Hefty Fine For Identity Fraud
OCEAN CITY — A Joppa, Md. woman, arrested on multiple charges in August after crashing her vehicle into the median on Coastal Highway while intoxicated and then lying to police officers about her identity, pleaded guilty last week to DWI and identity fraud and was fined several hundred dollars.
Around 11:40 p.m. on Aug. 22, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the Jolly Roger amusement park at 32nd Street for a reported motor vehicle collision. Witnesses told police a Honda CRV was traveling south on Coastal Highway when it failed to remain in its lane, veered and struck the median along with, ironically, a “Keep Right” sign. The vehicle failed to stop and only pulled into Jolly Roger’s parking lot after the front passenger tire had gone flat because of damage caused in the collision.
OCPD officers made contact with the driver, who identified herself as Michelle Christine Delovich. The suspect exhibited signs of intoxication and told police she had hit the sign in the area of 33rd Street. The suspect told police she did not have a driver’s license on her person and continued to identify herself as Michelle Delovich and could not provide police with her address. OCPD officers advised the suspect she could be charged with providing false identification information, but she continued to stick to her story.
At that point, she was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was transported to the Public Safety Building for processing. Even as she was being processed, the suspect continued to identify herself as Michelle Delovich. Ultimately, OCPD officers were able to identify the suspect as Dana Delovich, 37, of Joppa by her Maryland identification card and that her Maryland driver’s license had been suspended. Last week, Delovich pleaded guilty to DWI per se, driving without a license and identity fraud and was fined around $700.
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No Jail For Bat Threat
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man, arrested in September on first-degree assault and other charges after threatening another local man with a baseball bat, pleaded guilty last week to possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure and was placed on probation for one year.
Around 8:50 a.m. on Sept. 6, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of 43rd Street for a report of a disorderly male threatening people with a baseball bat in an alley. Upon arrival, OCPD officers met with the complainant and victim who is affiliated with the Longboard Café. The victim told police he went to an apartment building on 43rd Street on behalf of his brother, who owns and operates the Longboard Café, in order to retrieve three bicycles purchased by the business for its employees.
The bicycles were used by restaurant employees during the summer months for transportation to and from work, and when there employment ended and they no longer needed the bicycles, the business owner sent his brother to retrieve them.
The victim told police he went to retrieve the bicycles and was approached by a suspect later identified as Randolph Hambrick, Jr., 65, of Ocean City, who allegedly became confrontational and began to repeatedly yell “get the [expletive deleted] off my property.” The victim told police he explained to Hambrick he was only there to retrieve the three bicycles owned by his brother’s business, but Hambrick reportedly became increasingly agitated and told the victim he was not going to let him remove any bicycles from the property until he produced a bill of sale.
The victim told police he felt threatened by Hambrick and eventually retreated to his vehicle for safety. The victim got back out of his vehicle and was once again approached by Hambrick, who was now holding a metal baseball bat in his hand and remained extremely agitated and confrontational, according to police reports.
The victim told police Hambrick raised the metal baseball bat over his head and said “get the [expletive deleted] off my property or I will use this on you,” according to police reports. At that point, Hambrick allegedly raised the bat above his head as if preparing to deliver a blow to the victim.
According to police reports, the victim was just a few feet away from Hambrick as he raised the bat and threatened to hit him. The victim again retreated to his vehicle and called the police. OCPD officers arrived a short time later and located Hambrick near the property. The investigation revealed Hambrick was not the property owner, but rather a renter. Based on the testimony and evidence, Hambrick was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and carrying a deadly weapon with intent to injure.
The first-degree assault charge was later dropped. Last week, Hambrick pleaded guilty to possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure and was placed on probation for one year.
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Probation For Hotel Melee
OCEAN CITY — A Wicomico County woman, arrested in October on various charges after getting into a fight with her cousin at a downtown motel, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and was placed on probation.
Around 1:50 a.m. on Oct. 22, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 26th Street and Baltimore Avenue for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, the officer met with one of the combatants later identified as Kenya Ballard, 36, of Hebron, who said she called the police because she wanted to get her personal effects out of her cousin’s room, according to police reports. Ballard was not a registered guest of the hotel, but a room had been rented to her cousin, later identified as Syretta Copeland, 27, of Salisbury.
