Two Injured In Restaurant Fire

OCEAN CITY — Two restaurant employees were injured last Thursday afternoon during a fire in the kitchen involving a gas stove, and each was transferred to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore for injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Around noon last Thursday, Ocean City Communications received a call for a reported incident involving burn injuries to two employees at Seacrets. Ocean City Fire Department personnel responded to the scene, but found no fire upon their arrival.
According to witnesses, two Seacrets employees were injured while operating a gas stove in the kitchen area of the restaurant. Crews from the Ocean City Fire Department transported the patients to PRMC in Salisbury. The victims, whose names are not being released, were later transported to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental. There was no damage done to the structure of the building. As a result, the bars in Seacrets remained open on Thursday, but the restaurant and kitchen remained closed until Friday morning. The investigation is ongoing and will be completed by the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office.

Route 50 Accident
Knocks Out Signal
PARSONSBURG — A Salisbury man was charged with negligent driving and other traffic counts after veering across the median on Route 50 near Walston Switch Rd., crashing into a steep ditch and knocking out the traffic signal at the intersection.
Around 10:20 p.m. last Thursday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to the area of westbound Route 50 at Walston Switch Rd. near Parsonsburg for a reported motor vehicle accident. The investigation revealed a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer driven by Louis Lutz of Salisbury left the westbound lanes of the highway, veered across the grass traffic island, crossed the entrance ramp to westbound Route 50 and crashed into a steep ditch.
Lutz’ vehicle then struck a State Highway Administration (SHA) electrical signal box. Lutz and the front seat passenger were taken to PRMC for treatment of minor injuries. The back seat passenger was not injured. Due to the damage done to the signal box, all of the Walston Switch intersection lights were knocked out.
Choptank Electric arrived on the scene to cut the power so SHA could replace the entire signal box. Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 50 remained open, but traffic was not allowed to cross the highway at Walston Switch until the signal could be replaced. The traffic signals were operable again around 7 a.m. on Friday. Lutz was charged with negligent driving and failure to drive right of center.

Shot Gun Threat
During Repossession
SALISBURY — A Tyaskin man was arrested on assault charges last week after allegedly threatening with a shotgun an individual attempting to repossess his vehicle.
Around 3 p.m. on Dec. 13, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a reported disturbance in Tyaskin involving a suspect brandishing a shotgun. Upon arrival, the deputy met with an individual who had been engaged in repossessing a vehicle. The vehicle’s owner, later identified as William Ashby Jenkins, 51, of Tyaskin, allegedly exited the residence carrying a shotgun and ordered the victim to get away from the vehicle.
During the altercation, Jenkins allegedly pointed the shotgun at the individual attempting to repossess the vehicle and threatened to kill him.
The victim retreated, but was followed by Jenkins, who continued to point the shotgun at him. The deputy was able to apprehend Jenkins and charged him with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. Jenkins was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered to be held on a $50,000 bond.

Pizza Delivery Robbery
SALISBURY — Two juveniles were arrested on assault and robbery charges last week and a third suspect remains at large after allegedly beating down a pizza delivery driver in Salisbury and taking the food before fleeing the scene.
Around 7:15 p.m. last Saturday, Salisbury Police responded to a residence on Poplar Street for a reported strong-armed robbery. The investigation revealed a Pizza City delivery driver arrived at the residence to make a delivery when two unknown suspects pulled him inside and assaulted him.
The victim fell onto the floor and the three suspects punched and kicked him. The suspects then searched the victim’s pockets and took the food before running out of the rear door of the residence. The suspects only stole the food items from the victim, according to police reports.
The victim observed the suspects run out of the first residence and into an adjacent residence and called police. Officers responded and were able to identify and apprehend two of the three suspects. Officers also located the stolen food and food containers in the residence. The victim reported pain to his head, but did not require additional medical attention.
The officers determined the robbery took place at a vacant residence adjacent to the residence where the suspects were apprehended. As of mid-week, they were still trying to identify the third suspect. Arrested were a 15-year-old juvenile male and a 14-year-old juvenile male. They have been charged with second-degree assault, burglary, robbery and theft less than $100. Both suspects were released to a guardian.

Scooter Swiper Sentenced
OCEAN CITY — A Laurel, Del. man arrested in September for swiping a scooter from a midtown shop pleaded guilty last week to theft and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, Ocean City Police responded to Continental Cycles on 72nd Street for a reported theft of a motor scooter. An employee had noticed the scooter was missing around a half an hour before calling police and located the missing scooter a few blocks away at 75th Street with a blanket draped over it and the registration plate and key missing.
OCPD officers responded and quickly identified the alleged suspect as Treyon Miles Parker, 22, of Laurel. When the officers located Parker, they discovered he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. During a search, the officers found prescription Xanax pills on his person. The officers then were able to locate the registration plate and key to the scooter nearby.
Parker was arrested and charged with theft from $1,000 to $10,000, possession of Xanax without a prescription and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. Last week, Parker pleaded guilty to theft from $1,000 to under $10,000 and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Arrest In Home Invasion
SALISBURY — Salisbury Police last week arrested one of two suspects wanted in connection with an armed home invasion earlier this month, but one suspect remains at large.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, two suspects armed with a handgun entered a residence on Cedar Crossing and accosted several victims inside the home. The suspect stole an undisclosed amount of currency and other property before fleeing the scene and no one was injured.
Last week, Salisbury Police detectives identified one of the suspects as Joseph Howard Greenhawk, Jr., 23, and the Maryland State Apprehension Team was able to arrest him. He was been charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, burglary, first-degree assault, false imprisonment and weapons charges. The second suspect remains at large this week.