OCEAN CITY — A potentially armed and dangerous suspect remained at large on Friday after a wild pursuit of a stolen vehicle that began in Ocean City Thursday night and continued through Delaware and back into Maryland in Cecil County.
Around 9:20 p.m. on Thursday, Ocean City Communications advised Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers a license plate reader on Route 90 had alerted on a stolen vehicle entering the resort. Ocean City Communications further advised the suspect believed to be driving the stolen vehicle was wanted and also armed and dangerous.
OCPD officers quickly located the stolen vehicle as it entered the resort, but because of the circumstances, did not immediately initiate a traffic stop. Additional officers were dispatched the located the vehicle parked in the area of Jamestown Road.
A high-risk traffic stop was attempted, but the suspect was able to flee from OCPD officers. A pursuit was authorized and a chase that began in Ocean City and ended in Cecil County began. The suspect vehicle reached high rates of speed as it traveled through Ocean City and across the Route 90 bridge.
Because of the high rate of speed during the pursuit, OCPD officers lost sight of the suspect vehicle as it crossed the bridge and the pursuit, at least from the OCPD standpoint, was discontinued. A description of the suspect and the vehicle was related to allied law enforcement agencies in the area, who picked up the pursuit.
The suspect vehicle traveled through Delaware and re-entered Maryland in Cecil County near Perryville, where Maryland State Police troopers from the Northeast barrack picked up the pursuit. The suspect vehicle drove down railroad tracks and Perryville police officers continued the pursuit
The suspect vehicle then stopped, turned around and drove toward Perryville police officers, who were now pursuing on foot. At least one Perryville police officer fired multiple rounds at the suspect vehicle, but it is uncertain if the suspect was struck. No one else was injured as a result of the shooting.
Investigators believe the suspect bailed out of the vehicle and fled on foot into the wooded area near the railroad tracks in Perryville. A perimeters was established in the area by MSP troopers, Perryville police and other allied law enforcement agencies, but as of Friday afternoon, the suspect remained at large and is considered armed and dangerous.
