Cops And Courts – June 3, 2016

Cops And Courts – June 3, 2016
Social Issues Government

Suspect Tased After Assaulting Officer

OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man was arrested for allegedly assaulting an Ocean City police officer and resisting arrest after getting tossed from a midtown nightclub last weekend.

Around 5:30 p.m. last weekend, OCPD officer were affecting an arrest outside Seacrets when they observed bar security escorting a combative individual out of the club. The suspect, later identified as Joseph Filliben, 24, of Wilmington, was allegedly screaming obscenities and pushing and pulling against the security staff. An OCPD officer approached and attempted to calm Filliben down to no avail. Filliben was accompanied by three friends who were also attempting to calm him.

After Filliben was calmed to some degree, he was asked to quietly leave the area or he would be arrested. As he left the area, Filliben continued to flail his arms and yell obscenities at the officers and others in the area. Again, he was asked to just leave the area or risk being arrested. As he continued to walk away, Filliben then directed his obscenities and fighting words toward individuals on the street and sidewalk and challenging others to fight.

Having seen and heard enough, the OCPD officers attempted to take Filliben into custody. When told he was under arrest, the suspect reportedly told police “no, I’m not,” and then struck on officer on the arm, releasing his grip. Filliben continued to push away from the officer and attempt to walk away while roughly 100 bystanders observed the scene. Finally, after Filliben battled with three officers, one officer deployed his taser into the suspect, which resulted in bringing him into compliance. Filliben was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree assault on a uniformed police officer.

Knife Found In Traffic Stop

BERLIN — A Virginia man was arrested on weapons and other charges last weekend after a traffic stop in Berlin revealed a concealed switchblade knife in his vehicle.

Around 11:45 p.m. last Sunday, a Berlin Police officer stopped a vehicle for speeding at Route 113 and Burley Street. Upon making contact with the occupants, the officer detected the strong odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle. During the investigation, the passenger was identified as Devon Miles Lockley, 20, of New Church, Va.

As Lockley was removed from the vehicle, he told police he had a small amount of marijuana on his person. During a search of the vehicle, the officer located what appeared to be a butane lighter in the armrest of the vehicle near where Lockley had been seated. A closer inspection of the lighter revealed the casing was both a lighter and a switchblade knife.

A spring-loaded switch was located on the side of the casing which, when pushed, exposed a concealed knife blade. The knife had a double-edged blade over two inches long and was exposed only be manipulating the spring-loaded switch. Lockley was charged with possession of a concealed dangerous weapon. A background check revealed he was also wanted on a District Court of Maryland bench warrant for failure to appear on a theft charge.

Hit-and-Run Arrest After Two Collisions

OCEAN CITY — A Brookeville, Md. man was arrested on drunk-driving and malicious destruction of property charges last week weekend after allegedly hitting two cars on Coastal Highway and later destroying a light fixture in his holding cell.

Around 5:20 p.m. last Saturday, OCPD officers responded to a reported hit-and-run crash involving two attended motor vehicles on Coastal Highway in the area of 74th Street. The investigation revealed a Nissan Sentra was traveling north on Coastal Highway when it entered the westbound turn lane at 74th Street and struck a vehicle from behind causing damage. The Nissan then veered into the center lane of Coastal Highway, striking another vehicle that had the right-of-way before leaving the scene.

A few minutes later, OCPD officers were able to stop the Nissan at 72nd Street and identified the driver as Robert Leifer, 22, of Brookeville, Md. Upon approaching Leifer, officers detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath and person. He was arrested and later submitted to a breath test, which resulted in a .10 reading.

As a result, Leifer was charged with driving under the influence and while impaired along with numerous traffic charges related to the hit-and-run incidents. Hours later, while in a holding cell at police headquarters, Leifer allegedly damaged a light fixture intentionally and malicious destruction of property charges were added.

Weed Blamed For Hit, Run

OCEAN CITY — A Rockville, Md. man was charged with driving while impaired on marijuana, not alcohol after a hit-and-run accident at a downtown bar parking lot.

Around 1:40 a.m. on Monday, an OCPD officer responded to a bar parking lot on 27th Street for a reported hit-and-run incident. The officer observed a parked pick-up truck with front driver side damage. OCPD Communications advised the officer a gray Honda had hit the truck and left the area. The officer located the suspected Honda nearby a short time later.

The officer asked the driver, identified as Kevin Caceres, if he had consumed any alcohol and the suspect told police he had not. However, the officer observed Caceres’ eyes were glassy and blood shot and his speech was slurred. He was administered a battery of field sobriety tests which he did not pass to the officer’s satisfaction and he was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired.

While at police headquarters, Caceres agreed to a breath test, which returned a reading of .00. Caceres was then evaluated by an OCPD Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) who concluded Caceres was likely under the influence of cannabis and unable to operate a vehicle safely.

Sexual Assault Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A Philadelphia man was arrested on assault and sex offense charges last weekend after allegedly violating a sleeping female acquaintance at a downtown resort motel room.

Around 4:45 a.m. last Sunday, OCPD officers were dispatched to a motel on 18th Street for a reported sexual assault that had already occurred. The officers met with a female victim who told police she and a group of six friends were staying in the motel room and that she had been assaulted by one of the males in the group identified as Gerardi Guillaume, 26, of Philadelphia.

The victim told police she had fallen asleep and woke to find Guillaume manually sexually assaulting her. The victim told police she had gone to sleep and Guillaume got into bed with her and it was fine with her because she knew him and there were other people asleep in the same room. The victim said she awoke to find Guillaume sexually assaulting her both manually and orally. She told to “get the [expletive deleted] out of the bed, but the suspect told her he had nowhere else to go.

The victim was able to leave the room and call police. The victim was taken to AGH for a sexual assault forensic exam. The victim told police she not consented to having any sexual contact with Guillaume and that she never even had the impression he was interested in her. Guillaume was arrested and charged with second-degree assault, and second- and third-degree sex offense.

Jail For Domestic Assault

OCEAN CITY — A West Virginia man arrested on assault and false imprisonment charges in April after strangling and threatening to kill his girlfriend in an Ocean City apartment last weekend was found guilty last week and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Around 12:55 a.m. on April 23, 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, W.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. Last Friday, Mozingo was found guilty of second-degree assault and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Pot Bust After Traffic Stop

BERLIN — Two Reisterstown, Md. men were arrested on marijuana charges last weekend after a traffic stop in Berlin.

Around 11:30 p.m. last Friday, a Berlin Police officer was traveling east on Route 50 when he observed a white Chevy Camaro in his rear-view mirror. The Camaro got close enough to the police vehicle that the officer could no longer see its headlights. The Camaro then switched lanes without signaling in front of another vehicle and sped past the patrol vehicle at a high rate of speed.

The officer conducted a traffic stop, and upon approaching the vehicle detected a strong odor of marijuana. The officer also observed loose marijuana in the vehicle. The driver was identified as Erik Winebrenner, 21, of Reisterstown, and the passenger was identified as Alexander Taran, 20, also of Reisterstown.

A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed a clear, plastic baggie containing over 10 grams of marijuana, concentrated THC extract, several prescription pills, a smoking device, cellular phones and U.S. currency. Based on all of the evidence recovered during the investigation, Taran and Winebrenner were taken into custody.

Taran was charged with two counts each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, CDS possession-not marijuana and one count of possession of marijuana. Winebrenner was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of marijuana. Taran was later released on a $10,000 bond, while Winebrenner was released on a $5,000 bond.