Manslaughter Indictment
SNOW HILL — A Stockton man was indicted on manslaughter and other charges this week following a February accident that claimed the life of a Worcester County worker and critically injured another.
The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office on Tuesday announced the indictment of Marion Marine Jones, 60, on multiple charges including manslaughter, criminal negligence manslaughter, negligent driving and reckless driving. Jones was the driver in the Feb. 22 collision that killed county worker Scott Tatterson, 48, of Pocomoke and sent fellow county worker Wade Pusey, 23, of Seaford, to Shock Trauma with critical injuries.
Around 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 22, Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to Greenbackville Road near Ticktown Rd. in Stockton for a reported motor vehicle crash involving pedestrians. The preliminary investigation revealed two Worcester County Public Works Roads Division employees were working on the side of Greenbackville Road when a 2010 Kia attempted to pass around the work area.
The driver, later identified as Jones, allegedly swerved back into its lane to avoid an oncoming vehicle and drove through the work area and struck the two Worcester County employees. Nearly two months later, the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office is charging Jones with manslaughter and other counts.
Following a comprehensive investigation led by Corporal Laramore of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, along with other agencies including Special Investigators Rick Taylor and Kelly Hurley from the State’s Attorney’s Office and members of the Maryland State Police, the State’s Attorney’s Office felt strongly the charges were appropriate. While the State’s Attorney’s Office would make no substantive comments about the ongoing case, State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby offered his sincerest thoughts and prayers for the Tatterson and Pusey families.
Meanwhile, Pusey has since been released from Shock Trauma although he faces a long road to recovery. To that end, a fundraiser to help offset the cost of his multiple surgeries and medical expenses has been set for next Saturday at Waterman’s in West Ocean City from 4-7 p.m. featuring the all-you-can-eat menu of the restaurant’s favorites including fried chicken and steamed shrimp and the appropriate sides. Tickets are $25 and those interested can call 443-235-2673.
Route 50 Fatality
BERLIN — A Seaford man perished in a single-vehicle accident on Route 50 in Berlin last Thursday evening that shut down the westbound side of the highway for several hours.
Around 9:10 p.m. last Thursday, Maryland State Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on Route 50 in the area of Route 346 not far from the Berlin barrack. The preliminary investigation indicated a 2005 Chevy Silverado driven by Norris William Beard, Jr., 58, of Seaford, was traveling west on Route 50 near Route 346. Evidence and witness statements indicated the driver left the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch and then overturned.
Beard, the only occupant of the vehicle, was not restrained by a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was taken to Atlantic General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The victim has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. MSP troopers believe alcohol to be a factor in the collision.
Westbound Route 50 was closed for several hours while troopers investigated the accident. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Berlin Fire and Police Departments and the State Highway Administration assisted with the incident.
Hit-And-Run Arrest
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was charged with hit-and-run and other charges this week after allegedly side-swiping another vehicle at a north end intersection on Monday evening.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of the Carousel Hotel at 118th Street for a reported hit-and-run collision. OCPD officers met with the victim, who told police he was waiting to make a left turn onto southbound Coastal Highway from 118th Street at a red light when a tan-colored sedan attempting to make a right turn onto 118th Street side-swiped his vehicle.
The victim said he made brief eye contact with the driver, who continued eastbound on 118th Street and turned left onto northbound Assawoman Drive. The OCPD officers inspected the victim’s vehicle and found multiple scratches consistent with a side-swiping collision. Meanwhile, another officer located the suspect vehicle and driver at a condominium on 123rd Street. The driver was identified as David Olshinsky, 49, of Ocean City. According to police reports, Olshinsky exhibited signs of intoxication including a strong odor of alcoholic beverage, glassy and bloodshot eyes and swaying from side to side.
An inspection of Olshinsky’s vehicle revealed scratches and black paint transfer consistent with the hit-and-run collision described by the victim. Olshinsky told police he had no idea what they were talking about and denied being involved in a collision. Based on the evidence and victim testimony, Olshinsky was placed under arrest for hit-and-run and driving while impaired.
