Cops And Courts – September 15, 2017

Cops And Courts – September 15, 2017

No More Wedding For Bridesmaid?

OCEAN CITY — A would-be bridesmaid was arrested on assault charges after allegedly punching the bride-to-be in the nose during a fight outside a Boardwalk bar last weekend.

Around 1:40 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the area of 7th Street and the Boardwalk observed two females arguing in front of a bar. One of the females, later identified as Ashley Stolley, 30, of York, Pa., was pushing and grabbing the arm of the other female as they argued, according to police reports.

Stolley was wearing a shirt indicating she was a bridesmaid and the other female was wearing a white shirt indicating she was the bride-to-be. The two combatants were part of a larger bachelorette party at the Boardwalk establishment. Stolley showed signs of intoxication, according to police reports.

The OCPD officer approached the two combatants and the bride-to-be told the officer they had been in an argument and that everything was okay, assuring the officer they were going to go back in the bar and retrieve the rest of the bachelorette party and return to their hotel. The bride-to-be told the officer she did not want anything to happen to Stolley as a result of the pushing and shoving the officer had observed.

The officer returned to his patrol vehicle and observed Stolley and the bride-to-be calling into the bar urging the rest of their party to come out. The officer heard bar staffers say the bridal party had been cut off because of the incident in front of the establishment.

According to police reports, the argument between Stolley and the bride-to-be escalated again out in front of the bar with Stolley calling the bride-to-be names and saying she hated her. The officer then observed Stolley form her hand into a fist and swing it at the bride-to-be in haymaker fashion, throwing her whole weight behind the punch as it connected with the bridge of the victim’s nose.

The bride-to-be was knocked to the ground, according to police reports. The officer approached the scene and Stolley voluntarily placed her hands behind her back to accommodate the handcuffing. The officer observed the bride-to-be still on the ground with her hands covering her face.

When the bride-to-be stood up, the officer observed blood flowing from the bridge of her nose. A bar employee came out and offered the victim napkins to stop the bleeding. Bar staffers also ordered the music to be stopped because of the incident. A bar staffer told police Stolley had already been kicked out of the bar before the incident.

Stolley was placed in handcuffs on a Boardwalk bench and continued to yell expletives at the victim, according to police reports. During transport to the Public Safety Building for processing, Stolley reportedly told police she did not know why she was under arrest, but voluntarily admitted hitting the other girl. According to police reports, Stolley also told officers she thought the assault meant she wouldn’t be going to the wedding anymore. Stolley was charged with second-degree assault.

Smashed Hotel Door

OCEAN CITY — A Connecticut man was arrested on malicious destruction of property charges last weekend after allegedly smashing the front glass door at a midtown hotel.

Around 1:55 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the Lighthouse Cub Hotel at 56th Street for a reported malicious destruction of property that had already occurred. The officer met with a motel staffer who said a suspect had smashed the glass front door of the hotel and the suspect was being detained by employees at a neighboring property.

The OCPD officer went to the adjoining property and observed employees holding the suspect, later identified as Stephen Sorak, 27, of Stratford, Conn. on the ground. A security manager showed the officer a cell phone video of a suspect matching Sorak’s description walk toward the front door of the hotel and propel his right elbow into the glass door causing it to spider-web over its entire surface. The glass door was valued at over $1,000. Sorak was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property over $1,000.

Traffic Dasher Busted

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested for intoxicated endangerment and obstructing free passage last weekend after allegedly running from police and dashing through traffic before being found hiding behind a trashcan.

Around 9:50 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a midtown nightclub for reported disorderly subjects. The officer responded and found bar security staff detaining three suspects on the ground. The bar security staff told police they wanted to release the three men with just trespassing warnings, but wanted an officer present in case they became violent when released.

One of the men, identified as Connor McBarnick, 26, of Bunmouth, Pa., was given a wallet and a cell phone by bar security staff before walking away. However, it was determined the cell phone given to McBarnick actually belonged to one of the security staff members and was given to the suspect by mistake. When the officer asked McBarnick to return the phone, he reportedly took off running from police.

According to police reports, McBarnick ran south in between stopped vehicles on Coastal Highway. McBarnick ran southbound in the northbound lanes of Coastal Highway and several vehicles had to stop or pull out of the way to avoid hitting him. McBarnick then ran south on the sidewalk and attempted to hide behind a trashcan, but the chasing officers observed him and took him into custody. He was charged with intoxicated endangerment and hindering the free passage of vehicles on the roadway.

Alleged Graffiti Artists Busted

OCEAN CITY — Two men were arrested on malicious destruction of property charges this week after allegedly spray painting graffiti on a box truck at a downtown parking lot.

