Fighting In Church
OCEAN CITY — Two local men were arrested on disturbing the peace charges last week following a fight over one man’s girlfriend that began in a downtown church and spilled out into the street.
Last Thursday, an off-duty Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer came across one man holding another man on the ground on Worcester Street. The off-duty officer separated the two men, identified as Jerry Groom, 61, of no fixed address, and James Moulton, 62, of no fixed address, and called 911 to get an on-duty OCPD officer to handle the investigation.
When the OCPD officer arrived on scene, the off-duty officer had Groom and Moulton separated and sitting on the curb. The officer noted in his report a small crowd had gathered outside the Son Spot Church on Worcester Street along with a few more people on the opposite side of the street who were watching the confrontation and Groom and Moulton continued to launch expletives at each other.
When the OCPD officer asked Groom and Moulton why they had been fighting, both suspects told police it started over Moulton’s girlfriend. According to police reports, Groom told the officer Moulton was mad because Groom had stolen Moulton’s girlfriend. However, Moulton told police Groom was lying, according to reports. Throughout the debate, Groom and Moulton continued cursing and yelling expletives at each other as the crowd gathered around. The officer noted in his report both suspects appeared to be highly intoxicated.
The OCPD officer then interviewed church patrons who said the fight began inside the church. While the two men argued inside the church, the cursing and sexually vulgar language became so bad that both were escorted outside where the fight continued. The church patrons told police they were drawn outside because of the ongoing fight, which kept them away from what they were doing inside.
Groom was treated by Ocean City EMS on scene for an abrasion on his arm. Moulton had an abrasion on his head, but did not request medical attention. Based on the evidence and testimony, both men were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Male, Female Victim Assaulted
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was arrested on assault and malicious destruction of property charges last week after allegedly attacking another man and a female after they got out of an Uber ride on a downtown street.
Around 2:50 a.m. last Tuesday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a reported fight in progress on Dayton Lane. Upon arrival, the OCPD officers located a male victim covered in blood with his face extremely swollen and discolored. The officers also located a female victim with a laceration on her lip and dried blood around her mouth. The officer also observed a large pool of fresh blood on the ground near the female victim.
The OCPD officers interviewed the female victim, who told police she had been at midtown bar with the male victim and two other men before the group decided to share an Uber ride to the Dayton Lane area. When the group arrived at the Dayton Lane location, they observed three other men in the parking lot and when they got out of the vehicle, the three men almost immediately began attacking the male victim. The female victim told police she was not certain what incited the attack.
The female victim told police one of the men, identified as Brandon Olszewski, 24, of Ocean City, punched the male victim several times, knocking him into a bush. The female victim said he exited the Uber ride with another acquaintance to come to the male victim’s defense. At that point, Olszewski allegedly stopped beating the male victim in the bush and launched a verbal attack on the female victim, punching her in the mouth with a closed fist, according to police reports.
The female victim told police that was when she received the laceration on her lip, which resulted in the pool of blood on the ground. The female victim told police she dropped her phone when she was knocked to the ground. At that point, the male victim had recovered and attempted to come to the female victim’s aid, but Olszewski alleged punched him again several times and knocked him to the ground.
The female victim told police Olszewski then picked up her phone and smashed it on the ground before punching her in face again while she was on the ground. When police arrived, Olszewski and the other men involved fled on foot. Based on the evidence and testimony, Olszewski was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property.
Assault Arrest After Fight Over Dancing
OCEAN CITY — An Arkansas woman was arrested on assault charges last weekend after allegedly attacking her boyfriend at a downtown motel because he allegedly refused to go out dancing with him.
Around 12:45 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a reported domestic dispute at a motel on 27th Street after other occupants at the hotel reported screaming and yelling coming from another unit above them. The OCPD officers arrived on scene and located a male victim standing next to the front window. OCPD officers also located a female in the motel room later identified as Marla Mays, 31, of Wyane Cross, Ark., holding a small dog and screaming at the male victim. The officers also observed the room was in disarray with the bed moved, the sheets and covers removed and the dog’s food and water dishes knocked over.
OCPD officers asked the victim to explain what had happened prior to their arrival. The victim told police he had been dating Mays for about three weeks before the couple decided to come to Ocean City for a weekend getaway. The victim told police the couple had been drinking at nearby bars earlier in the day and returned to the motel room to take care of Mays’ dog, according to police reports.
