Fleeing and Eluding Leads to Multiple Charges
OCEAN CITY- A local homeless man was arrested last week after allegedly fleeing from police who attempted to stop him while he was riding a bicycle and talking on a cell phone.
Around 2:45 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the downtown area observed a suspect later identified as Daymont Mercer, 20, of Ocean City, riding a bicycle while talking on his cell phone in the area of 24th Street and Philadelphia Avenue. The officer made eye contact with Mercer and waved him over to his police cruiser, but Mercer fled, pedaling faster as he pulled away through a parking lot, according to police reports.
The officer followed Mercer and attempted to stop him, but Mercer reportedly abandoned his bicycle and continued to flee on foot. The officer continued to follow Mercer as he fled on foot, eventually getting out in front of him stopping him in the area of 23rd Street and Baltimore Avenue.
The officer placed Mercer under arrest for failing to identify himself for the purposes of a traffic citation. Mercer was ordered at least five times to sit down on the curb, but failed to comply. Only when the officer produced his taser did Mercer comply with the order to sit on the curb, according to police reports. Mercer was reportedly still holding his cell phone with an active call throughout the chase and arrest.
When the officer attempted to reach between Mercer’s legs to retrieve the cell phone as part of a larger search, Mercer reportedly clenched his legs around the officer’s arm and second-degree assault charge was added.
There were hundreds of people walking, riding bikes and traveling in vehicles in the area of the arrest in the middle of a Saturday afternoon in August as Mercer launched into an expletive-laced tirade. When asked why he fled, Mercer reportedly told officers he doesn’t like cops and that he was afraid of cops since he was a child.
When questioned initially, Mercer reportedly identified himself to the officer as Elijah Messer, which hindered the investigation further. All in all, Mercer was arrested on 22 separate counts from assault to resisting arrest and disorderly conduct along with making a false statement to police and multiple counts of fleeing and eluding.
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Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
OCEAN CITY- A Pennsylvania man was arrested last week after resort police checking on his welfare found a loaded handgun in his vehicle.
Around 2:30 a.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 141st Street for a welfare check. Ocean City Communications advised a caller had reported a man on his hands and knees in the roadway next to a white vehicle, according to police reports.
OCPD officers arrived and did not see anyone on their hands and knees, but did see an individual later identified as Jose Colon-Ramirez, 31, of Lebanon, Pa., standing next to a white vehicle. OCPD officers approached Colon-Ramirez, who showed signs of impairment and was acting oddly. According to police reports, he was pacing back and forth and approached the officers with his hands up, saying “Take me in, I [expletive deleted] up.”
Based on Colon-Ramirez’ odd behavior, OCPD officers reportedly asked him if he had taken any drugs and he admitted that he had. When asked if he had any guns or weapons on him or in the car, Colon-Ramirez reportedly told the officer “In the car, go and get it.”
In the vehicle, OCPD officers located a Smith and Wesson handgun in the trunk concealed in a zippered pouch. There was a loaded magazine in the gun, but no round was chambered. There was also another loaded magazine in the pouch.
Based on the evidence and investigation, OCPD officers determined Colon-Ramirez drove his vehicle while intoxicated with a loaded handgun at his disposal. He was arrested and charged with carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle.
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False Alarm Arrest
OCEAN CITY- An Edgewood, Md. man was arrested last weekend after allegedly pulling a fire alarm at a downtown hotel.
Around 3:15 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 14th Street to assist the fire department with a fire alarm. Ocean City Communications advised the fire alarm had been pulled maliciously and that the fire department personnel had a suspect at the scene identified as Frank Thompson, 23, of Edgewood, Md.
The officer arrived and met with the hotel front desk employee, who advised Thompson had stumbled into the lobby shortly before the alarm was pulled. The employee told police she had to assist Thompson with the elevator because of his level of intoxication and that he was pressing all of the buttons, according to police reports.
The employee reportedly told the officer Thompson did get on the elevator eventually and it stopped on the fourth floor. Shortly after the elevator stopped, the fire alarm at the fourth floor went off, according to police reports. The officer spoke with Thompson, who reportedly told police he was going to his room on the first floor.
When told he was on the fourth floor, Thompson told police he had been drinking with friends at a nearby bar and was intoxicated. When asked about the fire alarm, Thompson reportedly told police he had pulled it and he would take full responsibility for the entire incident. “Yeah, I pulled it,” he said, according to police reports. “I was just drunk and I know it was wrong.”
The officer went to the fourth floor and observed the cover of the alarm dangling down and the manual lever pulled down. Thompson was arrested and charged with causing a false alarm and malicious destruction of property.
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Intoxicated Endangerment Arrest
OCEAN CITY- A Pennsylvania man was arrested last weekend after allegedly stumbling through an apartment complex while intoxicated and urinating on a mini-golf course fence.
Around 2:40 a.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a downtown bayfront bar for a reported disorderly male. Upon arrival, officers located bar security personnel surrounding a suspect later identified as Chad Shipley, 38, of McKrees Rocks, Pa. When Shipley saw the officers, he sat down on the curb. Bar staffers told police Shipley had been trespassed from the premises.
Shipley was advised to exit the property and go back to his hotel. Because of his level of intoxication, it was difficult to get identification from Shipley, according to police reports. Shipley got up and reportedly stumbled down the street. The officer followed closely in his police cruiser to check on Shipley’s welfare.
When Shipley cut through an apartment complex, the officer briefly lost sight of him, according to police reports. The officer circled around and with his spotlight observed Shipley urinating on a fence alongside a miniature golf course, according to police reports.
Shipley then pulled himself up on a piling of a canal and held onto the golf course fence. The officer called to Shipley to get down because he was afraid the fence would break, but Shipley did not comply and shouted to the officer “I’m dangerous,” according to police reports.
The officer could not immediately get to Shipley because the canal was between them. Another officer then came around and arrested Shipley for trespassing and intoxicated endangerment. Shipley was missing his phone, which had his driver’s license in it and his money. OCPD officers located Shipley’s money where he had thrown it on the mini-golf course.
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Officers Allegedly Assaulted During Arrest
OCEAN CITY- A Clarksburg, Md. man was arrested last week after allegedly interfering with resort police attempting to make another arrest.
Around 11:40 p.m. last Wednesday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer were in the process of arresting a female suspect for an open container violation when they were approached by a male suspect identified as Michael Litchfield, 58, of Clarksburg, Md. Litchfield reportedly demanded to know why the female was being arrested.
Officers told Litchfield they would explain the circumstances of the arrest, but for the time being, he would have to stand back. Litchfield did not comply and continued to intervene and scream obscenities at the arresting officers, according to police reports.
Officers had to form a barrier between Litchfield and the prisoner transport vehicle to keep him from accessing the arrestee. Litchfield actively prevented the officers from making a lawful arrest of the prisoner while continuing to scream at the officers.
When an OCPD officer went to arrest Litchfield, he tensed his body and resisted, according to police reports. He continued to scream obscenities at the officers attempting to arrest him, according to police reports. Litchfield repeatedly spit saliva into multiple officers’ faces screaming “where’s your mask,” according to police reports. He was ultimately arrested and charged with numerous counts including second-degree assault, obstructing and hindering, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.