Motorcycle Chase Charges
OCEAN CITY — A Selbyville man faces over two dozen charges, including fleeing and eluding, after allegedly leading resort police on a “cat and mouse” high-speed chase on a dirt bike around north Ocean City.
Around 12:15 p.m. on Monday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the north-end observed a red dirt bike-style motorcycle operated by Simon Dentremont, 19, heading south on Coastal Highway around 130th Street. The officer observed Dentremont was not wearing a helmet, nor did the motorcycle have a headlight, side mirrors, brake lights or turn signals, according to police reports.
Dentrement made a U-turn at 120th Street and headed north on Coastal Highway as the officer followed with his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren activated. According to police reports, Dentremont looked back at the officer and increased his speed, He reportedly drove through the left turn lane at 130th Street to avoid vehicles stopped at the red traffic signal and proceeded through the red light.
He then utilized the bus lane to pass slower-moving traffic on the right between 130th and 134th streets. Dentremont turned east on 134th Street, then north on Wight Street, which runs north and south closest to the beach. The officer turned off his emergency lights and siren and continued to follow Dentremont from a safe distance.
According to police reports, Dentremont continued to travel in a random pattern around Wight Street and the surrounding side streets. It became apparent Dentremont was taunting OCPD officers to continue to pursue him. At times, Dentremont would drive away from the officers pursuing him, only to turn back around and drive past them again in an attempt to get them to pursue him, according to police reports.
With the officer in pursuit, Dentremont traveled north on Coastal Highway and turned west on Route 54 in Fenwick Island. The officer positioned his vehicle at the intersection of Route 54 and Dukes Avenue near the state line and picked up the pursuit again when Dentremont traveled south on Dukes Avenue.
According to police reports, Dentremont traveled east on 146th Street, driving up on the grassy center median in order to pass the officer. He then drove on the sidewalk along 146th Street at Lighthouse Avenue. Dentrement then drove back on Coastal Highway southbound and a concerned citizen advised officers the motorcycle had stopped at a restaurant parking lot at 136th Street. The officer located Dentremont at the parking lot attempting to hide between a dumpster and a bush, according to police reports. When the officer approached the suspect, Dentremont fled and led police on a brief foot chase before being apprehended.
Dentremont was found to be in possession of a vape-style smoking device containing marijuana THC. Dentremont told police he understood his rights and agreed to speak with the officer, who asked pertinent questions about the motorcycle, his driving actions and his fleeing and eluding.
Dentremont reportedly told police he had purchased the motorcycle just three days prior from an unknown seller and that he did not have title for the vehicle, nor was it insured. He told police he drove the motorcycle to Ocean City from his home in Selbyville and admitted he was “just having fun,” and agreed he was playing a “cat and mouse game,” with police.
According to police reports, Dentremont told the officer he planned to drive the motorcycle on the beach if he had to during the pursuit. The game only ended when the motorcycle experienced engine trouble and stopped in the restaurant parking lot. All in all, Dentremont was charged with 28 counts including fleeing and eluding, possession and numerous traffic violations.
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Switchblade Pulled In Grocery Store Argument
OCEAN CITY — A Millsboro man was arrested for allegedly carrying a concealed deadly weapon last weekend after allegedly pulling a switchblade on another man during a verbal argument at a north-end grocery store.
Around 10:45 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a grocery store at 118th Street for a reported weapons violation. The officer met with the alleged victim, who reported Edgar Rios-Couvertier, 27, had pulled a knife out of his pocket and displayed it to him during a verbal argument at the store.
According to police reports, the victim had been in an argument with Couvertier, who said “you think you’re tough,” and approached him with the knife he had taken from his pocket and switched to the open position. Couvertier was reportedly an employee of the grocery store.
The officer approached Couvertier, who was still standing on the north side of the entrance to the store. The officer placed Couvertier in handcuffs and asked him where the knife was, according to police reports. Couvertier pointed to his right pants pocket and the officer was able to locate the black and silver switchblade. After reading Couvertier his rights, the officer spoke with the suspect about the incident. The officer activated the switchblade and the knife came out of the inside of the handle.
According to police reports, the alleged victim was uncooperative in giving a written statement and told police he did not want to pursue charges for assault. Nonetheless, Couvertier was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon.
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Indecent Exposure Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on indecent exposure and other charges last weekend after allegedly dropping his drawers in front of a crowd and police officers outside a downtown bar.
Last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the downtown area when he observed Matthew Burke, 29, of Delta, Pa., stumbling on the sidewalk outside a bar on 8th Street. Burke was accompanied by two other individuals who were reportedly attempting to get the intoxicated suspect in a cab to return to their hotel room. However, the stumbling Burke advised his friends he was going to walk back to the hotel, according to police reports.
