SNOW HILL — A Seaford, Del. man, indicted by a Worcester County grand jury for the attempted first-degree murder of an Ocean City police officer, has pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and awaits his fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Last Sept. 30, Antonio Ambrosino, 18, 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.
In November, 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.
Late last month, Ambrosino through an arrangement brokered by prosecutors from the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. As a result of the plea agreement, the attempted first- and second-degree murder charges were not pursued. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered and sentencing has been set for May 15.
