SNOW HILL — A Worcester County grand jury has formally indicted a Seaford, Del. man of attempted first-degree murder of an Ocean City police officer and numerous other counts following an incident in the resort in late September.
On Sept. 30, Antonio Ambrosino, 18, of Seaford, allegedly accelerated his vehicle toward and collided with an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer and a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy during an apparent drug deal. The struck officers were forced to fire their service weapons at Ambrosino’s vehicle as it sped away following the collision. Ambrosino was ultimately taken into custody after jumping into the bay around 41st Street following a multi-agency pursuit.
Last week, a Worcester County grand jury indicted Ambrosino on 15 total counts including attempted first-degree murder of an Ocean City Police officer, first-degree assault on the same OCPD officer, first-degree assault on a Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy and a member of the Worcester County elite drug enforcement unit known as the Criminal Enforcement Team.
Ambrosino was also indicted by the grand jury on various drug and weapons charges. He is being held without bond at the Worcester County Jail at the request of the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office. The grand jury also indicted Ambrosino’s co-defendant, Arkad Espinal, 20, of Reading, Pa, on five separate drug and weapons counts.
Worcester County State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby praised the special relationship between the allied agencies throughout the year and especially during certain special events in the resort.
“Law enforcement and the citizens of Worcester County are always safer when there is a strong and special relationship between the men and women who put their lives on the line every day and the prosecutors who work with them,” he said. “The people of Worcester County should feel comfort in knowing that the bond between our county’s law enforcement and this administration is unshakeable.”
OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro also praised the unique relationship between the allied agencies and the State’s Attorney’s Office in seeking justice against Ambrosino and his co-defendant. Buzzuro also thanked the grand jury for handing down the attempted first-degree murder indictment and other charges.
“These indictments reflect the exemplary partnership between the men and women of the Ocean City Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney,” he said. “We are very fortunate to live in a jurisdiction where law enforcement works both quickly and efficiently to ensure the safety of not just our officers, but the community in general.”
Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team Commanding Officer Lieutenant Ed Schreier praised the collaborative efforts between the allied agencies during the incident and throughout H2Oi weekend when it occurred.
“Members of law enforcement face the perils of this job every time they put on the uniform with bravery and dedication,” he said. “When senseless acts of violence occur toward the members of this office, we react both swiftly and decisively. Mr. Oglesby, along with his team of dedicated professionals, has ensured that these men will answer for their outrageous conduct against law enforcement.”
The investigation indicates just after 11 p.m. on September 30, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy working an assignment in Ocean City as part of the expanded police presence in the resort all weekend in anticipation of the arrival of thousands of vehicles related to the cancelled H2Oi car event in the resort pulled into the back parking lot of a shopping center between 33rd and 34th Streets on the ocean side of Coastal Highway. According to police reports, the deputy observed a Chevrolet Malibu parked in the lot with two men inside. The deputy notified police communications he would be checking on the vehicle and an OCPD patrol unit with three officers responded to assist.
The preliminary investigation revealed the deputy and an OCPD officer approached the vehicle on opposite sides while two officers positioned themselves near the rear of the vehicle. As the deputy approached the vehicle, he observed the two suspects in the car weighing and bagging marijuana, according to police reports.
Antonio Ambrosino
When the suspects saw the officers approaching, they immediately attempted to hide the marijuana in the car. The deputy gave commands to the suspects, but the commands were ignored and the driver, later identified as Ambrosino, started the car and put it in reverse.
The driver quickly accelerated and turned the vehicle to the right, striking the deputy. After striking the deputy, Ambrosino put the car into drive and accelerated forward. He then steered the vehicle to the left and drove directly at the OCPD officer, striking him as well.
The force of the impact catapulted the officer over the hood and windshield and onto the roof of the vehicle. The driver continued to accelerate away and the officer was thrown onto the hood of a vehicle parked nearby.
The preliminary investigation indicates the OCPD officer who was struck fired at the driver after being hit and another OCPD officer fired at Ambrosino as his vehicle was striking his fellow officer. Neither suspect was hit by rounds fired by the officers.
After fleeing the parking lot, the suspect’s vehicle ended up at a dead end on 41st Street and the bay. Police took the passenger, Espinal, into custody in the vehicle. Ambrosino jumped in the bay but was later arrested about eight blocks north of that location.
A Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) officer on the shore used thermal and night vision equipment to locate Ambrosino about 400 feet from shore and directed a patrol boat to his location. Maryland State Police helicopter Trooper 4 also responded and shined a spotlight on the suspect in the water.
According to police reports, Ambrosino was walking in waist-deep water and officers urged him to stop walking and raise his hands. He shouted several times the water was cold and that he was going to die. He was eventually lifted into the patrol boat by his arms and taken into custody. During the investigation it was learned Ambrosino said during he would rather die than go to jail.
Arkad Espinal
The grand jury indicted Ambrosino on 15 total counts including attempted first-degree murder on a law enforcement officer, two counts of first-degree assault on law enforcement officers, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin, or mushrooms, attempting to elude police officers giving chase and transporting a replica handgun. Espinal’s charges include possession with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin and transporting a gun replica. Tentative trial dates have been set for February 12 for Ambrosino and February 8 for Espinal. Oglesby will prosecute the cases along with Deputy State’s Attorney Bill McDermott and Assistant State’s Attorney Joaquin Cabrera.