Around 2:40 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a parking lot across from a bar on 8th Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a report to individuals spray painting graffiti on a box truck. Ocean City Communications advised the responding officers two males were spray painting on a truck and were reportedly whistling to warn each other is their actions were being detected.

OCPD officers arrived and found large graffiti tags freshly spray painted on the box truck. The paint was still wet to the touch, according to police reports. In addition, OCPD officer found a box containing five cans of spray paint near the box truck along with a sixth can outside of the box.

OCPD officers searched the area for a graffiti artist identified as Cody Peet, 26, of Wilmington, Del., who was known to use the tag “Ceven,” which was on the vehicle. OCPD officers located Peet walking in the area of 8th Street wearing clothes matching the description provided by witnesses. When officers asked Peet for his driver’s license, he presented a Delaware driver’s license with the word Ceven on the signature line.

OCPD officers also located a second suspect identified as Sterling Shimp, 26, of Knippa, Texas, who had what appeared to be fresh black paint on his white shirt. Shimp denied spray painting “Ceven” or anything else on the box truck. He told police the black paint on his shirt was old, according to police reports. Shimp ultimately admitted being at the scene during the tagging of the box truck and that he served as a lookout for Peet and whistled when he thought they might be observed.

Shimp reportedly allowed OCPD officers access to his cell phone, which included numerous pictures of himself and Peet spray painting graffiti on various structures and vehicles. When Peet was questioned, he denied any involvement in the fresh graffiti tags on the box truck. However, Peet had in his wallet a picture of two males spray painting “Ceven,” which apparently means peace and love according to Shimp, on a large piece of cardboard. Based on all of the evidence, Shimp and Peet were arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property over $1,000.

Jail Time For Restaurant Stumble

OCEAN CITY — A local homeless man, arrested in July for breaking and entering and trespassing last weekend after stumbling through the back door of a Boardwalk restaurant, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 49 days.

Around 10:40 a.m. on July 14, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a Boardwalk restaurant at 12th Street for a reported disorderly suspect. The officer met with a cook at the restaurant, who told police a suspect later identified as Ethan Robertson, 38, of no fixed address, walked into the basement of the restaurant, which is located behind the building in an area not easily accessible to the public, while the employee was putting away a food delivery.

The employee told police he told Robertson to leave several times, but Robertson refused to leave and threatened the employee. The employee contacted his manager who was ultimately able to get Robertson to leave the premises, according to police reports. By the time police arrived, Robertson had left the area, but left behind his belongings including a backpack and a small tent, under the building.

Store staffers provided police with a description of Robertson and the direction in which he was last seen walking and also told officers he was extremely intoxicated and could barely stand on his own, according to police reports. OCPD officers located Robertson a short time later walking in the area of 10th Street and St. Louis Avenue. Officers observed Robertson as he attempted to open the gate of a private property unsuccessfully.

By then, several people in the area came out on the porches to observe Robertson’s actions. Last week, Robertson pleaded guilty to trespassing and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 49 days.

Two Days For Cocaine

OCEAN CITY — A Harrisburg, Pa. man, arrested in June on disorderly conduct and drug charges, pleaded guilty last week to possession of cocaine and was sentenced to two days in jail.

Around 11 a.m. on June 17, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a fast-food restaurant inside a convenience store in the area of 52nd Street for a report of a suspicious male. The complainant told police the suspect and entered the restroom and had been making statements about killing people. The caller was afraid because the suspect was carrying a backpack that appeared to be heavy, according to police reports. The suspect, later identified as Timothy Witmer, 26, of Harrisburg, had been in the restroom for about 15 minutes, according to police reports.

An OCPD officer on the scene had an earlier contact with Witmer on a previous call for service when he was dispatched to the area of 57th Street to check on an individual having a medical issue. The OCPD officer located Witmer rolling around in the grass and complaining of severe pain as he attempted to put a bandage on his foot he claimed was broken. The officer contacted Ocean City EMS, but Witmer refused medical attention. According to police reports, Witmer’s behavior was strange during that incident, but he ultimately committed no crime and was allowed to walk away.

When OCPD officers responded to the fast-food restaurant at 52nd Street, they were unable to locate Witmer. Another OCPD officer responding to the scene observed Witmer walking aggressively north on the sidewalk and he appeared to be talking to himself. As a man with a young child approached him, walking in the opposite direction, Witmer allegedly raised his arms in a threatening manner, but did not strike the man or the child.

At that point, the OCPD officer took Witmer into custody for disorderly conduct. A search of his person revealed a baggie of powder cocaine in his pants pocket. Two larger bags of powder cocaine were located in Witmer’s backpack. Also located in Witmer’s backpack were 15 tablets identified as Clonazepam. Witmer was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of cocaine and Clonazepam, a controlled dangerous substance. Last week, Witmer pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and was sentenced to two days in jail.