Stolen Car Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury man was arrested on motor vehicle theft charges last week after the car he was driving in Ocean City pinged as stolen on a stationary license plate reader on the Route 50 Bridge.
Around 4:30 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 12th Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a reported stolen vehicle after a stationary license plate reader (LPR) monitoring the bridge pinged on a white Honda Accord with Delaware tags that had been reported stolen. The OCPD officer located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.
The front seat passenger was identified as Jonathan Palmer, 20, of Salisbury. A female was in the driver’s seat at the time of the stop. Palmer reportedly told police he had just picked up the female and she had no affiliation with the vehicle. When informed the vehicle had been reported stolen, Palmer told police he obtained the vehicle through a private transaction with another individual, according to police reports.
Palmer reportedly told police he traded a Ford Crown Victoria to the other man in exchange for the Honda Accord and that transaction had been completed within the last three to five days. Palmer told police the other man had not provided any title or paperwork for the Accord, nor had he attempted to get the vehicle registered in his name.
The OCPD officer contacted the Delaware State Police, who confirmed the vehicle was still reported as stolen. The DSP also contacted the vehicle’s registered owner, who had no knowledge of any transaction and did not know Palmer or the other man allegedly involved in the transaction. Palmer was arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft.
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Unruly, Unwanted Hotel Guest
OCEAN CITY — A local woman was arrested last week for allegedly causing a disturbance at a downtown hotel and later scrapping with police officers trying to detain her.
Last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a hotel at 21st Street for a reported trespasser. Dispatchers advised a woman who was not a guest at the hotel was standing in the men’s room. The officer arrived and made contact with the suspect, later identified as Emily Gore, 30, of Ocean City, who appeared to be under the influence, according to police reports. Gore was reportedly trying to enter an elevator, but the doors were not open.
The officer located the caller, who confirmed Gore was the individual about whom he had called police. The officer interviewed Gore and asked if she needed help, according to police reports. Gore first told police she was staying in a room on the third floor, but then said she was not a guest at the hotel, according to police reports.
The caller told police he knew Gore from an earlier encountering in the night during which he called 911. He explained Gore had been a nuisance at the hotel multiple times during the day that required either a police or EMS response and that he expected her to continue to cause issues.
The hotel staffer issued a trespass warning to Gore and she mocked him for doing it, according to police reports. The OCPD officer told Gore she needed to leave the property because she was no longer welcome. At that point, Gore became upset and told police she needed her phone. The officers could not locate her phone and was told to leave but refused to exit the premises, according to police reports.
Gore was placed under arrest for trespassing at that point. During a search by a female officer incident to the arrest, Gore allegedly kicked one officer in the shins four times and kneed him in the genitals, according to police reports. She also reportedly kicked the female officer who was searching her in the shins.
Once at the booking facility, Gore refused to leave the transport vehicle and had to be carried inside by officers, according to police reports. During booking Gore kicked other booking officers. She was charged with trespassing and multiple counts of second-degree assault.
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Uptown Hotel Assault Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A local woman was arrested for second-degree assault last weekend after an alleged confrontation at an uptown hotel.
Around 2:10 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a 911 call hang-up at an uptown hotel on 112th Street. Communications advised hearing someone yell “get off me” prior to the hang-up. The officer arrived and met with a male individual who told police, “I just got my [expletive deleted] beat,” according to police reports.
The victim reportedly then changed his story and told police he fell in the parking lot. The victim had scratches on his nose, left cheek and behind his ear, according to police reports. He also said, without being prompted, “She didn’t do anything wrong,” according to police reports.
OCPD officers went to a room on the second floor of the hotel and located a female suspect identified as Jamie Fitzsimmons, 38, of Ocean City. Fitzsimmons reportedly invited the officers into the room, which was in disarray with food including lettuce on the floor, the bed and the ways. Fitzsimmons reportedly told the officers, “yeah, we got into it a little.”
Fitzsimmons reportedly told police she and the male victim had been fighting and throwing things around the room, but there had been no physical altercation. When asked how the room became in a state of disarray, she repeatedly said “salad” multiple times according to police reports. Based on the injuries to the victim and the testimony, Fitzsimmons was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
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Jail For Disorderly Conduct
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man arrested in November after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at an uptown residence pleaded guilty last week to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 60 days.
Around 7:55 p.m. on Nov. 4, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a residence on East Biscayne Drive for a reported domestic assault that had already occurred. Upon arrival, the officer observed a male and a female arguing on Pacific Avenue. The male was later identified as George Ruark, 37, of Ocean City. The officer reportedly told Ruark and the female to sit on the curb.
According to police reports, while the officer was waiting for additional units, Ruark refused to listen to his commands and stood and walked toward the female at a fast pace. At that point, Ruark was detained in handcuffs.
The victim told the officer she was lying on the couch inside the unit when Ruark returned home, reportedly in an intoxicated condition. The victim reportedly told police Ruark placed both of his hands on her face and pushed her face down while she was on the couch. The victim told the officer the only way she could get Ruark off of her was by biting his finger, according to police reports.
The victim reportedly had a red mark under her left eye on her cheekbone consistent with her version of the assault. The victim reportedly told police Ruark hit her multiple times in the back of her head during the struggle. According to police reports, first Ruark said nothing had happened. Then, he reportedly changed his story and told officers the victim had bitten him and assaulted him by punching him several times. According to police reports, Ruark kept telling officers different versions of the events as if he was trying to get the victim in trouble.
Ruark then told police he was on Suboxone and was going through withdrawal. He also told police he had consumed “molly” and that his neck hurt. According to police reports, Ruark kept adding reasons why he needed medical assistance. The officer ultimately determined through the investigation Ruark was the primary aggressor and he was arrested. Last week, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 60 days.