Traffic Stop Nets Huge
Crack Bust
BERLIN – Maryland State
Police (MSP) arrested a New Jersey man with a substantial amount of crack
cocaine last week after a routine traffic stop on Route 113 north of Berlin.
Around 7:30 p.m. last
Friday, an MSP trooper on traffic patrol stopped a 2010 Toyota driven by
Timothy M. Wilson, 42, of Toms River, N.J., for speeding and following too
closely on Route 113 near Route 575. A K-9 scan on the vehicle, performed by
MSP K-9 Camo, alerted probable cause and a search of the vehicle was then
conducted.
During the search,
police discovered nearly 348 grams, or roughly three quarters of a pound, of
crack cocaine wrapped in plastic bags and concealed in a brown paper bag under
the front passenger seat. The crack cocaine had an estimated street value of
$34,000. Because of heavy weight and high street value, Wilson was charged with
possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of crack
cocaine-large amount.
Wilson’s passenger, Luis
Ahorrio, 35, of Queen’s, N.Y., was also charged. Each of the suspects was taken
before a District Court Commissioner and are being held on $250,000 bonds.
High Speed Chase
BERLIN – A Pasadena, Md.
man was arrested on a variety of traffic charges last week after leading
Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) on a chase along Route 611 that ended
with the suspect being found later in a West Ocean City campground.
Around 1:50 p.m. last
Monday, NRP officers observed a black motorcycle, driven by Richard Clarence
Poling, 41, of Pasadena, going 70 mph in a 40 mph zone on Route 611 at Bay
Berry Drive near Assateague. NRP officers and the National Park Service
attempted to stop the motorcycle, which fled northbound on Route 611.
NRP officers chased
Poling at a high rate of speed for about two miles on Route 611 but abandoned
the pursuit due to unsafe traffic conditions. Poling was located about a half
an hour later at Frontiertown. Poling was arrested and charged with attempting
to flee and elude a police officer, driving a motor vehicle on a suspended and
revoked license and attempting to elude a police officer by failing to stop. He
was committed to the Worcester County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Sick Woman Airlifted
From Boat
OCEAN CITY – A woman
suffering from diabetic shock was airlifted from a fishing boat about 48 miles
off the coast of Ocean City last Saturday.
Around 10 a.m. last
Saturday, the Coast Guard received a distress call from the fishing boat
“Virginia”, reporting a 56-year-old female passenger was diabetic and had not
taken her medicine, causing her to go into diabetic shock. A rescue helicopter
from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City was dispatched to the scene off the
coast of Ocean City and hoisted the ill woman onto their helicopter. The victim
was transported to Atlantic General Hospital for treatment.
Pedestrian Struck
OCEAN CITY – Another
accident this week had Ocean City police renewing the message about the
importance of pedestrians using the crosswalks and drivers being alert.
Around 1:25 a.m. on
Sunday, Ocean City police responded to a reported crash involving a pedestrian
and a southbound vehicle on Coastal Highway in the area of 21st
Street. According to an OCPD release, the pedestrian failed to cross the
highway at a marked crosswalk and was struck by the southbound vehicle.
The victim was flown to
PRMC in Salisbury for treatment, but his status is unknown. The investigation
is ongoing and it is unknown if alcohol was a factor. The OCPD continues to
urge citizens to use extra caution while crossing streets and advises drivers
to do their part by being alert for pedestrians crossing the roadways.
Fire Victim Flown To
Baltimore
WEST OCEAN CITY – A man
was burned on over 30 percent of his body on Monday while trying to light a
fire with gasoline in West Ocean City.
Around 6 p.m. on Monday,
Ocean City Emergency Services responded to a reported fire along the south side
of Route 50 in West Ocean City. Ocean City EMS responded and determined an
unidentified male victim had first- and second-degree burns over 30 percent of
his body. A Maryland State Police helicopter was requested to transport the
victim to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore.
Through the course of
the investigation, it was determined the victim was attempting to ignite a burn
pile using gasoline. The gasoline ignited, causing a flash fire that resulted
in the victim’s injuries. The fire is listed as accidental. Anyone with
additional information is urged to contact the Worcester County Chief Deputy
Fire Marshal Matt Owens at 410-632-5666.
Jail Time for Right
Speece
SNOW HILL – A Baltimore
man arrested in May on numerous charges after eluding police and later
providing false identification information pleaded guilty last week in District
Court to making a false statement to police and driving while impaired and was
sentenced to a combined 18 months in jail.
