OCEAN CITY — Almost 11 years after the incident, a man has been charged in an open Ocean City stabbing case.
Manuel Armando Escalante Jr., 47, of Federalsburg, Md., was arrested in Laredo, Texas near the Mexico border on March 22 on an arrest warrant dating back to July of 2010 in Ocean City. He was wanted for allegedly stabbing a man in a 54th Street restaurant parking lot and fleeing the scene.
The incident resulted in the Town of Ocean City offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. The investigation at that time stated police arrived on the scene shortly after 2 a.m. to find the victim lying in the parking lot. The probe revealed the victim was allegedly approached and assaulted by a suspect unknown at the time. Witnesses at the scene reported the suspect stabbed the victim several times, resulting in his hospitalization. At the time, the incident was believed to be connected to an earlier disagreement inside the restaurant.
The investigation ultimately led to Escalante being named as a suspect. Despite the reward and his photo being distributed widely on media outlets, no information on his whereabouts were known until last month. The case has been cold ever since.
Escalante has now been charged with attempted first degree murder, first degree assault, reckless endangerment and dangerous weapon-intent to injure. Escalante has been extradited to the Worcester County Jail where he is behind held without bond awaiting trial.
