Charges In Trooper Injury
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man is being held without bond this week after allegedly injuring a Maryland State Police trooper on Saturday night during the pop-up car rally.
Shortly before 11 p.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police (MSP) troopers responded to the area of 71st Street to assist the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) in dispersing a large crowd of hundreds of individuals who were gathered in the roadway as part of the unsanctioned pop-up car rally. An OCPD officer was attempting to arrest a suspect, later identified as Jonathan Bello, 23, of Norfolk, Va., who resisted and fled the scene on foot.
An MSP trooper pursued Bello on foot and upon reaching the suspect, both fell to the ground with Bello falling on top of the trooper, according to police reports. The trooper was knocked unconscious and sustained a laceration to his head. Other law enforcement officers in the area took Bello into custody and assisted the injured and unconscious trooper.
Law enforcement officers on the scene determined the MSP trooper was not breathing and began lifesaving measures. Because of the situation at the scene, law enforcement officers at the scene evacuated the injured trooper from the area in a patrol car and met an ambulance nearby.
The injured trooper was then transported by ambulance to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury where he was treated for his injuries. Following treatment, the injured trooper was released from the hospital on Sunday morning and was recuperating at home this week.
Bello was charged with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree escape. After the incident late Saturday night, Bello was held in custody until a bail review hearing on Monday after which he was ordered to be held without bond.
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Brass Knuckles Attack
OCEAN CITY — A Silver Spring, Md. man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly smashing another man in the face with brass knuckles.
Around 3:40 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of Philadelphia Avenue and 12th Street when he observed a suspect later identified as Brayan Ernesto Delcid, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., standing in the roadway and yelling while blocking all southbound traffic. At least a dozen vehicles were at a standstill as a result.
Delcid then crossed over the median to the northbound lanes of Philadelphia Avenue, where he continued to shout and blocked all lanes of traffic heading north. Delcid reportedly walked out of view in the area of 12th Street and a group of people approached the officer and told him Delcid had reached into his waistband and they believed he had a gun. A description of Delcid went out and he was located by a Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) officer in the area of 11th Street.
During a search of Delcid, a set of brass knuckles was found on his person and he was taken into custody. A short time later, Ocean City Communications received a call from an alleged victim, who reported he had just been assaulted on 11th Street and that he had seen police arresting the man who had allegedly assaulted him.
According to police reports, the victim told officers he was standing on the side of Philadelphia Avenue with a group of people who were yelling at vehicles passing by. The victim told police Delcid was walking on the opposite side of the road, and when he heard the victim yelling at cars, Delcid walked across Philadelphia Avenue and approached the victim.
The victim reportedly told police Delcid walked up to him and told the victim he had something for him. Delcid reportedly reached into his waist area and when he pulled his hand back out, he was wearing green brass knuckles.
Delcid then reportedly hit the victim in the face with the brass knuckles. The victim was bleeding from his lip and mouth and also reported having a chipped tooth and bleeding gums. After the assault, Delcid walked back across Philadelphia Avenue where he was detained by the NRP officer. He was charged with first- and second-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace and hindering passage.
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Two Arrested For Burglary
OCEAN CITY — Two suspects were arrested on first-degree burglary charges last weekend after allegedly breaking into north-end condo and stealing money and property.
Around 5:10 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to an uptown condo in the area of 95th Street for a reported burglary and met with two female victims. One victim reportedly told the officer she had been sleeping on a couch and was awoken when she felt something touch her side lightly. The victim reportedly told police when she opened her eyes, she saw two males standing over her.
The victim said she sat up quickly and screamed at the two suspects to get out of the unit. She did not know the suspects, according to police reports. After chasing the two suspects out of the condo, the victim discovered her purse, including around $300 in cash, her wallet and iPhone were missing. When the victim walked out of the unit, she discovered some of her items had been discarded in the first-floor breezeway, but the phone, the cash and several credit cards were missing. The other victim reported she was missing an Apple watch.