Shortly after midnight
on May 25, a Maryland State Police trooper patrolling in the area of Routes 50
and 611 in West Ocean City observed a 1991 Acura traveling at a high rate of
speed in foggy conditions. As the trooper attempted to catch up to the vehicle,
it turned onto Route 707 and turned off its lights in an attempt to avoid
detection.
The trooper caught up to
the suspected vehicle and made contact with the driver, who was found to be
intoxicated. The driver was subsequently arrested for driving under the
influence and was transported to the MSP Berlin barrack for processing. At the
Berlin barrack, the suspect, later identified as Terry Lee Speece, 43, of
Baltimore, tried to persuade police he was not Terry Speece, but rather his
brother, Charlie Speece, and presented his brother’s identification.
Terry Speece continued
to present himself as Charlie Speece and told police someone had stolen the
identity of Terry Speece, whom he claimed was a distant cousin. After hours of
investigation, including contact with family members, friends and allied police
departments, it was learned the suspect in custody was indeed Terry Speece, who
was ultimately identified by a previous Delaware State Police arrest photo.
After he was confronted
with the information, Speece admitted he was utilizing his brother’s
identification. Further investigation revealed Speece had two open warrants
including one from Dorchester County for providing fictitious information about
his identity to the sheriff, and another from the Annue Arundel County Police
Department for second-degree escape.
Speece was taken into
custody and charged with numerous traffic offenses, providing false information
to police, hindering a police investigation and the two outstanding warrants
from Dorchester and Anne Arundel Counties.
Last week in District
Court, Speece pleaded guilty to providing a false statement to police and was
sentenced to six months in jail. He was also found guilty of driving while
impaired and was sentenced to one year plus one day in jail. He was given
credit for the 92 days he spent in jail awaiting trial.
Bridge Crash Driver
Guilty
OCEAN CITY – An Ocean
City man arrested in June on drunk-driving charges after allegedly causing a
fiery multi-car accident on the Route 90 bridge that closed the span for over
two hours pleaded guilty last week in District Court to driving while impaired
and was fined $500.
Shortly after midnight
on June 18, OCPD and Ocean City Fire Department personnel responded to a
reported three-vehicle accident on the section of the Route 90 Bridge between
Isle of Wight and the resort. By the time police arrived on the scene, two of
the three vehicles involved in the crash had caught fire and were completely
engulfed in flames, according to police reports.
For safety reasons,
police closed the Route 90 Bridge in both directions so the Ocean City Fire
Department could extinguish the vehicle fires. According to police reports, no
one was injured as a result of the crash or the vehicle fires, however.
The investigation
revealed one of the three vehicles involved experienced a mechanical problem
that forced the driver to stop near the apex of the bridge. A second vehicle
came along and stopped to assist with the disabled first vehicle. Finally, a
third vehicle, driven by Michael Joseph Delaney, 38, of Ocean City, came across
the bridge and struck the disabled vehicle and the second vehicle attempting to
assist it.
Based on initial
contact, OCPD officers suspected Delaney had been driving under the influence
of alcohol. He was administered several field sobriety tests and later placed
under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and other
traffic-related offenses.
The bridge remained
closed for over two hours so Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA)
officials could thoroughly inspect it to ensure it wasn’t damaged during the
crash and subsequent vehicle fires. The bridge was re-opened around 2:30 a.m.
Last week in District Court, Delaney pleaded guilty to driving while impaired
and was fined $500.
PCP Exposure Case
Forwarded To Circuit
OCEAN CITY – A
Washington, D.C. woman charged with reckless endangerment and other charges
after a strong narcotic concealed in her purse sickened a veteran OCPD officer
and three public safety assistants (PSAs) had her case forwarded to Circuit
Court last week after asking for a jury trial during a preliminary hearing.
Around 10:45 p.m. on
June 15, a female prisoner detained in the Public Safety Building’s holding
cells after an earlier arrest on possession of marijuana charges requested
telephone numbers from her cell phone, which had been secured in a property
locker in control room B. At the request of the detainee, identified as Leslie
Veronica Simpson, 40, of Washington, D.C, PSA Daniel Bush opened the suspect’s
property bag to look for her cell phone when he discovered several amber vials
with suspected controlled dangerous substances inside, along with small
quantities of loose marijuana.
Bush notified full-time
PSA Robert Lomax about the discovery, who, in turn notified Detective Vicki
Martin, who responded to the control room to see what had been discovered.
According to OCPD reports, Lomax handed Martin a clear vial containing
suspected marijuana. Inside the vial with the marijuana was an unknown liquid.
