfering, but he kept coming back over and over, according to police reports.
After Smith approached a third time, all the while yelling and screaming, the officer managed to grab hold of him and place him under arrest. The group of females attempted to pull Smith away from police, but he was eventually subdued and handcuffed. Smith was charged with hindering an officer.
During the same incident, another officer arrived on the scene and observed a different man, later identified as Ivan Van Dorn, 25, of Salisbury, involved in a fight with bar security staff. The officer arrived and found a large crowd engaged in a fight near the entrance to the establishment with the bar’s security staff attempting to break it up and remove the combatants from the property. Van Dorn was eventually subdued on the ground by bar security staff and the OCPD officer arrived and took him into custody. Van Dorn was also charged with disorderly conduct
Routine Traffic Stop
Yields Weapon, Drugs
OCEAN CITY – An Abington, Md. man was arrested on drug and weapons charges along with driving while intoxicated this week following a routine traffic stop in downtown Ocean City.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on Sunday, an OCPD officer on patrol in the 12th Street area observed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed and change lanes suddenly. The vehicle stopped at a red light at 8th Street, but when the light changed, it spun its wheels and continued on at a high rate of speed. The officer tailed the vehicle and clocked it going 45 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone.
The officer pulled over the vehicle and approached the driver, later identified as Phillip J. Fragoso, 21, of Abington. A K-9 unit arrived on the scene and conducted a scan of Fragoso’s vehicle and K-9 Charlie alerted on the driver’s side door where a small amount of marijuana was found. While the officers searched the vehicle, the discovered a long, straight-bladed knife in the center console.
While questioning Fragoso, the officers reported smelling the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. When the officer asked Fragoso how much he had to drink that night, the suspect reportedly told police “more than you.”
Fragoso was ultimately charged with driving under the influence, driving while impaired, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, and possession of a concealed deadly weapon.
Tractor-Trailer Accident
BERLIN – A Perdue tractor-trailer overturned on Route 113 last weekend, spilling fuel, oil and other contents on the ground and closing the highway for several hours.
Around 2:45 p.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to southbound Route 113 near Johnson Neck Rd. for a reported single-vehicle accident. The investigation revealed a Perdue tractor-trailer was traveling south on Route 113 when it veered off the left side of the highway, crashed through a guard rail and struck several trees before coming to arrest in the median.
The driver, Bruce Custard of South Carolina, was able to free himself from the vehicle and was later transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury for treatment of minor injuries. Southbound Route 113 was closed for several hours while the truck was being removed. The Worcester County Hazardous Material Spill Response Team responded to the scene and contained fluids leaked by the truck. An estimated 175 to 200 gallons of fuel, oil and other fluids leaked from the truck following the accident.
School Bus Accident
BERLIN – A potential disaster was averted last week when a passenger car collided with a school bus that thankfully was not carrying children at the time on Route 113 near Berlin.
Around 8 a.m. last Friday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a reported accident involving a school bus on Route 113 near Goody Hill Rd. in Berlin. The investigation revealed a Worcester County school bus was preparing to make a right turn into a private driveway. A Mazda passenger car, driven by Joel Mitchell, 52, of Ocean Pines, was the third car back behind the school bus in the southbound lanes of the highway.
According to police reports, Mitchell failed to control its speed or slow down and left the left side of the roadway, first crossing a paved shoulder before entering the grass along the highway. The Mazda continued across the grass as it tried to slow down and struck the school bus, which had come to a stop. The passenger vehicle struck the bus near the front passenger side wheel.
After striking the bus, Mitchell continued across the grass for another 50 feet before coming to a stop. Mitchell was transported to Atlantic General Hospital nearby where he was treated for minor injuries.
Arson At Assateague
ASSATEAGUE – The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a fire at the bathhouse in Assateague Island State Park on March 14.
The Ocean City and Berlin Fire Departments each responded to the reported fire at the public bathhouse in the state park. First arriving units determined the passersby had put out the fire before the fire departments arrived on the scene. The bathhouse was closed for the season at the time of the fire.
The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation and discovered the fire was intentionally set and was considered arson. Damages are estimated at around $500. No injuries were reported.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Maryland Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529, or Deputy Fire Marshal Rob Korb at 410-632-5666. Callers can remain anonymous.
Fire Destroys Boat
BERLIN – An accidental fire caused by a torch igniting vapors from a gas can last week completely destroyed a boat out of the water in Berlin.
Last Monday, the Berlin Volunteer Fire Company responded to a reported boat on fire on Rose Lane in Berlin. First arriving units reported a boat, which was out of the water while being worked on, was completely involved in flames. Berlin Fire Chief Derrick Simpson established command of the scene and requested the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office conduct an origin and cause fire investigation.
Deputy Fire Marshal Rodney Sharpley arrived and met with the boat’s owner, who said he was attempting to remove copper wire from the vessel when the fire started. The boat owner said he was using a torch to remove the insulation from the copper wiring, which ignited vapors from a nearby gas can, setting the boat on fire. The cause of the fire has been called accidental and no injuries were reported.