The victim told police Mays said she wanted to go out dancing, but the victim did not want to go back out. The victim told police at that point, Mays began screaming and yelling at him and slashed at him with an open hand, scratching his neck and face. The victim told police Mays struck him three or four times in the face and told she was going to kill him. The officers noted in the report the victim had multiple scratches on his face consistent with his story about Mays’ attack on him.
The victim told police he retreated to the back of the room and was ready to call the police when the officers arrived because of the complaint filed by other occupants in the building. Based on the evidence and testimony, Mays was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
Fight Over Alleged Vehicle On Boardwalk
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man was arrested on assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly striking another man following a dispute about a vehicle allegedly driving on the Boardwalk.
Around 12:40 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of Talbot Street and the Boardwalk for a report of a vehicle driving on the Boardwalk. Upon arrival, OCPD officers met with the staff of a nearby bar that told police a vehicle had driven on the Boardwalk but had since left the area. While police were talking with bar staff, another man approached the officers and told them he had been struck by the vehicle on the Boardwalk.
The alleged victim then pointed to another man inside the bar, later identified as Quran Gauthier, 22, of Baltimore, who allegedly knew and was friends with the individual who had been driving a vehicle on the Boardwalk. When police interviewed Gauthier, he reportedly told officers he was staying with the suspect, but did not know his name or phone number. When officers pressed Gauthier for more information about the suspect, he reportedly became increasingly aggressive and used profane language and refused to cooperate, according to police reports. Getting nowhere with the investigation, the officers told Gauthier he was free to leave and the bar staff reportedly told police they did not want to let him in anymore.
As Gauthier walked away, the officers heard him launch into an expletive-laced tirade against the police including references to pigs. The officers who were nearby advised Gauthier of the town’s noise ordinance and the 50-foot rule and that his actions were disturbing others on the Boardwalk in violation of the noise ordinance.
At that point, the man who said he was struck by the vehicle on the Boardwalk and pointed out Gauthier to police yelled at Gauthier to stop using profanities and the two men walked toward each other and got in each other’s faces. The officers shouted at the two men to break it up, but Gauthier allegedly shoved the other man with such force that it lifted him off the ground and knocked him down. Having heard and seen enough, OCPD officers arrested Gauthier and charged him with assault, disturbing the peace and other counts. In terms of the vehicle on the Boardwalk, OCPD officials said this week that investigation is ongoing and charges are pending if a suspect is identified.
Theft Scheme Alleged
BERLIN — A Bishopville woman has been charged with felony theft scheme over $10,000 and under $100,000 as a result of an alleged campaign to steal from a local business.
According to a “Criminal Information For Theft” document filed March 31, the State’s Attorney of Worcester County has charged Lisa Clark Schreppler, 52, with “one scheme and continuing course of conduct, steal U.S. currency of Greenridge Enterprises, LLC having a value of at least $10,000 but less than $100,000.”
The company reportedly owns a mobile home park in Berlin, a mobile home park in West Ocean City and a warehouse in Bishopville.
A jury trial has been set for July 6. The charge carries with it a maximum sentence of 15 years and a $15,000 fine.
Passed Out Behind Wheel
NEWARK — A Newark man was arrested on drunk-driving charges last weekend after police allegedly found him passed out at the wheel with the engine running at an intersection.
Around 5:45 p.m. last Saturday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a Chevy Tahoe sitting stationary at the intersection of Sandyfield Road and Nine Pin Branch Road in Newark. The officer investigated and found the driver, identified as Frederick Parker, 60, of Newark unconscious behind the wheel with the vehicle’s engine running.
The officer was able to wake Parker after knocking on the window several times, according to police reports. Parker did poorly on field sobriety tests and was ultimately charged with driving under the influence and while impaired.
Jail For Maryland Delegate
SNOW HILL — A Maryland delegate found guilty by a Worcester County jury in January of driving while impaired by alcohol following an arrest in Ocean City last August was sentenced last week to 60 days in jail with all but two days suspended.
Last Aug. 18, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers observed Maryland Delegate Richard Impallaria (R-7- Baltimore and Harford Counties) get into an illegally parked vehicle in the area of 82nd Street in Ocean City. OCPD officers also observed an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.
Impallaria, who was in the resort for the Maryland Association of Counties (MaCo) convention, was subjected to a series of field sobriety tests which he did not pass to the officer’s satisfaction. He was subsequently charged with driving while impaired. In January, a Worcester County Circuit Court jury found Impallaria guilty of driving while impaired and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Back in court last Friday, Impallaria was sentenced to 60 days in jail with all but two days suspended. He was also placed on probation for 18 months.