Condo video surveillance showed two males enter the first floor around 4:55 a.m. through a gated door on the stairs that should have been locked. The two suspects can then be seen running through different doors on opposite sides of the condo building about nine minutes later. According to police reports, it appeared the suspects fled to a nearby convenience store.
The officer went to the convenience store in an attempt to get additional video footage of the suspects when the two female victims ran into the store and reported the suspects had returned to the condo building. The victims told police the two suspects ran when they confronted them. The officer went out of the store and observed the suspects running south on Coastal Highway before heading east toward the beach.
More OCPD officers responded to the area and observed the suspects walking south on the beach. After a brief foot pursuit, they were detained at the parking lot of another condo building. The victims were brought to the scene and positively identified the suspects. A search of their persons revealed property belonging to the victims.
The suspects were identified as Ever Bonilla-Vasquez, 22, of Glen Burnie, Md. and Michael Castillo-Guzman, 26, of Palmdale, Calif. Each was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary and other counts.
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Fireworks Thrown At Officers
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man arrested last weekend after allegedly throwing explosive fireworks at police officers reportedly told police he was doing it to occupy their time so they would have less time to stop other drivers.
Shortly before 10 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was conducting a traffic stop at 8th Street with another police vehicle stopped behind him, both of which had their flashing blue and red lights activated. During the traffic stop, the officer reportedly heard several loud bangs and saw a bright flash near the rear of his police vehicle.
Another officer reportedly told the first officer someone had just shot or thrown fireworks in their direction. One of the projectiles hit the rear of one of the police vehicles and another had landed between them. One public safety aide was sitting in the police vehicle when it was struck by the explosive firework, according to police reports.
A Maryland State Police trooper was working nearby in an undercover capacity and reportedly observed the suspect, later identified as James Caelen, 23, of Virginia Beach, intentionally lighting and throwing explosive fireworks into the roadway at passing vehicles. The MSP trooper reportedly observed Caelen light three circular fireworks and thrown them in the direction of the OCPD officers conducting a traffic stop at 8th Street.
Caelen was detained and was ultimately charged with assault, disorderly conduct, discharging fireworks without a required permit and other charges. He reportedly told an OCPD officer he thought he was doing a good thing by occupying the time of six police officers so they could not stop other drivers from having a good time.
During a search subsequent to the arrest, officers located three more explosive fireworks, several smoke bombs, a ground-based sparkler and a lighter on Caelen’s person.
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More Projectiles Aimed At Police
OCEAN CITY — An Elkridge, Md. man was charged with assault last weekend after allegedly launching a full beer can at a police officer from a great distance and nearly hitting the officer.
Around 10:35 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of 20th Street and was attempting to break up a large disorderly crowd that was blocking a public sidewalk. The officer was using a foul-smelling aerosol spray designed to separate and disperse large groups of unruly individuals. According to police reports, the smell of the spray immediately began to break up and move the crowd.
Several individuals in the crowd became hostile and began to verbally demean and disrespect police officers, according to police reports. The officer then observed several full beer cans were being thrown toward uniformed officers at the scene. As the officer watched the crowd, he observed Hector Grijalva, 24, of Elkridge, Md., launch a full beer can toward the officer and his vehicle. According to police reports, Grijalva launched the full beer can from at least 40 yards away.
The officer watched the beer can leave Grijalva’s hand, fly very high through the air and land about two feet from the officer’s feet and his vehicle where it exploded. According to police reports, Grijalva yelled something at the officer and began to quickly walk away. The officer noted in the report the full beer can could have caused serious injury because of the distance it was thrown and the height it reached before crashing to the ground near the officer.
The officer got back in his vehicle, followed the crowd and located Grijalva in the area of 21st Street. During the arrest process, Grijalva reportedly told the officer he really wasn’t trying to hit him with the beer can, and then asked why he could be charged with assault if the can did not actually hit the officer.
