OCEAN CITY — A Florida man was arrested on indecent exposure and other charges last weekend after climbing on the roof of a north-end condominium naked following a domestic dispute.
Shortly after midnight last Saturday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of Wight Street and 140th Street for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, OCPD officers heard loud screaming coming from the second floor of the building and observed a suspect, later identified as Ed Willie Hughes III, 29, of Delray Beach, Fla., shouting at a female.
The officers observed Hughes was completely naked and was screaming profanity toward the female and all of the OCPD officers on the scene. According to police reports, once Hughes realized the officers were the police, he began climbing on top of the unit’s roof and stated he wasn’t coming down and going to jail.
By this time, neighbors in the adjacent unit to the south came out on their balconies during the screaming and the strange scene. In addition, neighbors across the street also came out on their balconies, according to police reports. According to the police report, the neighbors had a clear view of the naked Hughes on the roof. Hughes continued to launch a stream of profanity to all within earshot and at one point allegedly said, “I will jump off this [expletive deleted] roof and get this [expletive deleted] put on the news,” according to police reports.
OCPD officers interviewed the female victim, who told police she was in a domestic argument with Hughes and that nothing physical had occurred, but she was afraid for her safety because of the way Hughes was acting. Meanwhile, OCPD officers were able to get Hughes to come down from the roof and into handcuffs and he was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.
OCPD officers escorted Hughes to a vehicle so he could be transported and processed. Once inside the vehicle and properly seat-belted in, Hughes began to strike his own head against the rear passenger window stating “I’m gonna [expletive deleted] kill myself,” according to police reports. Officers then opened the rear door and escorted Hughes to a caged transport vehicle to prevent any self-inflicted injury.
At a bail review hearing on Monday, Hughes was committed to the Worcester County Jail on a $10,000 bond. A preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. 14.