OCEAN CITY — A Westminster, Md. man was arrested on first-degree assault charges on Sunday after allegedly stabbing another man in the chest during an altercation near a mid-town Ocean City hotel.
Around 10:20 p.m. on Sunday, Ocean City Police responded to a hotel in the area of 48th Street for a reported stabbing incident. Officers arrived on the scene and began treating a 29-year-old male from Sterling, Va., who was suffering from a stab wound on his chest. Ocean City EMS responded and continued treatment before transporting the victim to PRMC with injuries characterized as minor and not life-threatening.
The investigation determined prior to the stabbing, the victim and a group of male suspects were involved in an altercation in the area of 49th Street before going their separate ways. However, as the victim began walking away, the suspects pulled into the area of the nearby hotel and exited the vehicle and began fighting with the victim again.
One of the suspects, later identified as Joseph Rodriguez, 23, of Westminster, allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife before fleeing the area in the vehicle. OCPD officer broadcasted a description of the vehicle and it was stopped a short time later in the area of 3rd Street and Philadelphia Ave. by Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP).
Ocean City Police arrived on the scene and arrested Rodriguez without further incident. Rodriguez has been charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and possession of a weapon with intent to injure. Rodriguez had a bail review hearing on Tuesday morning and was ordered to be held on a $500,000 bond.