When the officer asked Burke where he was staying, he reportedly told police his hotel was at 67th Street, or nearly 60 blocks away. Concerned for Burke’s safety, the officer advised him to take the cab with his friends. However, Burke appeared to take offense at the officer’s suggestion, according to police reports, and became loud and aggressive.
The officer was still in the area when he reportedly heard the crowd in front of the bar begin to yell. When the officer turned around, he observed Burke standing on the public sidewalk with his pants down around his knees, exposing his buttocks to the crowd and the officer. Burke then turned around and exposed his private parts to the crowd and the officer, according to police reports.
Burke attempted to pull his pants back up and walk away, but due to his level of intoxication and the position of his clothing, he was caught quickly by the officer. According to police reports, when the officer told Burke to stop, he dropped his pants again, revealing his private parts to the officer.
Burke then tried to run away from police again, but because of his level of intoxication and the position of his pants, he veered to the right, lost his balance and fell down in a nearby gravel parking lot. Burke was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.
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Laundromat Theft Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury woman was arrested on theft charges last week after allegedly swiping another woman’s clothes from a dryer at a north-end laundromat.
Around 1:25 p.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to the area of 143rd Street for a reported theft. The officer met with a victim who reported she had placed her clothes in a dryer in the laundromat at 143rd Street around 11 a.m. The victim reportedly told police she observed a woman, later identified as Cecilia Briddell, 58, of Salisbury, in the laundromat at the time.
The victim told police she left the laundromat and returned about 40 minutes later and discovered her clothes were no longer in the dryer where she had left them. According to police reports, the victim told the officer she saw Briddell walking north on Coastal Highway from 143rd Street.
The victim approached Briddell and discovered she was in possession of two grocery bags and a trash bag full of clothes. The victim asked Briddell if the clothes were hers, to which Briddell reportedly said, “If these are your clothes, then go ahead and take them back,” according to police reports.
The victim confirmed that the clothes in the bag belonged to her and discovered Briddell was allegedly still wearing one of the victim’s headbands she had stolen from her, according to police reports. It was later confirmed the victim’s boyfriend also had clothes mixed in with the victim’s clothes left in the dryer. The estimated value of the combined clothes was around $500.
Briddell was detained and later admitted she had taken the victim’s clothes from the laundromat. She was arrested and charged with theft less than $1,500 and theft less than $100.
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Cocaine Found In Traffic Stop
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean Pines man was arrested on cocaine distribution charges last weekend following a routine traffic stop in Ocean City.
Around 12:30 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the area of 27th Street observed the male passenger in a vehicle enter a room in a nearby motel and come back out around two minutes later. The officer reportedly observed the vehicle speeding and conducted a traffic stop.
The officer issued a warning and said she was free to go. However, the officer asked the driver if he could search the vehicle and she agreed. The officer observed an open can of beer on the floor of the vehicle near the passenger, identified as Kevin McNellis, 27, of Ocean Pines. At that point, McNellis was arrested for an open container violation.
During a search, the officer observed a short plastic straw with white powder residue on it along with $280 in cash. As McNellis was being placed in a transport vehicle, he reportedly told police there was something else in his pants, according to police reports. The officer located five individually wrapped baggies of suspected cocaine packaged in such a way to suggest distribution, according to police reports.
At first, McNellis told the officer he had just purchased the suspected cocaine from a dealer at the hotel. When pressed further, he reportedly admitted selling and “eight ball,” or roughly 3.5 grams of cocaine to someone at the hotel. He was arrested and charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
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One Month For Sofa Stabber
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean Pines man, arrested in January after allegedly stabbing a sofa with a knife during a dispute over stolen cash, pleaded guilty this week and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Around 1:10 a.m. on Jan. 10, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported assault and malicious destruction of property that had already occurred. Ocean City advised a knife had been involved in the incident and provided the responding officers with a description of the suspect. When officers arrived on scene, they observed a male suspect matching the description, later identified as Michael Larock, 36, and detained him on the curb.
OCPD officers interviewed the female victim, and when they entered the unit, they observed the handle of a kitchen knife sticking out of the back of a sofa. The victim told police she and Larock had been in an argument because she had a $100 bill in her wallet that had disappeared.
The victim told police, during the argument, Larock allegedly grabbed her wrist and bent it back past the normal range of motion. When the victim told Larock she was calling the police, he let her go and left the room, according to police reports. As the victim was calling 911, she walked back into the living room and discovered a kitchen knife had been stabbed into the sofa. Based on the evidence and testimony, Larock was arrested and charged with assault and malicious destruction of property. He pleaded guilty this week to a separate charge related to the incident and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.