OCEAN CITY — Two Washington, D.C. area residents were arrested on multiple malicious destruction of property charges last week after an alleged Halloween vandalism spree in the resort.
Last Friday, Ocean City Police observed multiple acts of vandalism to city property in the area of 2nd Street and the Boardwalk. A fire hydrant, dumpsters and a railing had been marked using spray paint. Through the investigation, OCPD officers were able to identify two suspects — William Placek, 23, of Laurel, Md., and Poppy Walker, 25, of Washington, D.C. OCPD officers were also able to determine the two suspects were still in Ocean City.
Placek and Walker were located a short time later in the area of 112th Street and Coastal Highway after officers located a vehicle registered to Placek. The officers located empty spray paint cans in the vehicle and placed Placek and Walker under arrest. Also found in the vehicle was a knife.
In addition, OCPD officers were able to determine the Placek and Walker were responsible for three additional markings throughout Ocean City previously reported to police. While in custody at the Ocean City Public Safety Building, Placek destroyed a sprinkler head in his jail cell.
The OCPD has charged Placek with six counts of malicious destruction of property, malicious destruction scheme and concealing a deadly weapon. Walker has been charged with one count of malicious destruction of property. Both were taken before a District Court Commissioner and released on personal recognizance.
Two Arrested For Theft
BERLIN — Two Bishopville men were arrested on theft charges last week after rolling out of the Wal-Mart on Route 50 without paying for a shopping cart full of merchandize totaling over $500.
Around 2:30 p.m. last Tuesday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Wal-Mart in Berlin for a reported theft complaint. Wal-Mart employees told the deputies two unidentified men pushed a loaded shopping cart containing various goods past all points of sale. The goods in the cart had an estimated value of $506.44.
Deputies located two suspects, identified as Anthony Larry Hayward, 57, and Immanuel Owens Holland, 19, both of Bishopville. Through the investigation, it was determined Hayward and Holland had indeed passed all points of sale in the store without paying for the goods.
Both were placed under arrest for theft over $100 and less than $1,000. Each was released on their signature on a criminal citation and are awaiting trial.
Single-Vehicle Accident
BERLIN — A Berlin woman was arrested for driving while impaired last weekend after an accident on Route 589 near Showell.
Around 12:40 a.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a motor vehicle collision on Route 589 in the area of Beauchamp Rd. Troopers met with a suspect, identified a Bobbi Morey, 24, of Berlin, who told police she was operating the 2005 Jeep involved in the collision. After Morey refused medical treatment, troopers noticed signs she might be impaired and asked her to submit to a battery of field sobriety tests.
At the conclusion of the tests, it was determined Morey was impaired and she was subsequently arrested. Morey was the only occupant in the single-vehicle collision. Morey was transported to the MSP Berlin barrack where an alcohol concentration test resulted in a .03. However, prescription pills were also found in the vehicle and are believed to have contributed to the suspect’s impairment.
Two Arrested For
Drugs, Weapons
OCEAN CITY — Two local residents were arrested on multiple drug and replica handgun charges last weekend after a traffic stop in north Ocean City.
Around 5 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police officer observed a vehicle following the vehicle in front of it too closely in the area of Coastal Highway and 140th Street. The officer followed the vehicle into the parking lot of the nearby Fenwick Inn where a traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle was driven by Antonio Hayward, 27, of Bishopville, and was registered to Kaycee Allen, 20, of Berlin, who was the passenger.
Hayward handed the officer an identification card, but told police he didn’t have a driver’s license because it had been suspended. When asked why he had been driving erratically, Hayward told police he was late for work. Hayward was then placed under arrest for driving with a suspended license. During a subsequent search, the officer located a marijuana cigarette on Hayward’s person. The officer also found a small Ziploc bag containing suspected heroin in Hayward’s pants pocket.
When asked if there was anything else in the vehicle police should be aware of, Hayward told the officer there was a BB gun handgun in between the seat and the center console. When asked why there was a BB gun in the vehicle, Hayward told police it was for protection. He also told police Allen was a convicted felon and was not allowed to be around real guns, but that she could be around BB guns, which is why the weapon was in the car.
Because of the presence of narcotics, a search of the vehicle was conducted. A black BB gun pistol resembling a real revolver was found between the seat and center console as reported. Officers then found another BB gun pistol resembling a semi-automatic handgun on the back floor of the vehicle behind the driver’s seat. The officer noted in the report both weapons resembled actual semi-automatic handguns. In the glove box, the officer located a bag containing suspected cocaine.
During a search of Allen’s purse, the officers located a smaller change purse containing numerous wax paper bags containing heroin and packaged in such a way to indicate distribution.
