Hit-and Run Spree
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was arrested last weekend for fleeing the scene after striking a vehicle with a family in it, then running over a median and a town-owned Christmas tree and finally striking three vehicles in a parking lot.
Around 6:40 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the north end responded to the area of a restaurant at 129th Street for a reported hit-and-run collision. Ocean City Communications advised the suspect, later identified as John Childs, 65, of Ocean City, was running north on foot, according to police reports.
OCPD officers located Childs in the area of 131st Street. He was being pursued by another male who was reportedly yelling, “He fled the scene,” and “This guy right here,” while pointing at Childs. Police interviewed Childs, who was breathing heavily, according to police reports. When asked why he was out of breath, Childs reportedly told officers it was because he was being chased by the other man.
Childs was asked what vehicle he had been driving and he reportedly told police he had not been driving at all. When asked if he had hit another vehicle, Childs advised he did not. When asked if he had any alcoholic beverages, Childs first told police he had none, but later changed his story and told officers he “maybe had one or two drinks,” according to police reports. Childs reportedly exhibited signs of intoxication.
Childs advised again he had not been driving and that he didn’t even own a car. He reportedly told police he did not know why the other man was chasing him or even where he began chasing him.
Other witnesses came forth who advised they had seen Childs as the driver of a 1997 Chevrolet truck that hit the victim’s vehicle while going north on Coastal Highway in the area of 94th Street before continuing north and fleeing the scene, according to police reports.
Witnesses reportedly told officers they observed Childs’ truck crash into the median on Coastal Highway at 129th Street. The witnesses reported Childs drove over the median, striking a Christmas tree, and then proceeded to flee from the second crash by going north in the southbound lanes of the highway.
Witnesses reported Childs then drove into the parking lot at the Montego Bay Shopping Center where he crashed into three parked cars before his truck came to rest. Childs then got out of the vehicle and fled north on foot, which is when OCPD officers made their first contact with him, according to police reports. OCPD officers conducted a battery of field sobriety tests which Childs did not complete to their satisfaction, and he was placed under arrest.
A background check revealed Childs’ driver’s license was currently suspended. It also revealed he had been arrested three prior times for driving under the influence and three other times for driving on a suspended license. He also has a pending DUI case in Worcester County.
All in all, Childs allegedly hit a vehicle with a family in it and fled the scene, then struck the median and a city-owned Christmas tree before fleeing a second time. Finally, he allegedly struck three parked cars in a parking lot and fled the scene yet a third time.
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Vehicle Break-In Suspect Charged
OCEAN CITY — A Delaware man has been charged with a series of vehicle break-ins in Ocean City in July after resort detectives were able to collaborate with detectives in Rehoboth Beach on locating the suspect.
On July 18, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) detective initiated an investigation into a rash of thefts from vehicles in the parking garage at the Gateway Grand at 48th Street days earlier on July 14. The detective was able to obtain video surveillance from one of the victimized vehicle’s security system, according to police reports.
The footage reportedly showed three male suspects walking through the garage in between vehicles. The footage showed one of the suspects checking the door handles of vehicles with a towel between his hands presumably to avoid leaving fingerprints, according to police reports.
The OCPD detective met with two victims, whose vehicles had been entered and whose property had been stolen. The victims told the officer their vehicles had been left open and there was no sign of forced entry, but personal items had been stolen including a purse and some vape pods, according to police reports. The witnesses acknowledged a few days had passed before the alleged crimes were reported, and that they had left their vehicles unlocked, according to police reports.
OCPD officers posted still photos of the suspects seeking the public help in identifying them. In September, the OCPD detective was contacted by a detective with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department, who advised he was investigating an assault case. The Rehoboth detective advised he was attempting to identify the suspect from a press release in a local news source.
The Rehoboth detective advised he had received an anonymous tip identifying the suspect in hie assault investigation as Damien Bozman, 20, of Seaford, Del. The anonymous tipster not only provided accurate information about the suspect in the Rehoboth assault investigation, but also stated Bozman and a juvenile were also the suspects in the Gateway Grand vehicle break-ins in Ocean City back in July, according to police reports.