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Officers Assaulted
OCEAN CITY — A Silver Spring, Md. man was arrested last weekend after first leaving the scene of a vehicle collision and then allegedly assaulting several police officers attempting to detain him.
Around 4:10 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 22nd Street to assist an Maryland State Police trooper with a hit-and-run investigation. The trooper was conducting a traffic stop in the area of 16th Street when he was approached by two females who reported their vehicle had been struck in the parking lot of a nearby hotel by a white pick-up truck and the suspect then fled the area.
The trooper observed the suspect vehicle traveling north on Baltimore Avenue and followed it. The driver of the white pick-up, later identified as Danilo Cativo, 18, of Silver Spring, Md., turned off its lights and turned onto the ocean block of 22nd Street. The officer detained Cativo, who exhibited signs of intoxication, according to police reports. Cativo reportedly admitted striking a vehicle in the parking lot and that he was sorry. The two female victims who were in the vehicle when it was struck by Cativo were brought to the scene and positively identified him as the suspect, according to police reports.
OCPD officers were detaining Cativo when he reportedly demanded that he be given tests. He reportedly became hostile and angry and repeated demanded he be given tests. He reportedly was screaming and flailing his arms and body from side to side, striking multiple officers in the process.
While the OCPD was attempting to detain the reportedly violent and agitated Cativo, he allegedly bit one officer’s leg and scratched another female officer. He was ultimately subdued and charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run. During the booking process, Cativo reportedly kicked another officer and spit saliva on another. It was later learned he drove over the foot of one of the female victims when he was fleeing the hit-and-run collision.
All in all, Cativo was charged with four counts of assault on police officers, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and possession of a fake ID.
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Hit-And Run Charges
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested for hit-and-run last week after leaving the scene of a collision because he did not want his daughter to see him getting arrested.
Just before 6 p.m. last Wednesday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported hit-and-run collision on Philadelphia Avenue. The victim reportedly told police the suspect vehicle was last seen turning west on 2nd Street. While police searched the area, Ocean City Communications advised a female had been seen getting into the vehicle at 12th Street and driving it to a hotel at 25th Street. OCPD officers arrived and observed the female entering the hotel lobby.
The officers tracked the female to a room on the second floor and began interviewing her about the incident. Meanwhile, Ocean City Communications provided officers with a picture of the male suspect who had reportedly been driving the vehicle at the time of the collision. An OCPD officer was outside the hotel when a male matching the description walked by. The officer questioned the suspect and asked his name, to which the suspect reportedly responded, “Luis, I’m the one you’re looking for.”
The suspect, identified as Luis Rodriguez, 44, of Lancaster, Pa, then spontaneously told the officer, “I drove away because my daughter was in the car. I didn’t want her to see me be arrested. I’m wanted and don’t have a license,” according to police reports.
Rodriguez told police he was driving the vehicle at the time of the collision and he made a conscious decision to leave the scene because he did not want to be arrested in front of his daughter. He was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a property damage collision and driving on a revoked license.
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Passed Out In Wrong Room
OCEAN CITY — A New Jersey man was charged with burglary last weekend after allegedly entering the wrong motel room and passing out on a couch.
Around 3:30 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a motel at 29th Street for a reported trespasser. The officer met with a couple who reported they had left the motel room earlier in the day and had locked the front door, although they were not certain the first-floor sliding door was locked.
The victims reportedly told police they returned to the room, opened the door with the key card and observed an unknown male suspect inside sleeping on the couch. The OCPD officer obtained the key card to the couple’s room and entered to find the suspect, later identified as Clayton Sullivan, 24, of Cape May, N.J., still sleeping on the couch.
According to police reports, Sullivan was extremely intoxicated. He reportedly told police he was supposed to be staying in either room 208 or 308 with friends, but ended up in room 108. The officer observed the sliding door was unlocked, but closed. The officer also observed there was a fence blocking off the unit from the public sidewalk.
The victims reported no property was missing. Sullivan was arrested and charged with fourth-degree burglary and trespassing.