OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on first-degree assault charges this week after allegedly choking his girlfriend to the point she went unconscious in the parking lot of a midtown Ocean City motel.
Around 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Ocean City Police were dispatched to the Sea Bay Motel parking lot on 60th Street for a reported domestic assault. Officers arrived and found a suspect, later identified as Todd Kemble, 28, of Myerstown, Pa., being detained by a motel security guard.
The security guard told police he witnessed Kemble and the female victim walking toward the motel while arguing and yelling profanities at each other. As the couple walked through the parking lot, Kemble allegedly pushed the victim three or four times.
The security guard told police the couple had separated to different areas of the parking lot when Kemble suddenly and directly charged toward the victim with his arm straight out, knocking the victim to the ground. According to the security guard, Kemble followed the victim to the ground and began to choke her with both arms around her neck.
The security guard shouted for Kemble to stop and ran toward the couple on the ground. The witness told police he observed the victim’s head drop and her body go limp. The security guard told police the victim went unconscious as a result of the chokehold and that she was completely unresponsive for about 15 seconds.
The security guard told police Kemble shook the victim’s head while saying “wake up baby” several times and that the victim’s eyes rolled back in her head. The security guard said the victim eventually became conscious again, but was dazed and confused.
Once the OCPD officer arrived and heard the witness account, he checked the victim for signs of injury. According to the police report, the victim had two fresh bright red circular marks on her neck just below the jaw line. Her cheeks were extremely flush red and she had a fresh scratch mark across her chest.
According to police reports, the victim told the officer Kemble had a history of domestic violence and had choked her multiple times during past assaults. The officer questioned Kemble, who admitted he had been in an argument with the victim and that it had turned physical. Based on the testimony and signs of injury on the victim, Kemble was charged with first- and second-degree assault.