The OCPD officer accompanied Ballard to her cousin’s room on the second floor and discovered luggage, clothes and other belongings strewn throughout the hallway. Ballard confirmed the belongings were hers. The OCPD officer knocked on the door and Copeland answered, telling police she and Ballard had been staying in the room together, but Ballard had no standing in the room and that she longer wanted her cousin in there.
At that point, Ballard shouted at Copeland and pushed open the door and entered the room, pushing Copeland backward with a violent shoving action, according to police reports. The two cousins then began actively fighting in the hotel room in the presence of the police officer.
When the OCPD officer attempted to break up the fight, Ballard allegedly assaulted the officer, pushing him away and continuing to engage Copeland. Another OCPD officer arrived on the scene and found numerous other hotel guests had emerged from their rooms to see what the commotion was.
When the second officer entered the room where the fight continued, Copeland allegedly threw a set of keys at the officer attached to which was a heavy padlock. The officer was able to dodge the keys that were thrown at his head. Ballard was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and burglary for forcibly entering room. Copeland was arrested for assault and disorderly conduct.
Last week, Ballard pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was placed on probation for one year. Copeland’s scheduled court appearance was postponed.
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Auto Theft Case Forwarded To Circuit
OCEAN CITY — A Frankford, Del. man, arrested in July on auto theft and other charges after an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer monitoring a license plate reader on Route 90 detected a reported stolen rental car from the Philadelphia area, asked for a jury trial this week and had his case forwarded to Worcester County Circuit Court.
Around 1:10 a.m. on July 10, an OCPD officer was operating a mobile license plate reader on the shoulder of Route 90 west of Coastal Highway when the device alerted to a reported stolen vehicle heading toward Ocean City. The OCPD has license plate readers situated at various entry points to Ocean City that alert officers of possible stolen vehicles, drivers with active warrants and other information.
The OCPD officer confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen by Philadelphia police back on June 4. Responding officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop at 64th Street and identified the front seat passenger in the stolen vehicle as Dupree Phillips, 25, of Frankford. Phillips and two other occupants of the vehicle were detained while OCPD officers attempted to sort out who had stolen the vehicle.
Phillips initially told police his sister, whom he identified as Opra Hudson, had rented the vehicle for a month and allowed him to use it to come to Ocean City. Phillips said he brought along the two other occupants to help with the driving. However, that story began to unravel quickly. Witnesses on the scene told police Phillips had been in possession of the vehicle for the last month and he was regularly seen driving it. The witness told police the vehicle had been parked in front of Phillips’ residence in Frankford for the last month. Yet another witness told police Phillips had gotten the vehicle from Philadelphia.
OCPD officers were able to make contact with Opra Hudson, who told police she did not rent a car, nor did she provide a rental car for Phillips. When confronted with the information, Phillips changed his story and told police he met a guy whose name he did not know at an Uncle Willie’s store and the “guy” allowed him to drive the vehicle for two months for $575.
OCPD officers were able to confirm the vehicle had been stolen from the parking lot of a Dollar Rental facility in Philadelphia. Phillips was arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft, rogue and vagabond, theft from $10,000 to under $100,000 and making a false statement to police officers. This week, Phillps appeared in District Court and asked for a jury trial. As a result, his case was forwarded to Worcester County Circuit Court.
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Public Urination Probation
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man, arrested in July after publicly dropping his drawers and urinating on a crowded downtown beach, pleaded guilty last week the disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for one year.
Around 6:30 p.m. on July 2, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to the area of 1st Street and the beach to assist a Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy. The Sheriff’s Deputy told the OCPD he was patrolling the beach on an ATV when he observed a man later identified as Jason Derman, 45, of Baltimore, who had pulled down his bathing suit below his waist and exposed his penis and began to urinate on the beach.
Based on the evidence, the OCPD officer arrested the apparently intoxicated Derman and charged him with indecent exposure. Last week, Derman pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for one year.