Cops & Courts – November 6, 2020

Cops & Courts – November 6, 2020

Malicious Destruction Charge

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was arrested last weekend for allegedly breaking off a truck’s door handle and throwing it at the back windshield, causing it to shatter.

Around 2:10 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) responded to the area of Dorchester Street and St. Louis Avenue for a reported malicious destruction of property incident. A witness had reported observing three males out on the street, one of whom allegedly broke the door handle of a pick-up truck and then started climbing into pontoon boats stored in an adjacent parking lot.

The OCPD officer stopped one of the men, who informed police his friend, later identified as Cengihan Unal, 21, of Ocean City, had punched the passenger’s side mirror of the truck and had broken its window. The witness told police Unal was still in the area in the middle of the pontoon boats and that he was looking for his hat, according to police reports.

The officer reportedly observed the pick-up truck with a broken rear passenger side window. The officer also observed the rear passenger door was missing its handle, which was located in the middle of St. Louis Avenue. The OCPD officer searched the area and found Unal in the middle of the pontoon boats. Unal had a fresh cut on his forehead, but did not require EMS. When asked what had happened, Unal reportedly told the officer he did not know what he was talking about.

The OCPD officer spoke to the original caller, who reportedly told police he heard a noise out in the street and went outside to see what was going on. The witness reportedly told police he saw a man matching Unal’s description attempting to climb into the bed of the pick-up truck.

The witness told the officer when Unal could not get in the bed of the truck, he punched the mirror. Unal then allegedly broke off the truck’s door handle and threw it at the back windshield, causing it to shatter, according to police reports. The witness told police Unal then allegedly went climbing on the pontoon boats nearby. Unal was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property and disorderly intoxication. The damage to the truck is estimated at over $1,000.

x

Disorderly Conduct Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A West Virginia man was arrested for disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting another man before turning his attention to a bouncer outside a downtown bar.

Around 1:50 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of 8th Street when he observed a commotion on the public sidewalk outside of a bar. The officer reportedly observed a bouncer from the establishment attempting to break up a fight between two individuals.

One of the individuals involved, later identified as Emmanuel Beuyiouclis, 35, of Morgantown, W.Va., allegedly then turned to the bouncer, shoving him and ripping his shirt. According to police reports, Beuyiousclis was screaming and his actions attracted the attention of at least 25 patrons at the bar. Beuyiouclis was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

x

Wrong Uber Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man was arrested for disorderly intoxication last weekend after allegedly getting into the wrong Uber and refusing to get out.

Around 11:50 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the Wicomico Street area for a reported male who had allegedly gotten into the wrong Uber and was refusing to leave. The officer arrived and observed the suspect, later identified as Matthew Powell, 20, of Middletown, Del., sitting in the front seat of the Uber car. The Uber driver reportedly asked the officer to remove Powell from his vehicle.

When Powell exited the vehicle, he reportedly showed signs of intoxication. The officer asked Powell for his driver’s license, but he fumbled through his wallet and only produced a credit card and an insurance card. Powell then dropped his wallet, and when he bent over to pick it up, he reportedly fell face first onto the ground.

As he was falling, Powell reportedly kicked the OCPD officer in the leg. When OCPD officers helped Powell to his feet, he reportedly was bleeding from a cut over his eye. Ocean City EMS arrived and treated Powell’s facial injury. He was arrested and charged with disorderly intoxication.

x

Jail For Discharging Gun

SNOW HILL — A Pennsylvania man, arrested in June for accidentally discharging a firearm at a downtown motel, pleaded guilty this week to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Around 4:20 p.m. on June 17, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported discharged weapon at a motel in the downtown area. The preliminary investigation determined the incident was an accidental discharge and no one was injured as a result.

While officers were responding, Ocean City Communications were advised by motel staff someone in a second-floor room had discharged a firearm and the occupants of the room were attempting to leave the motel property. An OCPD officer arrived and observed the group standing by their vehicle in the parking lot. One member of the group, identified as Jon-Raymond Miguel Harperez, 24, of New Bethel, Pa., had both of his hands in the front pouch of his sweatshirt and when the officer asked him to slowly remove them, a spent 9mm shell casing fell to the ground, according to police reports.

When questioned, Harperez reportedly told police he was in possession of a handgun and the weapon was located in a book bag on his back. OCPD officers removed the book back and placed Harperez in custody. OCPD officers removed the gun storage case from the book back and located a Gen 5 Glock 9mm handgun.

The weapon was loaded with a 15-round magazine of which 14 rounds remained and the chamber was empty. In addition, the case contained another 15-round magazine, a 14-round magazine and a clear, extended magazine loaded with 29 rounds, all of which were capable of being fired from the weapon.

Harperez, an ex-military personnel, informed officers on the scene he had just returned to his motel room from a nearby gas station. According to police reports, Harperez told police while he was removing the handgun from his pants pocket, he accidentally discharged one round into the floor of his motel room.

OCPD officers interviewed a member of the motel’s cleaning staff, who told police she had been in the motel laundry room located directly below Harperez’ second-floor room. The witness told officers she heard a loud pop and immediately observed dry wall from the ceiling in the air and on her left shoulder.

OCPD officers met with the hotel manager, who told police he immediately responded to the second-floor room and found Harperez and the other occupants had already packed up their belongings. The manager noted the group still had two additional nights remaining on their reservation.

According to police reports, Harperez, a military veteran, holds a concealed carry permit in his native Pennsylvania, but concealed carry permits from that state are not reciprocal in Maryland.  Harperez was arrested and charged with having a handgun on his person, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm within city limits. This week, he pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.