BISHOPVILLE — A major fire at a vacant chicken house in Bishopville last week is still under investigation.
Around 6:45 p.m. last Thursday, a fire was reported at a chicken house on St. Martin’s Neck Rd. in Bishopville. First arriving units found the chicken house well involved in fire. No chickens were destroyed in the fire, which had not been used for housing birds for over 20 years and was mainly used for storage. Firefighters from Bishopville, Ocean City, Showell, Selbyville, Ocean Pines and Berlin responded to assist with putting out the blaze.
The fire was contained to the structure of origin with no injuries reported. Firefighters remained on the scene for about three-and-a-half hours. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Worcester County Fire Marshals Office.
No New Jail Time For Heroin Possession
SNOW HILL — A Whaleyville man arrested on various drug charges in April after running his truck off the road on Route 610 and crashing into a ditch pleaded guilty last week to possession and was sentenced to 33 days in jail, all of which was credited as time already served.
Around 5:40 p.m. on April 23, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol on southbound Route 610 near Route 113 observed a Chevrolet pickup truck cross the northbound lanes of the highway, leave the roadway and crash into a large ditch. The deputy observed the driver, later identified as Bryce Joseph Butler, 20, of Whaleyville, continue to push the gas pedal in an attempt to drive out of the ditch.
The deputy asked Butler to exit the vehicle and upon speaking with the suspect determined he was in possession of a controlled dangerous substance. The deputy recovered heroin, hypodermic needles and a digital scale from the suspect. Butler was arrested and charged with possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
Last week, Butler pleaded guilty to possession and was sentenced to 33 days. He was then given credit for the 33 days he spent incarcerated while awaiting trial. He was also fined $200 and placed on probation for one year.
Choking Case Forwarded
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man, arrested on first-degree assault charges in October after allegedly choking a waiter at a Boardwalk restaurant when his female companion didn’t get the chicken fingers she ordered, had his case forwarded to Circuit Court last week.
Around 11:25 p.m. on Oct. 18, Ocean City Police responded to the Brass Balls Saloon on the Boardwalk near 12th Street for a reported assault that had already occurred. OCPD Communications advised the responding officers an individual wearing a Howard Johnson shirt and name tag had reportedly choked a victim in the restaurant before going back to the hotel, which is located in the same block on the Boardwalk.
OCPD officers went to the hotel and made contact with an African-American male wearing a Howard Johnson shirt bearing the nametag “Carl.” The officers were able to identify the individual as Carl Ludovic Saint-Juste, 22, of Ocean City. The OCPD officers then went back to the Brass Balls Saloon to interview the victim, who was a waiter at the restaurant. The victim told police he was sitting at a table when a female patron who had come in with two other males approached him and complained she did not receive the chicken fingers she had ordered.
Saint-Juste then allegedly snuck up behind the waiter and began to choke him. The victim told police he pulled down Saint-Juste’s arm in an attempt to stop him from choking him, but the suspect would not relieve his grip. The victim told police his airway was compromised and he was unable to breathe as Saint-Juste continued to choke him and he feared he could be seriously injured if the suspect did not stop.
The victim told police Saint-Juste did not stop choking him until someone else in the establishment yelled at him to stop. The victim told police he felt pain in his neck and back after the suspect stopped choking him. An OCPD officer watched video surveillance of the incident and observed Saint-Juste choke the victim for 12 seconds while the victim was seated in a chair. Saint-Juste was arrested and charged at the District Court level with first- and second-degree assault.
Armed Robbery Suspect Nabbed
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on armed robbery charges last week after police were able to connect him to a convenience store robbery.
Around 5:40 p.m. on Dec. 3, Salisbury Police responded to a reported armed robbery at the Shoppers One Stop Market on Delaware Ave. Store employees told police an unidentified male suspect entered the store and approached the check-out counter with a handgun in his waistband. The suspect then demanded money from the employee and was given an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene on foot.
Salisbury Police conducted a K-9 search of the area to no avail. During the investigation, Salisbury Police were able to identify the suspect as Tay Labryant Johnson, Sr., 32, of Salisbury. Last Thursday, a week after the incident, Salisbury Police located Johnson and took him into custody. He has been charged with armed robbery, robbery, theft less than $1,000 and carrying a handgun on his person.
Guilty Plea To Burglary
OCEAN CITY — One more of the seven homeless people arrested on burglary charges in October after allegedly setting up housekeeping in a vacant downtown Ocean City apartment pleaded guilty last week in District Court and each was sentenced to 120 days in jail.
Around 7 p.m. on Oct. 31, Ocean City Police responded to home in the area of 2nd Street and Philadelphia Ave. for a reported burglary in progress. As officers attempted to enter the residence, several individuals exited with their hands in the air. The investigation revealed all seven suspects were homeless and were finding shelter in the unoccupied home.
The residence had been winterized and closed for the winter when the seven individuals broke in. OCPD officers arrested the seven individuals and charged them each with fourth-degree burglary. Among those charged were Russell D. Jester, 57; Philip A Weigel, 56; Scott Bryant, 58; Mark Martin, 54; Vernon Rinehart, 69; and Derrick Perciful, 47, all of Ocean City. Also charged was Charles Boone, 52, of Dagsboro.
Last week, Bryant pleaded guilty to fourth-degree burglary and was sentenced to 120 days in jail. Earlier this month, four of the suspects including Jester, Martin, Perciful and Weigel pleaded guilty to fourth-degree burglary and each sentenced to 120 days in jail.