Bicyclist Struck In OC
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania woman was arrested and charged with drunk-driving and failure to render aid to a victim last week after allegedly hitting a bicyclist with her vehicle and then showing indifference to the victim who had suffered a broken leg.
Around 9:50 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 67th Street and Coastal Highway for a report of an alleged drunk-driver who struck and severely injured a bicyclist. The officer arrived on the scene and located the suspect, identified as Teresa Joy, 52, of Fairfield, Pa., standing near her 2009 Jaguar.
Multiple witnesses identified Joy as the driver who struck the bicyclist. According to police reports, the bicyclist was still on the street and was screaming in pain. Ocean City EMS responded and advised the officer had suffered a broken femur and the injury was life-threatening. Witnesses described Joy was driving too fast and struck the victim with her vehicle.
OCPD officers approached Joy, who had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on her breath and person. According to police reports, she exhibited signs of intoxication including slurred speech, poor balance and blood-shot eyes. Also according to police reports, Joy had not rendered aid to the injured bicyclist, but rather was standing by her vehicle and talking on her cell phone.
When questioned, Joy told police the accident was not her fault, but could not give a coherent account of the chain of events that led up to the crash. Joy also refused to provide the officers with her driver’s license and insurance information and would not even provide her name when questioned by police. She also refused to do field sobriety tests as requested.
Joy was arrested for driving under the influence, driving while impaired and failure to identify herself or provide information.
She was taken to the Public Safety Building for processing where she was required to submit to an alcohol concentration test because of the life-threatening injury to the bicyclist she struck. However, according to police reports, she was uncooperative and failed to provide a valid breath sample after seven attempts. She was ultimately taken to Atlantic General Hospital instead for a blood sample. The results of her blood samples were still pending this week.
Body Found In River Identified
SNOW HILL — The body found floating in the Pocomoke River on Monday morning has been positively identified, but the investigation into his death is still ongoing this week.
Around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, a kayaker was paddling in the Pocomoke River about a mile south of Snow Hill and came across a body floating in the river. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigations (WCBI) and the Snow Hill Fire Department responded and recovered the body of an African-American male.
The deceased was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Monday for identification. Finger prints were obtained and sent out for identification. On Wednesday, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office reported the victim was identified as James Showell, 64, of Snow Hill. The Maryland State Police forensics unit responded to process the scene. The investigation is ongoing and the cause and manner of death are not yet known. Anyone with information is urged to contact WCBI at 410-632-1111.
Child Holding Up Drunk Mother
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania woman was arrested on disorderly conduct and other charges last week after allegedly stumbling around the Boardwalk intoxicated while using her 10-year-old son to hold her up.
Last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was on foot patrol on the Boardwalk in the area of 6th Street when he was approached by a man who told police a woman, later identified as Tracey Rooney, 45, of Carlisle, Pa., appeared to be intoxicated and was stumbling over benches and holding on to her son, who was in tears. The officer went to the scene and determined Rooney was now in a Boardwalk store and was stumbling and holding on to her son.
When Rooney came out of the store, the officer asked if she had been drinking to which she reportedly replied “oooh yeahh” according to police reports. When she exited the store, Rooney reportedly was stumbling in the middle of the Boardwalk and was holding on to her distressed 10-year-old son in order to remain standing. She also had scrapes on her legs and arms.
According to police reports, the intoxicated Rooney created a scene on the crowded Boardwalk for onlookers and those walking by. Rooney was taken into custody and advised to sit on the curb at 8th Street and she continued to sit up and down, lay down and complain about the handcuffs. She was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct, intoxicated endangerment and reckless endangerment for putting her son at risk.
Jersey Men Scrap With Cops
OCEAN CITY — A New Jersey man was arrested on assault and other charges last weekend after scrapping with an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer who was arresting another man and was ultimately Tased.
Around 10:30 p.m. last Friday, an OCPD mounted officer was patrolling in the area of 12th Street and the Boardwalk when he observed three individuals walking with beverages in red Solo cups. The officer approached the individuals and asked them if they were drinking alcohol in the red cups and that it was illegal to do so in Ocean City. One of the individuals, later identified as Justin Houston, 32, of Camden, N.J., reportedly launched a few expletives at the officer and downed the contents of his red cup.
The officer asked Houston for the now-empty cup and smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Because of his attitude and his expletive-laced tirade toward the officer, Houston was placed under arrest.
While the officer was attempting to obtain Houston’s information, the suspect presented a New Jersey driver’s license but told police he lived in Boston. According to police reports, he was generally uncooperative and could provide information on his identity, so he was not eligible for a citation and was taken into custody.
While the officer was attempting to escort Houston from the Boardwalk, he continued his tirade saying “[expletive deleted] this dumb [expletive deleted],” and told the officer he should check the drinks of everyone on the Boardwalk. When Houston was escorted off the Boardwalk, he was taken past a family with young children eating ice cream cones and shouted “why don’t you check her [expletive deleted] ice cream,” according to police reports.
Meanwhile, other OCPD officers had arrived on the scene and observed a crowd gathering around the initial mounted officer attempting to arrest Justin Houston. Another man in the group, identified as Jarrett Houston, 29, of Willingsboro, N.J., was becoming increasingly agitated with the original arrest and when he was told to stand back, he allegedly launched an expletive-laced tirade at the arresting officers with families with young children around. The OCPD officer moved Justin Houston off the Boardwalk and onto 12th Street to wait for a transport to the police station.
Jarrett Houston and the others in the group attempted to follow the officer and the arrestee off the Boardwalk, but the OCPD officer positioned himself and his bike at the head of the street to block the sidewalk. Jarrett Houston then jumped roughly four feet from the Boardwalk to the street and walked toward the arresting officer.
Jarrett Houston was warned to stand back, but ignored the orders and made a bee-line toward the arresting officer, according to police reports. Another OCPD officer attempted to intercept Jarrett Houston and reached for his arm to place him under arrest, but Houston pushed the officer. The officer and the suspect fell to the ground and were combating when another OCPD officer arrived to assist and deployed his Taser into Jarrett Houston’s back. Houston complied after that and placed his hands behind his back. Jarrett Houston was charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Jail Time For Church Fight
OCEAN CITY — A local man charged with disorderly conduct in April after a fight started in a church and spilled out into the street pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
Two local men were arrested on April 20 following a fight over one man’s girlfriend that began in a downtown church and spilled out into the street. 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. Last week, Groom pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 20 days in jail. Moulton pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in May.