Hayward was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of CDS-not marijuana and two counts of possession of a replica handgun. Because she was aware of the drugs and replica guns in the vehicle, Allen was also arrested and faces the same charges.
Tossed Syringe
Leads To Arrests
OCEAN CITY — Three local residents were arrested on drug charges last weekend after one of them allegedly tossed a used syringe from a vehicle window.
Last Saturday, an OCPD officer on patrol in the Jamestown Rd. area observed someone in a vehicle toss something from the window. The officer stopped to see what had been thrown from the window and discovered it was a used syringe. The officer stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Christopher Ruff, 24, of Selbyville. The passengers were identified as Nicholas Hartsock, 22, of Ocean City, and Jessica Hopwood, 23, of Selbyville, whom the officer had observed throwing something from the window of the vehicle which later turned out to be a syringe.
During a K-9 search of the vehicle, OCPD officers found three wax paper bags containing heroin in Ruff’s wallet in the driver’s side door along with a knife belonging to Ruff. Officers also located three wax paper bags containing heroin in Hopwood’s wallet on the front-seat floor of the vehicle. Another OCPD officer found a knife on Hartsock’s person.
A search of Hartsock’s belongings turned up a Crown Royal bag containing multiple used and unused syringes, a spoon, a shoelace, a plastic eye drop container, plastic bags and other items known to be used by a heroin user. Each of the suspects was arrested and charged with possession of various drugs. Ruff and Hartsock were also charged with possession of a weapon.
Suspended Sentence
In Theft Scheme
OCEAN CITY — One of two local men arrested on burglary charges after Ocean City Police were able to connect them to a series of thefts of building materials and scrap metal over a period of about five days in September pleaded guilty last week to theft and was sentenced to five years, all of which was suspended but the 33 days he spent in jail awaiting trial.
In September, the OCPD Criminal Investigation Division concluded an investigation into the theft of building materials and scrap metal with the arrests of Melvin James Collins, Jr., 25, of Pittsville, and Kenneth James Armitage, 23, of Ocean City. The thefts, totaling roughly $3,000, occurred in the resort area between September 18 and September 23.
OCPD detectives were able to connect Collins and Armitage to the thefts through electronic surveillance. Detectives then conducted surveillance on the suspects and observed Collins and Armitage commit a separate theft outside Ocean City and unload the stolen items from that theft at Armitage’s resort residence.
A search and seizure warrant was later executed at Armitage’s residence, where detectives located numerous stolen items. Collins and Armitage were each charged with three counts of theft and one count of theft scheme. Last week, Armitage pleaded guilty to theft from $1,000 to under $10,000 and was sentenced to five years. All of the sentence was suspended but the 33 days Armitage spent in jail awaiting trial. Collins is scheduled to appear for trial on December 15.
Fine, Probation
For Indecent Exposure
OCEAN CITY — A New Jersey man arrested in September after dropping his pants in traffic on Coastal Highway pleaded guilty last week to disorderly conduct and was fined $100.
Around 3:20 a.m. on Sept. 28, OCPD officers were patrolling in the area of 54th Street when they observed an unidentified man exposing himself to oncoming traffic. According to police reports, officers were traveling in the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway when a suspect later identified as Antonio Guglielmo, 24, of Cliffside, N.J. stepped onto the highway, pulled his pants down, bent over and intentionally exposed his entire buttocks to oncoming traffic. Guglielmo was arrested after a brief struggle with officers. Last week, Guglielmo pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was fined $100 and placed on probation for one year.
Three Held In Robbery
SALISBURY — Three suspects are in custody this week after a strong-armed robbery at a Salisbury fast-food restaurant last Friday afternoon.
Around 12:17 p.m. last Friday, Salisbury Police responded to the Taco Bell on South Salisbury Blvd. for a reported robbery. The investigation revealed a masked suspect approached a restaurant employee in the parking lot of the business. The suspect then forcibly removed a bag of currency from the victim and fled on foot.
A witness observed the robbery and saw the suspect enter a vehicle. The witness was able to provide a description of the vehicle and the suspect to police. A short time later, Salisbury Police located the vehicle in the area of Pemberton Drive and Parsons Rd. and a traffic stop was conducted.
At that point, one of the suspects fled from the vehicle carrying the proceeds from the crime. Salisbury Police officers pursued the suspect on foot and were able to take him into custody without further incident. The driver of the vehicle and an additional passenger were also taken into custody. There were no reports of injuries during the incident.
Ramier Laquan Bender, 22, of Salisbury, was charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and theft. Aaron Donnelle Conway, 28, of Mardela Springs, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, theft and conspiracy to commit theft. Justin Christopher Bryant, 24, of Salisbury, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, theft and conspiracy to commit theft. The investigation is ongoing.