The OCPD detective was able to compare his still photos from the Ocean City incident to photos of the suspects involved in the Rehoboth Beach incident and identify Bozman and the juvenile, who were being held in Delaware.
On Nov. 29, Bozman consented to an extradition order to Worcester County to face charges related to the vehicle break-ins in Ocean City in July. He has been charged with numerous counts of rogue and vagabond, conspiracy to commit rogue and vagabond and theft. This week he was released on a $5,000 bond.
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Warrant Stop Leads To Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A local man was arrested last week after he was found in possession of spring-assisted knife during a typical warrant stop.
Around 3:30 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the uptown area observed a vehicle driven by a suspect with an active warrant in Worcester County known as Nicholas Ellis, 33, of Ocean City, in the area of 112th Street. OCPD officers initiated a traffic stop and requested Ellis to step out of the vehicle, according to police reports.
Other OCPD officers arrived to assist the initial officer. When officers attempted to detain Ellis, he tensed up and pulled his arm away, but he was ultimately detained in handcuffs. Because of officers’ prior knowledge of the suspects and his history of carrying weapons, Ellis was frisked by OCPD officers.
During a search, officers located a spring-assisted knife on his person, according to police reports. The knife was identified by OCPD officers as a martial arts weapon under the town’s code and Ellis was arrested on the outstanding warrant and for possession of a spring-assisted knife.
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Clawing Assault Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Quantico, Md. woman was arrested for second-degree assault last weekend after allegedly clawing at her boyfriend with long fingernails during a domestic dispute at a midtown hotel.
Around 1 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a hotel at 45th Street for a reported domestic incident. OCPD officers learned from hotel security the disturbance was coming from a room on the fourth floor, according to police reports.
OCPD officers responded to the fourth floor and heard a female later identified as Hannah Adkins, 24, of Quantico, Md., screaming loudly from inside, according to police reports. OCPD officers knocked on the door after a few moments and were greeted by a male victim, who stepped out of the room and consented for officers to enter the room, according to police reports.
Officers entered an observed Adkins sitting in a chair, visibly upset and crying according to police reports. Adkins reportedly told police she had been arguing with the male victim and shoved him at one point. Adkins said she likely injured the victim because of her long fingernails. Adkins said the victim had shoved her back, but she was not injured.
Adkins then elaborated and told officers she grabbed the victim near his neck with her fingernails. She reportedly denied choking him, but rather she had just grabbed him in that area by chance. OCPD officers interviewed the victim and observed he had scratch marks on the right side of his face, his upper chest, stomach and neck.
The scratch marks were bright red and appeared to be fresh, according to police reports. The victim informed officers that Adkins had been clawing at him. Based on the evidence, Adkins was arrested and charged with domestic assault.
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Gun Replica Found
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury man was arrested last week after allegedly being found with a gun replica in his vehicle following a routine traffic stop in the resort.
Around 10:25 p.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the area of 32nd Street conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. The officer made contact with the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle as Antonio Blackwell, 30, of Salisbury. The officer also detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle’s passenger compartment, according to police reports.
While gathering Blackwell’s documents, the initial officer observed he was concealing something in the glove compartment. An assisting officer standing on the other side of the vehicle reported observing a handgun concealed in the vehicle, according to police reports.
Blackwell was told to exit the vehicle and complied. During a search, OCPD officers located a semiautomatic .177 caliber air soft pistol. The pistol replicated the design, weight and components of a real semiautomatic pistol, according to police reports. On the front seat, OCPD officers also reportedly observed a small glass jar containing less than 10 grams of marijuana.
A background check revealed Blackwell’s driver’s license had been suspended in September. He was in possession of a learner’s permit, but was driving without the required supervision. He was placed under arrest and was charged with possession of a replica handgun and various traffic offenses.