During a search incident to the arrest, numerous prescription pills later identified as Clonazepam were found on Olshinsky’s person. During processing, Olshinsky agreed to a breath test, which resulted in a reading of .22.
Assault, Trespassing
OCEAN CITY — A Florida man was arrested on assault charges this week after allegedly scrapping with security guards who had observed him attempting to enter parked cars at a mid-town hotel.
Around 12:40 a.m. last Sunday, an OCPD officer on patrol was dispatched to the Princess Bayside Hotel at 47th Street for a reported disorderly suspect. Upon arrival, the officer observed several security staff from the hotel holding down a suspect, later identified as Michael Fitzgibbon, 32, of Archer, Fla., in the parking lot.
The officer met with one member of the security staff who said he observed Fitzgibbon attempting to enter a parked car in the hotel lot and when the security guard approached Fitzgibbon to tell him to get away from the vehicle, Fitzgibbon allegedly charged at the guard and they both fell to the ground.
Another security guard heard the first security guard yell for help and came to assist. By the time the second guard arrived, Fitzgibbon was back on his feet and squared up as if to fight the security staff again. At that point, he was tackled to the ground again, which is when police arrived.
The officer questioned Fitzgibbon, who appeared to be extremely intoxicated. Fitzgibbon was issued a trespass warning and was escorted off the property with the understanding if he returned, he would be arrested. A short time later, Fitzgibbon returned to the hotel property and was arrested for assault and trespassing.
Domestic Incident Charges
OCEAN CITY — A West Virginia man faces assault and false imprisonment charges this week after allegedly strangling and threatening to kill his girlfriend in an Ocean City apartment last weekend.
Around 12:55 a.m. last Saturday, an OCPD officer was dispatched to an apartment at 27th Street for a reported domestic assault that had already occurred. The officer met with a female victim who was hysterically crying who told police her boyfriend, identified as Harry Mozingo, 63, of Martinsburg, West Va., had strangled her.
The victim told police she had been staying with Mozingo at the apartment for a couple of days when the couple got into a verbal argument that escalated into a physical confrontation. The victim told police she attempted to leave when Mozingo allegedly threw her down on a bed and began to strangle her with both hands. The victim had red marks on both sides of her neck and scratches on her arm consistent with her version of the events, according to police reports.
The victim told officers Mozingo told her he was going to kill her as he strangled her, according to police reports. Eventually, the victim was able to push Mozingo off of her and was able to lock herself in a bathroom and called police. Mozingo had left the scene in his vehicle and a description of the vehicle was broadcast. A short time later, Mozingo was located in the area of 4th Street and was arrested and charged with assault, false imprisonment and other charges.
Jail For DUI Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Berlin woman arrested in March on drunk-driving and traffic violations last week after first being observed speeding on the Route 90 bridge and later riding over a sidewalk before coming to a stop at a dead-end street pleaded guilty to driving under the influence last week and was sentenced to six months.
Around 2:35 p.m. on March 3, an OCPD officer on patrol on the Route 90 Bridge observed a vehicle speeding on the eastbound lanes of the span. The officer followed the vehicle into Ocean City and a computer background check revealed the owner’s vehicle, identified as Tristen Vice, 30, of Berlin, had been arrested three days earlier in the same vehicle for driving on a suspended license.
The officer followed Vice into Ocean City where she was clocked going 55 mph in the area of 54th Street. Vice made a right turn onto 52nd Street and drove over the corner of the sidewalk. The officer followed Vice until the vehicle reached a dead end at 52nd Street. When asked why she didn’t stop, Vice allegedly told police she did not want to go to jail.
When asked about the status of her license, Vice confirmed it was suspended and she had been arrested for the same charge just three days earlier. A background check revealed Vice had alcohol restrictions on her license and was required to use an ignition interlock device, but there was no ignition interlock on the vehicle she was driving at the time.
During the interaction, the officer noted Vice’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot and detected an odor of alcoholic beverage on her breath and person. Vice did not perform a battery of field sobriety tests to the officer’s satisfaction and she was arrested and charged with drunk driving, driving on a suspended license and traffic violations including fleeing and eluding.