Theft, Assault Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man was arrested last weekend after allegedly robbing another man and assaulting a woman at a downtown apartment complex.
Around 1:10 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer began an investigation into a reported robbery at a downtown apartment. Through a telephone interview, the officer learned the male victim and a friend had been given permission to stay overnight at the apartment by the resident, later identified as Paul Barton, 38, of Baltimore.
The victim reportedly told the officer around 10 a.m. that same morning, he was attempting to pay his friend $400 in cash from a previous loan when Barton allegedly stepped in and took the money. The victim reportedly told police he was afraid of Barton because during previous encounters with him, Barton had bragged about his violent past including murder, according to police reports.
The victim reportedly told police Barton took the $400 and put it in his own pocket, then asked the victim if he had more money. The victim told Barton he had $200 more in cash and Barton advanced toward him and grabbed at the victim’s pockets, but the victim was able to move away and left the residence, according to police reports.
OCPD officers responded to the apartment near 13th Street and observed Barton standing on the porch and a female on the sidewalk in front of the unit. When the female turned away, Barton allegedly jumped from the porch and ran toward her, pinning her against a vehicle and striking her with his knee, according to police reports. Barton then allegedly threw a series of punches at the victim, who tried to defend herself from the attack.
As OCPD officers converged on the scene, Barton reportedly went back into the apartment. One OCPD officer positioned near the rear of the apartment reportedly saw Barton exit a window and start running east toward Baltimore Avenue. The officer chased Barton for two blocks before the suspect was taken into custody.
Barton reportedly did not have any identification and told police his name was Douglas McNeal and provided a date of birth, according to police reports. Barton was arrested for the alleged assault on the female. A search of his person revealed over $500 in cash, corroborating the robbery victim’s story. When interviewed, Barton reportedly told police he observed the money exchange between the victim and his friend and intervened and just took it. Barton reportedly said, “Man, I don’t steal. I take,” according to police reports. Barton was charged with theft, assault and making false statements about his identity.
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Chair Tossed Over Balcony
OCEAN CITY — A local man was arrested on malicious destruction of property charges last weekend after allegedly throwing a chair from an apartment balcony onto a vehicle parked below.
Around 8:40 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to an apartment building at 14th Street for a reported disorderly individual. Upon arrival, the officers observed Shawn Wolfinger, 20, of Ocean City, in the alley at Dayton Lane hysterically screaming expletives at individuals on an apartment balcony, according to police reports.
OCPD officers interviewed a witness, who reportedly told police just before they arrived, Wolfinger picked up a chair from the second-floor balcony and threw onto his wife’s Ford Explorer parked below. The witness’s wife told police her vehicle had been dented by the impact of the chair. OCPD officers inspected the vehicle and observed a dent about four inches long and about a half in inch deep on the front fender near the hood.
The officers also observed the chair in the parking lot with the legs bent to the point it was unusable. Wolfinger was arrested on two counts of malicious destruction of property and disorderly conduct.
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Assault, Disorderly Conduct
OCEAN CITY — A New Jersey man was arrested on multiple charges last weekend after first dashing across the highway in front of traffic and later getting into an altercation at a bar.
Around midnight last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the area of 28th Street observed a suspect later identified as Patrick Duffy, 32, of Plainfield, N.J., run eastbound across Philadelphia Avenue in front of multiple vehicles that had to abruptly apply their brakes to avoid hitting him. The officer gave Duffy multiple orders to stop and sit on the curb, but Duffy ignored the orders and continued running.
The OCPD officer was then dispatched to another call for service. About 20 minutes later, the officer was dispatched to a bar in the 28th Street area in reference to a disorderly male and observed a reportedly intoxicated Duffy screaming profanities at two patrons.
As the officer attempted to escort Duffy away from the scene, he swatted the officer’s hand away, resulting in his arrest. However, as the officer attempted to handcuff Duffy, he pulled his wrists away and resisted, despite multiple orders not to do so. He was ultimately handcuffed and charged with assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
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Up To His Old Tricks
OCEAN CITY — A Kingsville, Md. man was arrested last weekend for the fifth time in two months after allegedly causing a disturbance at police headquarters in the Public Safety Building.
Around 7:35 a.m. last Sunday, an individual, later identified as Zachary Hale, 33, of Kingsville, Md., came to the Public Safety Building at 65th Street on a white bicycle to obtain some items from his vehicle in the police impound lot. Hall reportedly rode the bicycle into some bushes and abandoned it outside the Public Safety Building.
According to police reports, Hale then obtained a different bicycle and an umbrella from the impound lot and left the area. About an hour-and-a-half later, Hale returned to the Public Safety Building and got into a verbal argument with front desk civilian staff, and when he left the building agitated, he reportedly slammed the door against the wall in the vestibule, damaging the door and the wall.
A short time later, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer observed Hale, now on a blue bicycle, ride across all eight lanes of Coastal Highway, causing vehicles in both directions to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting him, according to police reports. The officer in a marked police vehicle activated his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop Hale, who reportedly rode directly at the officer before eluding him and failing to stop.
Hale then rode the blue bicycle through the Public Safety Building parking lot and ditched it in the same bushes in which he had ditched the white bicycle earlier. Hale reportedly walked back into the Public Safety Building on foot where he was taken into custody. He was charged with malicious destruction of property, littering and numerous traffic offenses. According to police reports, Sunday’s incident marked the fifth time in the past two months Hale has been arrested for public disturbance violations in Ocean City.
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Key Chain Injures Cop
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia woman was arrested last weekend after getting evicted from a resort hotel and injuring a police officer with her keys during the attempt to take her into custody.
Around 10:15 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 19th Street to assist with an eviction. The officer met with the hotel manager, who reportedly told police she had received multiple calls reporting disorderly conduct at a room on the third floor. The occupants of the room were standing in the lobby when the officer arrived including one suspect identified as Yessy Melia, 36, of Herndon, Va.
According to police reports, the officer advised Melia that she had to gather her belongings and then leave the property, to which she replied, “I have my own rules.” The officer asked Melia to follow her friends up to her room and gather her belongings, to which she reportedly replied, “No, I have my own rules. You are going to lose everything. I have your picture,” according to police reports.
After several minutes of back-and-forth, Melia finally went back to her room and packed her belongings. The OCPD officer went with the group being evicted and assisted them in making sure they did not leave anything behind. Satisfied the room was empty, the group and the officer left the room and went to the parking lot.
Once in the parking lot, Melia reportedly began yelling again that she left her $200 speaker in the room. The officer told Melia the room was checked thoroughly and nothing was left behind, according to police reports. The officer also told Melia the room was now locked, and she could not go back inside, according to police reports.
Melia continued yelling in the parking lot to the point several hotel guests came out on their balconies to see what the commotion was about. After several attempts to get Melia to lower her voice and leave the hotel property, she was ultimately taken into custody and handcuffed.
During the handcuffing, Melia was reportedly holding a set of keys in her hand and refused to let go of them. Instead, she tightened her grip, causing the key chain ring to deform and it punctured the officer’s hand through his latex gloves. Melia was charged with assault and resisting arrest.