Truck Fire Deemed Arson
BERLIN – The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office this week listed the cause of a vehicle fire that burned the inside of a truck in Newark as arson and is seeking the public’s help in the investigation.
Last week, the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office was requested to assist the Maryland State Police with a report of a vehicle fire at a residence on Horseshoe Lane in Newark. The investigation revealed the fire occurred sometime in the evening hours on Jan. 17 or early-morning hours on Jan. 18.
A white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck had suffered extensive fire damage to its interior. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the fire was intentionally set, or arson. The cause of the fire was listed as incendiary.
Anyone with information about the vehicle fire is urged to call the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office at (410) 632-5666, or the Maryland Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529.
Burglary Convictions Appealed
SNOW HILL – An Ocean City man sentenced last week to eight years in jail after being found guilty of two resort-area burglaries in 2015 has already filed an appeal in the case.
On Dec. 23, 2015, at approximately 1:50 p.m. Ocean City Police responded to a restaurant in the area of Jamestown Road and Coastal Highway for a report of a burglary that had already occurred. Video surveillance showed that a man had broken into a cooler in the rear of the restaurant several hours earlier and had stolen alcohol, energy drinks and meat. Through investigation, officers were able to identify the suspect as Thomas D. Palenchar, 40, of Ocean City.
On Dec. 24 at approximately 8:30 a.m. Ocean City police responded to a Jewish center located in the area of 137th Street and Coastal Highway for another report of a burglary. The suspect broke a window, entered the building, damaged and stole numerous religious items.
Later that day at approximately 1 p.m., officers responded to a home on Captain Quarters Road to serve a warrant on Palenchar for the restaurant burglary.
When officers arrived, they noticed numerous items stolen from the Jewish center in the home. Also in the home were over 35 marijuana plants and marijuana that had previously been harvested.
Palenchar’s trial was delayed on separate occasions because of competency issues. However, he was deemed competent to stand trial and on Jan. 9 was found guilty on two counts of second-degree burglary. He was sentenced to eight years in jail for each of the convictions. Last week, however, Palenchar appealed the convictions in the state’s Court of Special Appeals.
Jail Time For Downtown Tirade
OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man arrested in December after allegedly launching into a threatening tirade at a downtown residence before later scrapping with police pleaded guilty last week to resisting arrest and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to three years, all of which was suspended but 14 days.
Around 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 20, Ocean City Police Department (OC-PD) officers responded to a residence on Talbot Street for a reported domestic dispute in progress.
Upon arrival, an OCPD officer stood outside the residence and allegedly heard a suspect, later identified as Richard Khanna, 57, of Ocean City, shouting threatening expletives apparently at other residents in the building.
The OCPD officer made contact with Khanna and advised him he was in violation of the town’s noise ordinance. According to police reports, Khanna told the officer he understood the ordinance and promised to quiet down, at which point the officer clear-ed the scene.
Around 4:15 a.m., however, the same officer was dispatched back to the residence on Talbot Street for a similar complaint.
According to police reports, the officer observed Khanna through the window shouting similar threatening expletives he had been shouting during the OCPD’s first visit to the residence. The officer also heard loud thumping and banging as if the walls were being struck inside the residence.
During a lull in the tirade, the OC-PD officer knocked on the door and told Khanna he was under arrest for disorderly conduct and noise violations. The officer advised Khanna to turn around and present his arms for handcuffing, but Khanna refused and launched into the expletive-laced tirade against the police and refused to cooperate, according to police reports.
Two OCPD officers grabbed Khan-na’s arms and attempted to cuff him, but he allegedly refused to cooperate, twisting his body and tensing his arms and balling his hands into clenched fists to prevent being taken into custody. He was eventually subdued and handcuffed, according to police reports.
While seated on the steps outside the unit awaiting transport, Khanna allegedly launched into yet another ti-rade directed at the OCPD officers detaining him, threatening to assault them and urging them to take him out of handcuffs. When told to stop being disorderly, Khanna only intensified his expletives, according to police reports.
When yet another OCPD officer was attempting to search Khanna, he allegedly threatened the officer and moved his knee into a position as if to threaten the officer, who was forced to move away to avoid being struck by the suspect. Khanna was ultimately subdued and charged with disturbing the peace, second-degree assault, resisting arrest, failure to obey a lawful order and noise violations.
Last week, he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to three years in jail, all but 14 days of which were then suspended.
18 Months For Thief Nailed By Social Media
OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man who pleaded guilty to theft charges in November for swiping a backpack containing cameras and other equipment before getting nabbed on social media was back in court last week and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
On Sept. 19, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to Pickles Pub on Philadelphia Avenue at 8th Street for a reported theft. The OCPD officer met with the business owner who reported a tan backpack containing two GoPro cameras and related accessories had been stolen from in front of his business during a short three- to four-minute window.
A surveillance image of the suspect along with information about the theft was posted on Facebook by the business owner and was shared by a tight-knit community over the period of several days following the incident.
The business owner told police he had received several responses that the suspect resembled an individual known as Robert Jackson, 51, of Ocean City, who lived nearby on St. Louis Avenue. The officer reviewed the surveillance video and still pictures of the suspect and was able to make a connection to Jackson. In addition, the business owner was able to provide police with an updated list of property in the backpack that totaled $1,445.
OCPD officers responded to the residence on St. Louis Avenue and were met at the door by Jackson, who admitted he had taken the backpack containing the Go-Pros and other equipment and that the stolen backpack was in his garage. OCPD officers were able to recover the property and return it to the victim. Jackson was charged with theft over $1,000 but under $10,000.
In November, Jackson pleaded guilty to theft over $1,000 and under $10,000, but sentencing was deferred pending the outcome of a pre-sentence investigation. Back in court last week, Jackson was sentenced to 18 months.
Probation For Unreasonably Loud Party Noise
OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man arrested in December after fighting with co-workers when a holiday party at his residence grew too large pleaded guilty last week to creating an unreasonably loud noise and was placed on probation.
Around 1 a.m. on Dec. 15, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a residence on 127th Street for a reported domestic assault in progress. OCPD officers arrived and discovered around 10 people focused on a man later identified as Dallas Godman, 22, of Ocean City, who lived at the residence.
Officers spoke to one witness who reported members of the group were all co-workers at a restaurant and had been at a holiday party when they were invited back to Godman’s residence to continue the party. According to witness testimony, Godman was intoxicated and became angry the party had grown so large and began arguing with his girlfriend.
The witness told police Godman then choked his girlfriend by putting his forearm across her neck. When two other men attempted to intercede on the girlfriend’s behalf, Godman started fighting with them, punching one man in the face, according to police reports. The witness said the parties then separated and the group left the residence, but Godman allegedly followed them out and attempted to fight with all of them, according to police reports.
Another witness corroborated the story and told police he too had been struck in the face by Godman during the altercation. Godman’s girlfriend told police he had come home from the party and became angry when there were too many people at his residence.
Godman was ultimately arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and a noise violation, the latter coming when he allegedly had several screaming fits while officers were questioning him.
Last week, Godman pleaded guilty to creating an unreasonably loud noise and was placed on unsupervised probation for one year.