Cops & Courts – August 9, 2019

Cops & Courts – August 9, 2019

Brothers Arrested After Fleeing From Police

OCEAN CITY — Two brothers were arrested on various charges including assault and resisting arrest at the Boardwalk early Monday morning.

Around 1 a.m. on Monday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling the Boardwalk near 3rd Street when he observed a group of disorderly males screaming at people. The City Watch surveillance system showed the group of five males walking south on the Boardwalk, and the OCPD officer attempted to detain them for questioning, according to police reports.

One of the suspects, later identified as Brandon Shirley, 20, of Kearneysville, W.Va., told police he was not stopping for them and launched expletives at the officers. When officers attempted to detain Shirley, he fled from them on foot shouting, “you’ll never catch me,” according to police reports.

OCPD officers did catch up to Shirley at a bust stop at 10th Street and Baltimore Avenue. When an officer approached Shirley, he reportedly assumed a fighting stance and shoved the officer in the chest to get away. OCPD officers were able to get Shirley on the ground and in handcuffs. He was charged with assault on an officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and other charges.

About a half an hour later, OCPD officers patrolling the Boardwalk around North Division Street attempted to detain a group of disorderly individuals including Logan Shirley, 18, of Kearneysville, W.Va. Like his brother before him, Logan Shirley freed himself from the officers’ grasp and fled westbound from the Boardwalk on foot.

Several minutes later, OCPD officers located Logan Shirley walking north on Baltimore Avenue near 1st Street. When Shirley noticed the officers behind him, he took off running again, cutting through a property and climbing a fence to avoid apprehension.

OCPD officers caught up to Shirley on private property near 2nd Street and he reportedly started walking toward the officers. When he refused to lay down on the ground as ordered, an OCPD officer pulled out his Taser and Shirley complied. Logan Shirley was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing. During the booking process, a plastic straw with a white powdery substance was found on him.

License Plate Reader Detects Stolen Vehicle

OCEAN CITY — A Greenbelt, Md. man was arrested on motor vehicle theft and other charges this week after a license plate reader detected its actual owner was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

Around 2:40 p.m. last Saturday, a lookout was posted for a vehicle in Ocean City after a license plate reader detected the owner to whom it was registered as wanted in Prince George’s County. In addition, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) were alerted the tags were assigned to an Acura, but the plates were actually on a Chrysler.

An OCPD officer observed the vehicle in the area of 49th Street and affected a traffic stop. The officer approached the driver, Mohammed Kabbia, 36, of Greenbelt, Md., who told police he had purchased the vehicle a week earlier and that he had not yet registered it with the Department of Motor Vehicles. According to police reports, Kabbia told police it was a private purchase and the vehicle was not registered at the time. He also told police he had taken the tags from his Acura and put them on the Chrysler he was currently driving.

Meanwhile, a background check on Kabbia revealed he was also wanted on an outstanding warrant and he was taken into custody. A check of the Chrysler’s vehicle identification number revealed it was not registered in Maryland or any surrounding states and that it had been reported stolen out of Laurel, Md. Kabbia was charged with motor vehicle theft and numerous other charges.

Assault Charge For Fight

OCEAN CITY — A Philadelphia woman was arrested on assault and affray charges last weekend for her role in a fight that began on the sidewalk and spilled over into Coastal Highway.

Around 1:30 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of 49th Street and responded to a reported fight in progress. An OCPD public safety aide working a traffic detail in the area reported the fight to Ocean City Communications.

The OCPD officer arrived and observed a female lying on the ground with a second female, later identified as Nadia Green, 31, of Philadelphia, standing over her. While the officer was watching, Green allegedly pulled back her arm and struck the prone victim in the head with a closed fist.

According to police reports, a large crowd had gathered in the area to watch the fight. The PSA told the officer the victim had pushed Green, causing her to fall into the far right lane on Coastal Highway. Green then got back and knocked the victim down, striking her in the head with a closed fist. Green was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and affray. The other combatant was not charged for her role in the incident.

Passed Out On Sidewalk

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on disorderly conduct and other charges last week after being found passed out on a downtown sidewalk.

Around 1:30 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling North Division Street and the Boardwalk when he was flagged down by an individual reporting a female passed out on the sidewalk nearby who was not moving. The officer located the woman, later identified a Tammy Turner, 37, of Newport, Pa., lying on the sidewalk.

According to police reports, Turner opened her eyes and told the OCPD officer she was fine, but she was going in and out of consciousness.

