Arson Threat At Public Safety Building
OCEAN CITY — A Temple Hills, Md. man arrested last Sunday had additional charges tacked on after allegedly threatening to burn down the Public Safety Building.
Around 11 p.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was working in the booking section of the Public Safety Building when an inmate, later identified as Ricardo Thomas, 36, of Temple Hills, Md., began screaming at him. When the officer asked Thomas what was wrong, he reportedly told the officer his five-year-old daughter had been left alone on the Boardwalk when he was arrested around 3:15 p.m. that afternoon.
The officer reportedly told Thomas that was unlikely, but he would check into it. Thomas then began screaming, “If there is anything wrong with my daughter I’m going to burn this [expletive deleted] place down to the ground,” and “if there is something wrong with her, they won’t have to worry about you as well,” according to police reports.
It was later discovered Thomas’ children were never missing, and they were with his sister the entire time. Thomas was charged with arson threat. His original arrest was for open container, disorderly conduct and littering.
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Assault, Disorderly Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A local man was arrested on assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly getting bounced from a midtown bar and scrapping with security staff.
Around 1 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the area of 33rd Street observed a suspect later identified as Michael Miller, Jr., 26, of Berlin, fighting with security staff from a nearby bar in the bus lane along Coastal Highway. A witness reportedly told the office Miller had been asked to leave the bar and was yelling and cursing and trying to get back in.
Miller reportedly assaulted a security staffer and the altercation moved outside into the bus lane of the highway. The witness told the officer Miller attempted to tackle on the of the security staffers, but he was pushed to the ground, which is about the time the officer arrived on the scene, according to police reports.
OCPD officers grabbed Miller and he went unconscious briefly, according to police reports. The investigation revealed Miller had been kicked out of the bar and assaulted an employee on the way out, which led to the altercation in the street. Miller was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
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Obstructing, Hindering Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Joppa, Md. woman was arrested last weekend after allegedly scrapping with police officers attempting to make an arrest on the Boardwalk.
Around 4:25 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were attempting to make an arrest at North Division Street and the Boardwalk when a woman, later identified as Izabella Forsyth, 18, of Joppa, Md., allegedly barged through them in an attempt to get between the officers and the suspect. Forsyth reportedly pulled the officers away from the suspect and interfered with the arrest.
One officer reportedly threw her to the ground to remove her from the situation. Forsyth reportedly stood up and broke free from the officers, and then threw her strawberry fruit smoothie at the officers, hitting two of them, according to police reports.
At that point, the officers attempted to arrest Forsyth for second-degree assault and hindering a lawful arrest. However, she reportedly resisted their attempts to handcuff her and additional charges were tacked on. Once taken into custody, Forsyth reportedly launched into an expletive-laced tirade at the officers on a crowded Boardwalk on a Friday afternoon in June.
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Indecent Exposure Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania woman was arrested last weekend on indecent exposure and other charges after allegedly exposing herself at a midtown motel and banging on the door of another guests whom she did not know.
Around 12:43 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a motel at 31st Street for a report of a woman banging repeatedly on the door. Upon arrival, OCPD officers reportedly saw and heard a woman later identified as Miriam Aviles-Arias, 26, of Reading, Pa. banging on the door of unit 319.
According to police reports, Aviles-Arias was wrapped in a blanket. The officers made contact with the occupant of unit 319, who reportedly told police he did not know Aviles-Arias. The occupant told police Aviles-Arias had been repeatedly banging on his motel room door. By now, other motel guests began coming out of their rooms to see what the commotion was, according to police reports.
OCPD officers spoke with another motel guest on the third floor, who reportedly told police Aviles-Arias had been outside her motel room wearing only a black thong and nothing else. She went back in her room and came back out wrapped in a blanket, which is when the officers arrived. Aviles-Arias was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. OCPD officers waited for her to put on a T-shirt and shorts before taking her into custody, according to police reports.
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Hotel Assault Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested last weekend after allegedly throwing a fan at a female victim during a domestic dispute at a midtown motel.
Around 10 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a motel at 31st Street for a reported domestic dispute. The officers met with a female victim, who reportedly told police she wanted them to escort her to her car. The victim told the officers she had been in an argument with her husband, identified as Gregory Sewell, 49, of Littlestown, Pa. and he stormed off.
The victim reportedly told the officers Sewell returned to the motel room and escalated the argument when he began throwing objects around the room. The victim told officer Sewell picked up a box fan and threw it in her direction, nearly hitting her. The victim said she moved to avoid being hit by the fan, which instead impacted the wall, according to police reports.
OCPD officers located Sewell outside the motel and took him into custody. He was charged with second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property.
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Fighting Woman Arrested
OCEAN CITY — A Georgia woman was arrested on assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly punching another woman at a midtown nightclub.
Around 1:45 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a nightclub at 60th Street for a reported assault. Security staff advised one of the female combatants was sitting on a curb near a nearby hotel. Officers met with the woman, later identified as Amber Veal, 24, of Guyton, Ga., who refused to provide her identity and began yelling. Veal reportedly told officers she just wanted to go home, and that she was the victim in the fight because the other party hit her first and she was just defending herself.
OCPD officers interviewed the other female involved in the altercation. Bar security captured the incident and revealed Veal hit the other woman with a closed fist, causing her neck to snap back. The victim lost her balance and fell into a window in the bar, causing it to shatter.
According to police reports, the victim recovered from the first punch, only to be punched in the face again and kicked in the stomach by Veal. Veal was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property for causing the bar window to shatter.
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Vehicle Theft, Drug Charges
OCEAN CITY — Resort police arrested two Pennsylvania suspects last weekend after a license plate reader on the Route 50 Bridge pinged on a stolen vehicle.
Around 10:50 p.m. last Saturday, a license plate reader on the Route 50 bridge alerted Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers of a stolen black BMW entering the resort. OCPD officers tracked the vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop on Baltimore Avenue, according to police reports.
OCPD officers confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen and made contact with the occupants, later identified as Messiah Burrell, 32, of Lancaster, Pa., and Amber Smith, 36, of Philadelphia. During a search of the vehicle, OCPD officers located in a baggie in a small compartment near the steering wheel methamphetamine. OCPD officers located more meth inside a grocery bag on the back seat. According to police reports, in Smith’s purse officers located a glass smoking device with meth residue in it. Burrell and Smith were arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft, possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia.
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Stolen Vehicle Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man arrested on motor vehicle theft charges last weekend after a license plate reader on the Route 90 Bridge alerted resort police.
Around 10:45 a.m. last Sunday, a license plate reader (LPR) on the Route 90 bridge alerted Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers to a stolen vehicle entering the resort. The vehicle had been reported stolen by the Providence, Rhode Island Police Department back on May 10.
OCPD officers observed the stolen Toyota RAV at 56th Street and conducted a high-risk stop at 50th Street. OCPD officers ordered the driver, identified as Shaheed Miller, 27, of Laurel, Del. out of the vehicle and he was taken into custody. A spring-assisted knife was found clipped to his shorts, according to police reports.
Ocean City Communications confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen in Rhode Island. A background check revealed Miller’s Delaware driver’s license had been suspended and revoked, and that he also had an outstanding warrant in Delaware. Miller reportedly told police he purchased the vehicle from a woman in April. He was arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft, possession of an assisted-opening knife and traffic charges.