Assault Arrest After Hotel Domestic Incident
OCEAN CITY — A Fruitland man was arrested on assault charges this week after allegedly choking his girlfriend in front of young children during a domestic incident at midtown hotel.
Around 6:50 p.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a hotel at 91st Street for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, officers met with a female victim in the hotel lobby along with her three children, ages nine and seven years old and seven months. The victim told police she and her boyfriend, identified as Jason Kramer, 40, of Fruitland, and their children had come to Ocean City to celebrate a birthday, according to police reports.
The victim told police the group had spent some time at the pool and was back in the hotel room. The victim was out of the room and she returned, the two juveniles were upset and crying. According to police reports, the juveniles told the victim Kramer had hit them with a rolled-up towel. When the victim confronted Kramer about the incident, a verbal argument ensued.
The victim told police the infant was on the bed in a car seat. During the argument, Kramer allegedly choked the victim and threw her on the bed, causing the car seat holding the infant to fall to the floor. The victim told police she grabbed her cell phone and told Kramer she was going to call 911 when he allegedly snatched the phone and began choking her around the neck with both hands.
According to police reports, the victim told officers she feared for her life and began screaming. When officers interviewed the juvenile children, they corroborated the victim’s story about Kramer choking her and they were scared, screaming and crying. The victim was ultimately able to get the children out of the room and made it to the lobby and had the desk clerk call the police.
Kramer had left the scene prior to the officers’ arrival, but was located a short time later at a restaurant across the street from the hotel. When questioned, Kramer admitted he had an argument with the victim about playing with the kids, but denied having any physical altercation with her. Based on the victim’s testimony and the testimony of the juvenile children, Kramer was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
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Parking Lot Fight Arrests
OCEAN CITY — Two people were arrested on various charges last weekend after allegedly scrapping with Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers attempting to detain other suspects during a fight at a midtown nightclub parking lot.
Around 11:30 p.m. last Saturday, OCPD officers were dispatched to the parking lot of Fager’s Island for a reported fight in progress. Police communications advised bar security staff were actively involved in a fight with unruly patrons.
When officers arrived on scene, they observed bar staff pinning two individuals on the ground. According to police reports, their attention was drawn to a male suspect, later identified as Daniel McCleary, 29, of Elkton, and Erin Lynn, 26, of Fallston, who were allegedly trying to push their way past the officers. The officers told McCleary and Lynn to back away from the area where two other combatants were being detained and to leave the premises at the request of bar security staff.
McCleary refused to leave the premises and told police he was with the two individuals being detained and was trying to get them away from police. When told to stand back on a curb, McCleary reportedly told police he was not required to identify himself because he knows the police need probable cause to ask for his identification.
McCleary reportedly told the officers he knew his rights through his experience as a student in a criminal justice program. After being asked repeatedly to step away and stop hindering the investigation, McCleary reportedly told police “we are going to do this the easy way” and got his cell phone out and started recording the incident. At that point, McCleary was arrested for trespassing and obstructing and hindering.
Meanwhile, while police were arresting McCleary, Lynn allegedly approached and told the officers they better not touch him. Lynn reportedly told police she was not going anywhere and that she knew the law because she is a student in a criminal justice program.
According to police reports, Lynn was told multiple times to leave the premises and to stop interfering with the police investigation, but refused to comply. Bar security staff advised police Lynn had assaulted two security officers and showed police video surveillance of the incident.
In the video, police observed Lynn walking toward a bar security officer and shoving him with both hands. When interviewed, the bar security officer also told police Lynn had punched him in the nose with a closed fist. Lynn was also arrested and charged with assault, disorderly conduct and other charges.
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Welfare Check Leads To Weapons Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A North Carolina man was arrested on weapons charges this week after being found passed out in a running vehicle in downtown Ocean City.
Around 7:50 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the area of 9th Street and Wilmington Lane for a report of two individuals sleeping in a vehicle. OCPD officers arrived on the scene and discovered a parked vehicle with the engine running and the driver’s side door open with two individuals either sleeping or passed out inside. The officers approached to check on the welfare of the occupants and detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle.
The officers also located a digital postal scale on the floor next to the driver and a large amount of small pieces of marijuana strewn throughout the vehicle. Officers also located a set of metal knuckles, a screw driver and a tire plunger in close proximity of the occupants in violation of the town’s weapons ordinance.
When asked to whom the metal knuckles belonged, the passenger, identified as Jackie Tilley, 27, of Siler City, N.C., admitted the weapon belonged to him. Tilley was arrested and charged with possession of a concealed dangerous weapon.
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Jail Time For Liquor Theft
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man, arrested in August on burglary charges after breaking into a midtown apartment and swiping a couple of cases of beer and protein bars, was found guilty last week of third-degree burglary and was sentenced to 90 days, all but seven of which were suspended.
Around midnight last Aug. 21, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to an apartment at 48th Street for a reported burglary. The victim reported an 18-pack of Miller Lite had been stolen along with a 24-pack of Zima and some protein bars.
OCPD officers searched the area for suspects to no avail. OCPD officers then met with the manager of a nearby nightclub and reviewed surveillance footage of two individuals, later identified as Travis Reed, 22, on Manmouth, Pa., and Ethan Quinn, 22, of Lititz, Pa., entering the victim’s residence and exiting with the items.
The video also showed Reed and Quinn had been in the nightclub prior to the break-in. With the nightclub manager’s help, OCPD officers were able to locate Reed and Quinn’s credit card receipt from a purchase at the bar and were able to identify them. They were located a short time later and were arrested and charged with first-degree burglary.
Last week, Reed entered an Alford plea to third-degree burglary. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prosecute the case. Reed was sentenced to 90 days, all but seven of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for 18 months and ordered to pay $200 in restitution. Quinn has not yet appeared for trial.