Arrest After Pole Collision
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia woman was arrested last weekend after allegedly crashing her vehicle into a utility pole on Philadelphia Avenue downtown.
Around 2:40 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 2nd Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a reported motor vehicle crash. The officer arrived and found a Hyundai Sonata had left the roadway and collided with a utility pole.
The officer made contact with a passenger in the vehicle, who reportedly told police a female standing next to the vehicle, later identified as Lacrecha Chapman, 33, of Portsmouth, Va., was driving the vehicle prior to the crash. The officer spoke with Chapman, who was reportedly intoxicated, and Chapman told the officer she was not the driver, according to police reports.
Chapman was reportedly wearing a wristband from a downtown bar and acknowledged she had three drinks earlier, but continued to insist she was not driving the vehicle prior to the crash. Chapman told the officer she had injured her mouth and chest in the collision, and the driver’s side airbag had deployed causing her injuries.
Chapman reportedly told the officer there were as many as seven occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash, but continued to insist she was not the driver. At one point, she told police a white male was driving the vehicle and fled after the crash. At another point, she told the officer a black male with dreadlocks had been driving.
According to police reports, Chapman was wearing heavy makeup at the time and there were makeup smears on the driver’s side visor and on the ceiling. She was also a very large woman and the driver’s seat was pushed back to its limit, indicating a large person had been driving, according to police reports.
Chapman was administered a battery of field sobriety tests, which she did not complete to the officer’s satisfaction. All the evidence, along with the passenger’s statement, pointed to Chapman as the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash and she was placed under arrest.
During booking at the Public Safety Building, Chapman refused to submit to intoximeter test and continued to insist she was not the driver, although she had signed her name to the driver signature line on the DR-15 form. She then ripped up the DR-15 form and gouged out her signature with a pen. She was ultimately charged with numerous traffic violations including driving while impaired, along with obstructing and hindering, making a false statement and malicious destruction of property.
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Threatened Guests With Dog
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man was arrested last week after allegedly threatening fellow guests at a downtown motel with his dog.
Around 11:25 p.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a motel at 26th Street in reference to a disorderly male. The officer arrived on the scene and met with hotel staff, who reported a male later identified as Anthony Saggese, 37, of Alexandria, Va., had been walking around the motel property with a dog while taunting other guests. According to police reports, the motel staff believed Saggese was attempting to lure his dog to attack people that were trying to talk to him.
The officer located Saggese on the third floor and found him to be intoxicated, according to police reports. Saggese reportedly told the officer he did not want to stay at the motel and was ready to leave. The officer walked with Saggese to the motel lobby, where he reportedly argued with the night auditor.
The night auditor was reportedly trying to make arrangements for Saggese to remain in the motel as long as he stayed peacefully in his room. However, Saggese was reportedly argumentative with the night auditor and told OCPD officers he had paid to stay at the motel and would stay there regardless of what the night auditor said.
Saggese reportedly continued to argue with motel staff to the point they eventually told him to leave. OCPD officers told Saggese he had to leave or he would be arrested. He ultimately refused to leave and was arrested for intoxicated endangerment.
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Scrapped With Cops
OCEAN CITY — A Delaware woman was arrested last week after allegedly smoking weed in a vehicle on a downtown street and later scrapping with police officers attempting to detain her.
Around 4 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the area of 4th Street and St. Louis Avenue with its headlights on and a reflective sunshade in the windshield. According to police reports, the officer knew the area is where people frequently park to smoke marijuana in their vehicles.
The officer reportedly pulled behind the vehicle and observed two individuals inside identified as Whitney Krick, 32, of Millsboro, and Joseph Phelan, 23, of Selbyville. The officer approached Krick and asked if they were okay, and Krick reportedly told the officer they were just about to leave, according to police reports.
The officer reportedly detected the odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle and asked Krick how much pot was in the vehicle. Krick reportedly got agitated and said “well, now you’re going to take all my weed and I just spend $300 on it,” according to police reports.
The officer conducted license and warrant checks on both Krick and Phelan and determined Phelan was wanted on an outstanding warrant from Pennsylvania for failing to appear for an alleged drunk driving charge. Krick reportedly became more agitated and shouted phrases such as “this is harassment,” and “I’m going to sue to Ocean City Police Department,” according to police reports.
Krick was asked to get out of the vehicle and sit on the curb. When officers attempted to search the vehicle, they found it was locked, and Krick held the keys. When asked for the keys, Krick allegedly declined to turn them over and held them close to her chest. At that point, OCPD officers attempted to detain Krick in handcuffs in order to get the keys, but she resisted and screamed “get off me,” and “help” several times, according to police reports.
When officers attempted to handcuff Krick, she reportedly grabbed an officer’s leg and would not let go as she continued to scream. She was ultimately handcuffed and charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Phelan was held on the fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania.
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Disorderly On Boardwalk
OCEAN CITY — A Westminster, Md. woman was arrested last weekend after allegedly throwing a cup of liquid at another woman on the Boardwalk early Saturday morning.
Around 2:25 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the Boardwalk and North Division Street for a reported female swinging at people and attempting to start fights. The officer approached the scene and observed a group of males and females and observed a suspect later identified as Crystal Saah, 27, of Westminster, Md., yelling at another female.
As the officer approached, he reportedly saw Saah throw a cup of liquid at the other female. A male in the area attempted to intervene and prevent a further assault, according to police reports. Saah then reportedly stumbled north on the Boardwalk until the officer was able to get her to sit on a bench.
The male and female involved in the assault told police they did not want to press charges and that they were only trying to get Saah home safely. They reportedly told police they did not know Saah before the incident. Saah was ultimately arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
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Two Sentenced In Deli Attack
OCEAN CITY — Two Baltimore-area residents, arrested last June after going behind the counter and attacking a store clerk at a midtown deli, each pleaded guilty to theft under $100 last week and each was sentenced to jail time.
Around 10:40 p.m. last June 21, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported robbery that had just occurred at a deli on 72nd Street. The caller advised police the two suspects had fled the area. Through the investigation, OCPD officers learned two suspects, identified as Kenisha Ward, 37, of Baltimore, and Devon Jones, 32, of Randallstown, tried to return cigars that were not purchased at the store.
When the store clerk refused, Ward allegedly went behind the counter, attacked the clerk and began grabbing packets of cigars. Jones allegedly made threatening statements to the clerk while Ward was grabbing cigars. The suspects left the store and got into a vehicle.
The store clerk followed the suspects out of the store with a baseball bat and was able to break the suspects’ car window. A short time later while OCPD officers were still on the scene investigating the incident, Ward and Jones returned to the store and confronted the clerk about the broken car window.
Ward and Jones were each arrested and charged with robbery, theft and second-degree assault. Last week, Ward pleaded guilty to one count of theft under $100 and was sentenced to 90 days, all but 34 of which were suspended. Jones also pleaded guilty to one count of theft under $100 and he was sentenced to 32 days in jail.