Turner’s boyfriend told police the couple had been at a Boardwalk bar and that he had tried to get her to go back to their hotel room, but she did not cooperate and instead laid down on the sidewalk. The boyfriend then went to the Boardwalk to find an OCPD officer to assist him.

The officer used a judgment call to contact Ocean City EMS as she continued to fade in and out of consciousness. When Ocean City EMS arrived, Turner awakened and said she was fine and did not need any assistance or medical treatment. When the officer asked Turner if she would be able to get back to her hotel with her boyfriend’s assistance, she called the officer names and shouted expletives, telling him “you’re not a real cop,” according to police reports.

Meanwhile, a crowd had gathered while Turner continued to shout expletives and insults at police officers and at that point she was taken into custody for disturbing the peace. When she was being loaded into a transport van, she allegedly kicked a transport officer and additional assault charges were tacked on.

90 Days For Hit-and-Run

OCEAN CITY — A Northeast, Md. man arrested in June after colliding with two other vehicles, resulting in five victims being sent to the hospital, pleaded guilty last week to driving while impaired and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Around 11:45 p.m. on June 18, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the area of 50th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported hit-and-run collision involving three vehicles. Ocean City Communications advised the responding officers a black Chevy Silverado and struck and damaged a minivan and another sedan and failed to stop and continued driving northbound on Coastal Highway.

A witness reportedly followed the truck, later determined to be driven by John Hutzel, 35, of Northeast, Md., until it made a left turn onto 59th Street. Ocean City Communications told responding officers Hutzel had abandoned the vehicle, fled on foot and was last seen in the area of 62nd Street.

OCPD officers interviewed the witness, who told police Hutzel attempted to drive between the two vehicles, which were in their appropriate lanes, and struck and damaged both. Five individuals in the minivan had to be taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the collision although the extent of their injuries is not known.

The witness told police he observed Hutzel drive through three red traffic signals at 52nd Street, 56th Street and 59th Street as he fled the scene. The witness said debris was falling from Hutzel’s damaged truck as he fled the scene of the collision. According to police reports, Hutzel’s headlight assembly became dislodged from the vehicle and was still sitting in the roadway. In addition, the vehicle’s tie-rod completely separated from the wheel hub assembly.

Nonetheless, Hutzel reportedly drove the damaged truck to a dead-end at 59th Street and was last seen by the witness fleeing on foot in the direction of 62nd Street. OCPD officers responded to the 62nd Street area and found Hutzel hiding behind a trash can, according to police reports. The officers announced themselves as police, but Hutzel reportedly fled on foot again. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase between condo buildings toward the beach in the area of 63rd Street.

According to police reports, Hutzel exhibited signs of intoxication and refused to cooperate or perform any field sobriety tests. He also reportedly mocked police during the investigation and arrest process.

Hutzel was charged with 45 total counts from driving while intoxicated to fleeing and eluding police to leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury along with numerous other traffic violations. Last week, he pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Probation For Slamming Teen’s Hand in Door

OCEAN CITY — A Pasadena man, arrested in February after slamming his teenage daughter’s hand in a hotel room door because she was supposed to be watching her younger sister, pleaded guilty this week to intoxicated endangerment and was placed on probation.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 16th Street to assist Ocean City EMS with an individual who had her hand shut in a door jam. According to police reports, the teenage girl was in pain and was bleeding profusely from her right hand while crying out “help me, help me,” and “Am I going to die?”

While Ocean City EMS was treating the victim, the OCPD officer spoke with the victim’s younger sister, who reportedly told police her father, later identified as Daniel Calvert, 42, of Pasadena, had slammed her sister’s hand in the hotel door. The younger girl reportedly told police Calvert had been arguing with her older sister and that he had slammed the door on her sister’s hand.

OCPD officers met with Calvert, who told police he had been out on the Boardwalk with his wife when he learned the younger sister had been left alone in the hotel room. Calvert told police the older sister was supposed to be watching the younger girl while their parents were out. When he learned the younger girl had been left alone, Calvert went back to the hotel room and got into a verbal altercation with the older sister.

According to police reports, Calvert told the officer the older sibling was attempting to leave the hotel room during the argument when he closed to door to prevent her from leaving, which is when her hand accidentally got caught in the door. OCPD officers spoke with Calvert’s wife, who provided a similar story about what had occurred.

Calvert’s wife told police her husband became angry and she asked him to leave. When Calvert did leave, he attempted to take his teenaged daughter with him, which is when he slammed the victim’s hand in the door. OCPD officers interviewed the victim who confirmed a similar version of the incident.