First-Degree Assault Charge In Stabbing Threat
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was charged with first-degree assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly threatening his live-in landlord with a knife during an argument.
Around 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a residence on East Biscayne Drive for a reported disorderly individual. Upon arrival, OCPD officers observed an allegedly intoxicated male, later identified as Raul Lopez, 34, of Ocean City, standing outside the unit. According to police reports, Dominguez-Lopez was incoherent and could barely stand due to his level of intoxication.
Officers spoke with the landlord of the unit, who advised police he shared the residence with Lopez, each with their separate bedrooms. The property owner told police he had asked Dominguez-Lopez to move out on three separate occasions because when Dominguez-Lopez drinks alcohol, he becomes violent.
The property owner told police he had been arguing with Lopez on Sunday night after asking him again to move out. The victim told police Lopez grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and advanced toward him using the knife in a stabbing motion. The victim told police he was able to retreat to his bedroom where he barricaded the door with a chair.
The victim told police Lopez was able to force his way into the bedroom and continued advancing toward him with the knife in a stabbing motion. The victim told police Lopez was within a couple of feet of him as he advanced with the knife, but the victim was able to evade the stabbing attempts, according to police reports.
The victim reportedly told police he feared for his life during the stabbing attempts and that he feared Lopez would return and attempt to stab him again. Lopez was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and carrying a deadly weapon with intent to injure. He had a bail review hearing on Monday and was ordered to be held without bond.
Stun Gun, Open Beers
OCEAN CITY — A West Virginia woman was arrested on open container and weapons charges last weekend after a stun gun was found in her glove compartment during a routine traffic stop.
Around 2 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the area of 40th Street observed a vehicle with a license plate border covering the plate’s state name in violation of a traffic ordinance. The officer stopped the vehicle in the bus lane at Coastal Highway and 53rd Street.
The officer made contact with the driver, identified as Kammie Thompson, 28, of Inwood, W.Va. While Thompson was retrieving her registration, the officer observed a pink Vipertek electronic weapon, commonly referred to as a stun gun, in a black holster in the glove box. The officer later depressed the switch on the stun gun and it emitted a discharge of electrical current capable of inflicting pain or incapacitating an individual, according to police reports.
Thompson reportedly told the officer she kept the stun gun for protection and thought it was no longer operational. In addition to the stun gun, the OCPD officer observed two open cans of beer on the vehicle’s floor next to Thompson’s feet. The officer poured the open beers out onto Coastal Highway and arrested Thompson for carrying an open container and possession of an electronic weapon.
Disorderly Conduct Plea
OCEAN CITY — A Fort Washington, Md. man, arrested last month on disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and other charges, pleaded guilty last week and was placed on probation.
Around 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the area of 118th Street observed a Jeep Wrangler with certain irregularities including rear tires wider than the vehicle’s frame and green, glowing lights coming from the front and from underneath the vehicle. The officer stopped the Jeep and made contact with the driver, identified as Kelvin Brown, 22. According to police reports, Brown told the officer he did not have a license because a different OCPD officer had confiscated it earlier in the day.
When asked why the license had been confiscated, Brown told police it had been suspended. When asked why he was driving if he knew his license was suspended, Brown reportedly told police his female passenger had been nervous about driving out of a crowded parking lot at 120th Street. However, the officer noted Brown was found driving at 118th Street two blocks south of that location.
The officer did a background check and printed out the appropriate citations. According to police reports, Brown asked if the citation required him to appear in court in Ocean City, to which the officer replied the citations were “must appear” citations. Brown reportedly told the officer he knew his rights because his grandfather was a police officer and that he knew he did not have to appear for the suspended license violations.
According to police reports, the officer reminded Brown driving while suspended was an arrestable offense and that he could be taken into custody. Brown reportedly repeated to himself over and over he was not going to be arrested. When the officer attempted to hand Brown the paperwork, he reportedly put his hands in his pockets and refused to accept them, again saying over and over he was not going to be arrested.
Finally, the officer, believing Brown was going to disregard the citations, attempted to take the suspect into custody. According to police reports, Brown tensed up and refused to put his hands behind his back. OCPD officers were ultimately able to forcibly move Brown’s hands behind his back and apply handcuffs.
Even then, Brown continued to resist and launched into an expletive-laced tirade toward the officers, saying “why are you arresting me?” and “you just gave me a ticket,” according to police reports.
Brown was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and various traffic citations related to the suspended license. Last week, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for one year.
Mooning Crowd Nets Probation
OCEAN CITY — A Massachusetts man, arrested in September on indecent exposure and other charges after mooning a large crowd multiple times, pleaded guilty last week to open container and was placed on probation.
Around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 26, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer working in a plainclothes capacity in the area of 45th Street observed a suspect, later identified as William Sparrow, 29, of Swansea, Mass., holding an open can of beer and walking back and forth between private property and the public sidewalk. The officer reportedly observed Sparrow walk onto the public sidewalk and drop his shorts to his knees, turning his back to the crowd on the sidewalk and exposing his buttocks.
According to police reports, there were numerous individuals on the sidewalk to whom Sparrow exposed himself. In addition, traffic was heavy in that area and the occupants of numerous vehicles were exposed to Sparrow. According to police reports, Sparrow would repeatedly hit the pedestrian crosswalk button at the intersection, but never crossed the highway.
Instead, Sparrow was activating the crosswalk to cause traffic to stop in the area at a red light, which, in turn, would allow vehicles to violate traffic laws. According to police reports, Sparrow and numerous other individuals on the sidewalk would then celebrate various motorists as they violated traffic laws. Sparrow was taken into custody and was charged with indecent exposure, public nudity and carrying an open container of alcohol. Last week, he pleaded guilty to the latter charge and was placed on probation. The indecent exposure and public nudity charges were not prosecuted.