Cops & Courts – January 29, 2021

Cops & Courts – January 29, 2021

Arrest After Strange Incident

OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man was arrested on numerous charges last week after a bizarre incident in the downtown Ocean City area.

Around 5 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to Bayshore Drive for a reported disorderly individual. The caller reported an individual, later identified as James Shiflett, 40, appeared to be intoxicated and had knocked over a trashcan.

The caller reportedly described Shiflett as acting abnormally and raised concern about his welfare. The caller told police two other women had attempted to get Shiflett to “chill out” to no avail. The two women were able to get Shiflett into a nearby residence. Once inside the residence, Shiflett pushed his head through a wall, causing a hole in the drywall, according to police reports.

One female led Shiflett out of the residence and ran back in and shut the door, according to police reports. About an hour later, Shiflett reportedly began banging on the female witness’s door, which is when she called 911.

A background check revealed Shiflett was wanted for felony theft of a motor vehicle in Baltimore. He also had a pending first-degree assault criminal case and had been convicted of other violent crime, according to police reports. When OCPD officers arrived, his whereabouts were unknown. A search of the area found Shiflett sitting in a parked and unattended vehicle that belonged to another man on the street.

When officers approached him sitting in the vehicle, Shiflett reportedly began screaming obscenities at them. OCPD officers ordered Shiflett to get out of the vehicle, but he refused. OCPD officers observed a knife in the vehicle next to Shiflett, according to police reports.

Shiflett was targeted with a handgun and a Taser, but still refused to get out of the vehicle, which was locked. It ultimately took five OCPD officer pulling on his arms and waist to pull him through the vehicle’s open window and place him under arrest. He was charged with disorderly conduct, malicious destruction of property, resisting arrest and other charges in addition to the motor vehicle theft case from Baltimore.

x

North-End Assault

OCEAN CITY — A local woman was charged with assault last week following an alleged altercation that began at a north-end restaurant parking lot and spilled over to a residence.

Around 8:15 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of 142nd Street for a reported assault. Arriving officers met with a male witness, who reportedly told police a female located outside the residence had been assaulted by her girlfriend, identified as Ashleigh Madia, 24, of Ocean City.

The witness reportedly told police the assault began at the parking lot of a nearby restaurant. The witness told police Madia kicked the victim’s feet out from under her, causing her fall, according to police reports. The victim’s face struck the ground when she fell, causing her lips to bleed, according to police reports.

The witness told police when Madia and the victim returned to the residence on 142nd Street, the fighting intensified. The witness told the officers he observed Madia tackle the victim to the ground. The witness reportedly told police Madia then turned toward him and attempted to strike him.

The witness told police he grabbed Madia by the arms and attempted to make her stop fighting. The witness then went outside and could still hear Madia and the victim fighting inside, according to police reports. The officers then interviewed the victim, who reportedly told police Madia had punched her in the eye. The victim told police she held Madia down in an attempt to prevent her from hitting her again.

According to police reports, the victim’s injuries included a cut above her left eye, which was bruised and swollen, injuries on her knees, hands and face. The injuries to the victim’s hands were consistent with bracing the impact of a fall, according to police reports.

When interviewed, Madia told police she had been in a verbal argument with the victim, but that nothing physical had occurred. When asked about her own injuries, Madia reportedly told police, “I deserved it.” When asked if there had been a physical altercation with the victim, Madia did not answer the question. According to police reports, Madia had bruising on her forehead and around her left eye, although she reportedly told police the injuries were not caused by the victim. Through the investigation, OCPD officers determined Madia was the primary aggressor during the incident and she was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.

x

Jail For Domestic Assault

OCEAN CITY — A local man, arrested in November after choking and holding a dart to the neck of his girlfriend during a domestic incident, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 30 days.

Around 10 p.m. on Nov, 18, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a residence at 12th Street for a reported 911 call regarding a domestic assault. Upon arrival, the officers located the male suspect, later identified as Trey Drouillard, 25, of Ocean City, sitting in a pick-up truck outside the residence.

The officers made contact with the female victim, who reportedly confirmed Drouillard was her boyfriend and that he had a history of assaulting her, according to police reports. The victim was holding a six-month old child. The victim told police on that night, the couple had been in a verbal argument and the Drouillard had choked her with one hand from the front, but that she did not lose consciousness.

According to police reports, the victim told the officers Drouillard then grabbed a dart from a cork dart board hanging on the wall and held it up against the right side of her neck. OCPD officers reportedly observed a red mark on the victim’s neck where she had been choked and where the dart had been held against her neck, according to police reports.

For his part, Drouillard acknowledged he had been in a verbal argument with the victim, but denied any physical altercation had occurred. Based on the evidence and victim testimony, Drouillard was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. On Monday, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days.