Details Learned In Multiple Stabbing Incident In North Ocean City

Details Learned In Multiple Stabbing Incident In North Ocean City
Brandon Messick and Stas Urbanski-Hughes

OCEAN CITY — Two local men are being held without bond this week following an incident when four victims were stabbed.

Around 12:35 a.m. last Friday, numerous Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the firehouse at 130th Street in reference to multiple stabbing victims. The officers met with three male victims all screaming they had been stabbed. One victim, a juvenile, was holding a balled-up T-shirt against his neck, which was covering a three-inches long, two-inch deep incision along the left side of his face just below the jawline, according to police reports.

Another victim had a stab wound on the upper right side of his chest about two inches long and one inch across. That victim also had two incisions on the left side of his torso just under his armpit. Another victim had a stab wound to his left forearm. Two of the victims were later transported to TidalHealth Peninsula via Maryland State Police Aviation Trooper 4. One victim was flown to Christiana Hospital by Delaware State Police helicopter. The fourth victim was not transported to the hospital. The injuries to the victims were not life-threatening.

While one officer was tending to the victims, another OCPD officer observed a 2005 Ford Focus with Delaware tags fleeing the area and driving through a red traffic signal at 136th Street. The officer initiated a traffic stop at 130th Street and identified the driver as Stas Urbanski-Hughes, 18, of Frankford, Del., and the passenger as Brandon Messick, 18, of Ocean City. The officer reportedly saw dried blood on Urbanski-Hughes’ hands and blood throughout the vehicle.

One of the victims was walked over to the traffic stop and advised police he was 100% sure Urbanski-Hughes and Messick were the suspects in the stabbing incident, according to police reports. Urbanski-Hughes and Messick were placed under arrest at that point and transported to the Public Safety Building for processing.

OCPD officers interviewed one victim, who said his group had been looking for a party in the area of 130th Street and the beach when they were approached by Urbanski-Hughes and Messick. The suspects reportedly were pressuring members of the victim’s group to buy marijuana from them, but they refused, according to police reports. At one point, one the victims lobbed an insult at Urbanski-Hughes, who pulled out a knife and charged one of the victims. Another victim attempted to tackle Urbanski-Hughes before he got to his friend. The four men fought with Urbanski-Hughes and Messick until one of the victim’s said, “I’ve been stabbed,” according to police reports. At that point, the other victims backed away and realized they too had been stabbed. The victims told police they then fled the area in search of medical and police assistance, which is how they ended up at the firehouse.

At the Public Safety Building, OCPD detectives interviewed Messick and Urbanski-Hughes about the incident. Messick reportedly told police he and Urbanski-Hughes had come to Ocean City to go to a party at 75th Street. They reportedly stayed at that party for a couple of hours before deciding to go to another party they had heard about on 130th Street.

Messick said once they got to 130th Street, they were walking around a condo building with another group of people before deciding there was no party there and started walking back to their vehicle, according to police reports. Messick told police they were talking to another group of males, who inquired about buying marijuana. Messick reportedly told the group he could contact someone to get marijuana for them. When they walked to the street end near the beach, the other group got impatient about the amount of time it was taking and an argument ensued, according to police reports.

Messick told police he handed a pocket knife to Urbanski-Hughes because the situation “didn’t feel right,” according to police reports. Messick reportedly told police he heard the knife click open just before the fight started. Messick said he did not see what Urbanski-Hughes did with the knife because he was focused on the men with whom he was fighting. Messick reportedly told police one of the combatants had him in a choke hold when Urbanski-Hughes “hit” the victim, causing him to cry out in pain. Messick said he and Urbanski-Hughes ran to their vehicle and got in. They then returned to the scene after the altercation to look for Messick’s phone. Messick said he picked up a knife at the scene and put it in his pocket. Once they got back in the vehicle, Messick told police he threw the knife out of the window to “ditch it,” according to police reports.

Urbanski-Hughes told OCPD officers a version of the incident similar to Messick’s. He admitted Messick had handed him a knife prior to the argument becoming physical. He said one member of the other group had slammed Messick to the ground, which is when the fight started. Urbanski-Hughes reportedly told police as he was being punched, he took out the knife Messick had given him and went “straight for the first guy’s face.” When another victim tried to punch the knife from his hand, Urbanski-Hughes said he began swinging the knife at everyone until they scattered. Because of the multiple stab wounds, the fight stopped and everyone involved fled the area.

Both Urbanski-Hughes and Messick were charged with four counts each of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. Each had a bail review hearing on Monday and each was ordered to be held without bond.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.