Cops & Courts – June 3, 2022

Burglary, Destruction Arrest

OCEAN CITY — Two female suspects were arrested last weekend on burglary and malicious destruction of property charges after allegedly kicking in the door of a downtown residence and destroying a wall-mounted television.

Around 2:30 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a residence at 6th Street for a reported burglary that had just occurred. The officer met with the victim, who pointed to a black scuff mark on the door of the residence where two females had allegedly kicked the door to gain entry to the unit, according to police reports.

The officer entered the residence and reportedly observed a television dangling from the wall by its wires and the television mount was broken. The victim reportedly told police two females, later identified as Gillian Ingram, 22, of Edgewater, Md., and Madison Fletcher, 24, of Middle River, Md., were walking on Philadelphia Avenue when they began yelling at a group on an upstairs balcony including the victim and his friends.

The victim reportedly told the officer the group advised Ingram and Fletcher to stop arguing and just go on their way multiple times to no avail. The victim told police the group then heard a loud banging noise as if someone was trying to kick in the door of the residence, according to police reports.

The victim told police he went downstairs and learned Ingram and Fletcher had allegedly kicked in the door of the residence. Other occupants of the residence told police they heard a female voice say, “Okay Madison, let’s just go now,” according to police reports.

The victim reportedly told police he went downstairs and saw the television ripped from the wall, which is when he called 911. OCPD officers located Ingram and Fletcher walking on Philadelphia Avenue in the area and both were detained. Both the suspects denied forcibly entering the building and each denied knowing each other, according to police reports. Both were arrested and charged with breaking and entering and malicious destruction of property.

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Boardwalk Handgun Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man was arrested last week after allegedly openly carrying a semi-automatic handgun on the Boardwalk.

Last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 2nd Street and the Boardwalk for a report of a man with a gun. The officer arrived and met with a suspect, identified as Marlon Washington, 25, of Wilmington, Del., who was walking southbound on the Boardwalk.

The officer observed the black grip of a semi-automatic handgun sticking out of a holster that was clipped to the exterior of Washington’s belt in plain view, according to police reports. The officer approached Washington and told him to not move his hands, an order with which the suspect complied.

Washington was detained in handcuffs at that point. The officer removed the weapon and determined it had one live round in the chamber and 17 live rounds in the magazine. According to police reports, Washington told the officer he believed he was allowed to openly carry the semi-automatic handgun in Ocean City because he had an open-carry permit from his native Delaware. He was arrested and charged with possession of a deadly weapon.

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Porch Furniture Tossed

OCEAN CITY — A New Jersey man was arrested for malicious destruction of property last weekend after allegedly throwing porch furniture from a midtown condo balcony.

Around 2:20 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a residence at 44th Street for a report of a male throwing furniture off a porch. OCPD officers arrived and observed a male suspect, later identified as Vito Carbonara, 28, of Vineland, N.J., who was standing on a second-floor balcony. The officers also observed a large pile of furniture scattered throughout the yard of the property, according to police reports.

Carbonara was asked if he was staying at the property, to which he reportedly replied no. He was detained in handcuffs at that point. OCPD officers met with the property owner, who reported a set of wooden chairs, a table and a bench valued at around $1,200 had been thrown from the porch and damaged. Carbonara was arrested at that point and charged with malicious destruction of property.

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Wheel Mishap Leads To Weapon Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A local woman was arrested last week after the wheel of her vehicle fell off on the Route 50 Bridge and she was later found to be in possession of a deadly weapon.

Around 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the downtown area observed a disabled vehicle in the exit turn lane at the Route 50 bridge. The officer then observed a female later identified as Alayna Litchendorf, 21, of Berlin, carrying a tire off the bridge, according to police reports.

The officer met with Litchendorf, who reportedly told police she was driving across the Route 50 Bridge when the tire of her vehicle fell off and rolled away. A background check revealed Litchendorf’s driver’s license was suspended and officers learned she had recently been charged with DUI and that she had a pending court case, according to police reports.

She was arrested at that point for driving on a suspended license. When asked if she needed anything from her vehicle, Litchendorf reportedly told the officer she needed her wallet. When the officer went to retrieve the wallet, a black-handled knife was observed sticking out from under the driver’s seat, according to police reports. The knife had a glass-breaker pommel and a serrated saw on the back and a plastic sheath, according to police reports. An additional charge of possession of a deadly weapon was tacked on.

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Birthday Celebration Goes Awry

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on the Boardwalk last weekend after allegedly over-celebrating his 21st birthday.

Around 12:50 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on bike patrol on the Boardwalk in the area of Caroline Street observed a reserve officer holding up an individual later identified as Joseph Dress, 21, of Sherman’s Dale, Pa., by his arms to keep him from falling to the ground, according to police reports.

Dress exhibited signs of intoxication and a public safety aide informed the officer a friend was coming to pick him up, according to police reports. Dress reportedly told officers he did not need assistance and would sit on a nearby bench while waiting for his friend, or just sleep on the bench.

OCPD officers reportedly observed Dress fall into the public bench on the Boardwalk. He then started yelling loudly from at least 75 feet away from the officers in violation of the town’s noise ordinance. Dress then stood up and ran toward the comfort station at Caroline Street, but stumbled and fell to the ground, according to police reports.

Dress got up again and ran, but he collided with the comfort station’s concrete pillars, according to police reports. Officers briefly lost sight of Dress, but located him a short time later in the sand near the comfort station. He had an injury to his knee from one of his falls and OCPD officers requested Ocean City EMTs to respond to check the injury, but Dress did not request any medical assistance and he was not transported.

Dress could not stand on his own and reportedly told officers he was celebrating his 21st birthday and had around 10 or 15 drinks. He was arrested and charged with intoxicated endangerment.

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Jail For Boardwalk Disorderly

OCEAN CITY — A local man, arrested last June on assault and disorderly conduct charges after allegedly being found passed out on a Boardwalk bench, pleaded guilty last week to resisting arrest and was sentenced to 84 days in jail.

Around 10:30 p.m. last June 23, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) bicycle officer patrolling on the Boardwalk was alerted to an individual passed out on a picnic bench outside a restaurant. The officer approached the suspect, later identified as Perry Hazard, 31, of Berlin, who was unconscious on the bench, according to police reports.

The officer reportedly tried to wake Hazard to no avail. When the officer shook him again, Hazard lifted his head slightly, according to police reports. When asked for his identification, Hazard reportedly launched into an expletive-laced tirade and he was warned if he continued to yell profanity, he would be arrested for disorderly conduct.

Ocean City EMS arrived to check on Hazard and he was reportedly aggressive with the paramedic attempting to check him out. By now, large groups of people began forming around the scene on the Boardwalk. Hazard stood up and faced the paramedic with his raised and closed fists and the OCPD officers intervened to prevent a conflict, according to police reports.

At that point, OCPD officers attempted to arrest Hazard for assault and disorderly conduct. He reportedly tried to pull away and continued to yell profanities as OCPD officers took him down on the Boardwalk. As he continued to yell profanities the crowd grew on the Boardwalk and others came out on their hotel balconies to watch the scene unfold, according to police reports.

When Hazard was placed in a transport vehicle, he reportedly kicked the windows and urinated on the seats. When he was removed from the Boardwalk, the large groups of people that had formed around the scene reportedly began to applaud the officers for getting him off the Boardwalk and taken away.

Last week, Hazard pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and was sentenced to 84 days in jail. He was also placed on probation for one year after his release.