Three Injured In WOC Crash
WEST OCEAN CITY — Three people were injured in a single-vehicle accident in West Ocean City last Saturday afternoon when a pickup truck left the roadway and ultimately collided with a porch at a private residence.
Around 1:30 p.m. last Saturday, a 2013 GMC pickup truck, driven by Juan Gabriel Caraballow, 24, was traveling east on Route 50 in West Ocean City when it turned right onto Elm Street. According to police reports, the truck left the roadway, entered a ditch and then struck the front porch of a residence on Elm Street.
When Maryland State Police (MSP) troopers made contact with Caraballow, an odor of alcoholic beverages was detected. Caraballo was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. Two passengers, identified as Dennis Discher and Devry Gerlitzki, were transported to Atlantic General Hospital for treatment of their injuries, the severity of which are unknown.
MSP troopers went to PRMC following the accident and was ultimately charged with driving under the influence, driving while impaired, negligent driving and failure to control speed to avoid a collision.
Murder Suspect Caught
SALISBURY – After an extensive multi-day search, Salisbury authorities found the suspect wanted in the Easter Sunday shooting death of a woman on the roof of her house in front of her young children.
Around 1:30 p.m. last Sunday, Salisbury Police responded to a reported shooting at Aspen Drive. The 30-year victim was found on the roof of her home with multiple gunshots to her upper body. The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was shot by her estranged husband, identified as Jameal Rashawn Gould, 35, of Salisbury.
The investigation revealed Gould came to the victim’s residence to continue an argument that began earlier last Sunday morning. Once at the Aspen Drive residence, Gould allegedly forced his way inside, produced a gun and began to search for the victim. He found the victim hiding on the roof of the residence outside an open upstairs window and shot her multiple times. The victim was transported to PRMC and later succumbed to her injuries.
Throughout the week, Salisbury Police and allied agencies continued to search for Gould. They got a break on Wednesday when he was discovered driving in Salisbury. A traffic stop was initiated and he was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder, home invasion, first- and second-degree assault, false imprisonment and firearms charges.
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High Beams Then Drugs
OCEAN CITY –A Bowie man was arrested last week on drug possession charges as a passenger in a vehicle that got pulled over for using high beams against oncoming traffic.
Around 4:30 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling Coastal Highway in the area of 60th Street and observed a vehicle turn south onto Coastal Highway from Route 90 with its high beam headlights on. The officer observed the vehicle with its high beams on from at least 500 feet away. In addition, the vehicle’s tag lights were not operable.
The officer pulled the vehicle over around 48th Street and detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle’s passenger compartment. The officer identified a passenger in the vehicle as Brenden Watts, 20, of Bowie. Watts was holding a coat when the officer approached and left the coat in the vehicle when the occupants were asked to step out.
During a search of the vehicle, OCPD officers found a blue plastic container with Alprazolam, a controlled dangerous substance, in Watts’ coat pocket. On the floor of the vehicle in the area where Watts had been seated, officers found an opened package of suboxone, also a controlled dangerous substance. Officers also found an unopened package of suboxone in a backpack belonging to Watts.
Watts admitted the illegal drugs were his and that he did not have a prescription for them. During a search of his person, OCPD officers found marijuana concealed in a cigar wrapper on Watts. Based on the evidence, Watts was arrested and charged with various CDS possession counts.
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Sleeping It Off Near City Hall
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury man was arrested on drug and weapons charges last week after Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers observed him sleeping in a vehicle near City Hall.
Around 2:45 p.m. last Thursday, an OCPD officer on patrol observed a vehicle parked in the area of 3rd Street near City Hall with an individual sleeping in the passenger seat. The vehicle was not running and the lights were off, but the front passenger window was down. The officer observed a suspect, later identified as Jason Thompson, 40, of Salisbury, lying in the front passenger seat with the seat reclined all the way.
OCPD officers continued to watch Thompson sleeping in the vehicle with head resting on his hand for about an hour before deciding to check on his welfare. An OCPD officer checked on Thompson and found him to be sleeping in the vehicle. Thompson was awakened and was told he was free to leave, but the suspect consented to a search of the vehicle.
Thompson told police he had a knife on his person and a search revealed a fighting-style spring-assisted knife clipped to his pants and concealed with his shirt. OCPD officers also detected the odor of marijuana coming from Thompson’s person and a search revealed a baggie of weed in his pants pocket.
The search also revealed a used hypodermic needle in the center console containing an unknown residue. However, Thompson informed the officer he was diabetic and used the syringe for medicinal purposes. Nonetheless, Thompson was arrested for possession of a concealed dangerous weapon along with other charges related to the marijuana.
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Weapons Arrest After License Plate Reader Stop
OCEAN CITY — A Bel Air, Md. man was arrested for carrying a concealed deadly weapon last week after a License Plate Reader (LPR) flagged his vehicle and determined his license was suspended for failing to pay child support.
Around 4:50 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was on patrol near 120th Street when he got a signal from a LPR located at 140th Street. The LPR alerted the officer the registered owner of the vehicle had his license suspended in January for failing to pay child support.
The LPR warning provided a Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) photograph of the driver, identified as Jason Dixon, 39, of Bel Air. As the vehicle approached, the OCPD officer was able to confirm Dixon as the driver and conducted a traffic stop. Dixon told the officer a large child support payment had been deducted recently from his paycheck and that he believed he was current, according to police reports.
While speaking with Dixon, the OCPD officer detected the strong odor of marijuana. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, the OCPD officer located a large fixed-blade Camillus Carnivore X brand knife in the between the center console and the driver’s seat. The point of the knife was facing down with the handle within easy reach of Dixon. The knife’s blade measured 12 inches, while the handle was six inches. It was enclosed in a sheath.
Dixon told police he uses the knife for his landscaping business, and that he also uses it when he goes camping. However, there were no other landscaping tools or camping equipment in the vehicle. Based on the evidence, Dixon was arrested and charged with possession of a concealed deadly weapon and for driving while suspended.
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Guilty Plea In Bar Melee
OCEAN CITY — One of two people arrested in February after scrapping with Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers attempting to detain other suspects at a midtown nightclub pleaded guilty this week to second-degree assault and was placed on probation.
Around 11:30 p.m. on February 24, OCPD officers were dispatched to the parking lot outside 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 get 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 probably cause to ask for his identification.
McCleary reportedly told the officers he knew his rights because 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 also that she knows 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, the 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. In the end, Lynn was also arrested and charged with assault, disorderly conduct and other charges.
This week, Lynn pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was placed on probation for one year. McCleary is scheduled to appear for trial in May.
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Assault Suspect Not Guilty
OCEAN CITY — A Fruitland man, arrested in February on assault charges after allegedly choking his girlfriend in front of young children during a domestic incident at midtown hotel, was found not guilty last week.
Around 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 26, 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, seven 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 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.
Kramer was ultimately arrested and charged with second-degree assault. Last week, however, he was found not guilty in Worcester County District Court.