Also discovered in Simpson’s purse were various vials and pouches of suspected
marijuana. In one of the vials, Martin noticed the marijuana appeared to be
wet.
Lomax then handed Martin
another plastic pouch with the word “blunt” written on it, but when Martin
opened the pouch, she was immediately overcome by a severe chemical odor,
according to police reports. The OCPD officer began to get dizzy and ordered
Lomax and Bush, along with another female PSA who was not involved in the
search of Simpson’s purse, out of the room.
As she turned, Martin
fell into a chair, but managed to leave the control room and close the door.
Martin, Lomax, Bush and the other PSA, Anna Fischer, each began to feel
light-headed and dizzy and complained of burning eyes, racing heart rates and
feelings of being shaky.
Because of the symptoms,
Emergency Services were requested and responded to the Public Safety Building.
An on-site examination revealed elevated blood pressure rates for each of the
personnel affected and they were all transported by ambulance to Atlantic
General Hospital, where they were treated and later released.
Because of the possible
contamination, the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office responded to what was
deemed a possible hazardous material, or Hazmat, incident shortly before
midnight. One prisoner housed in close proximity to the affected control room
was relocated to an interview room outside the booking area and a remaining PSA
was left behind to guard the female detainee.
During the
decontamination and examination of Simpson’s purse, its contents and the
control room, all OCPD bookings were relocated to the impound lot in the rear
of the Public Safety Building.
Deputy Fire Marshal
Joshua Bunting interviewed Simpson in an effort to learn what the chemical or
chemicals were that made the four department members sick, but she refused to
cooperate, saying only, “Oh, you found it,” according to police reports.
The next day, the
Maryland State Police crime lab confirmed the chemical that caused the officers
to become suddenly ill was PCP, a strong hallucinogenic drug also known as
angel dust and other street names that comes in both powder and liquid forms.
Simpson has been charged
with four counts of reckless endangerment, possession of PCP and possession of
marijuana. During a preliminary hearing in District Court last week, Simpson
requested a jury trial and had her case forwarded to Circuit Court. She is
being held in the Worcester County Jail on a $250,000 bond pending trial.
Probation For Public
Urination
OCEAN CITY – A
Harrisburg, Pa. man, arrested on indecent exposure, resisting arrest and other
charges in June after first urinating on a downtown street and later fighting
with the OCPD officer attempting to arrest him, pleaded guilty last week in
District Court to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation and fined.
Shortly before 2 a.m. on
June 13, an OCPD officer on bike patrol in the downtown area observed a man,
later identified as Michael David Kraft, 21, begin to urinate on some bushes
along the side of Dorchester Street, allegedly making no attempt to conceal his
actions.
The officer noted in his
report several bystanders on both sides of the street observed Kraft, as did
two bystanders on the porch right in front of him, who watched in disbelief,
according to police reports. When the officer approached Kraft and attempted to
place him under arrest, the suspect attempted to flee the scene. The officer
used an arm bar maneuver to secure Kraft, but he still resisted and attempted
to flee.
Other officers arrived
and Kraft eventually complied and was taken into custody. He was charged with
indecent exposure, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace. Last week, Kraft
pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for one year
and fined $300.
Guilty Plea In Scrap
With Cops
OCEAN CITY – A
Pennsylvania man was arrested for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest in
June after allegedly scrapping with police following a Boardwalk fight.
On June 13, an OCPD
officer patrolling the Boardwalk around 10th Street was approached
by an individual who said there was a fight in progress at 9th
Street. The officer responded to the area of 9th Street and the
Boardwalk and observed a man later identified as Kyle Benjamin Horn, 18,
yelling loudly, according to police reports.
The officer pushed Horn
against the sea wall and ordered him to sit down. Horn advised the officer and
an assisting officer he had been assaulted with a weapon. When the officer
asked Horn what kind of weapon he had been assaulted with, Horn allegedly said,
“[expletive deleted] you, you piece of [expletive deleted.]”
As Horn said this, a
group of around 10 people on the Boardwalk stopped walking and looked in his
direction, taking note of his comments, according to police reports. When the
officer observed the people’s response to Horn’s comments, he attempted to take
him into custody, but the suspect resisted. He was finally arrested after the
officer had to resort to knee strikes to his side in order to subdue Horn.
During the arrest, Horn received two lacerations to his head, but refused
medical treatment. He was charged with disturbing the peace and resisting
arrest.
Last week in District
Court, Horn pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation
for one year and fined $300.