OCEAN CITY — A Cambridge, Md. man is being held without bond this week on first-degree assault charges after allegedly strangling a female victim and trashing a downtown hotel room.
Around 4:15 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a hotel at 28th Street for a reported disorderly male. While officers were responding, Ocean City Communications advised the male may have thrown a chair out of a window. Communications also advised there was damage to the hallway outside of the disorderly male’s room, according to police reports.
OCPD officers responded to the third floor of the hotel and found a fire extinguisher lying in the hallway and broken glass scattered about, according to police reports. OCPD officer knocked on the suspect’s door, but no one responded. The hotel manager opened the door using a master key and OCPD officers entered.
According to police reports, the room was in disarray with broken glass and trash scattered about OCPD officers observed a lamp on its side with fresh blood on it. The officers also observed the sliding glass door was damaged and a lamp and two chairs had been thrown from the room and landed on the floors below, according to police reports.
Meanwhile, other officers arrived on scene and located a male suspect, identified as David Brickwood, 32, in the lobby with bloody knuckles, according to police reports. Brickwood was reportedly intoxicated and hotel staff confirmed he was registered to the room where the damage had occurred.
During the investigation, a female victim arrived on the scene. The victim reportedly told police Brickwood had strangled her to the point she was unable to breathe and also punched her in the head. The victim reportedly told police she ran away in fear of Brickwood finding her and “finishing what he started,” according to police reports.
The victim also reportedly had red marks and bruising on her neck and repeatedly told police “he knows where my children live, and he said he is going to kill them,” according to police reports. Brickwood was arrested. While police attempted to place him in the transport vehicle, he allegedly head-butted one officer.
Officers had to take Brickwood to the ground in order for him to be transported and he was ultimately taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries. He was charged with first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property and resisting arrest. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and ordered held without bond.
