Uptown Hotel Ruckus
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury man was arrested on multiple charges last week after allegedly causing a ruckus at an uptown hotel.
Around 11:35 p.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a hotel at 126th Street for a reported assault that had already occurred. Officers reportedly met with the guest services manager who advised a suspect, later identified as Amerion Chavers, 19, of Salisbury, had assaulted one of her employees, according to police reports.
The manager advised Chavers had come to the front desk to purchase a bottle of water and asked that it be charged to his room. While the manager was speaking with Chavers, an employee came to the front desk to coordinate which rooms needed to be cleaned, according to police reports.
While the manager was speaking with the employee, Chavers reportedly threw the bottle of water at the employee and punched the employee in the face. The manager told police Chavers then left the property, but returned before the police arrived, according to police reports.
OCPD officers observed the employee had a small dark bruise on his cheekbone from allegedly being punched by Chavers. OCPD officers went to the room in question on the fifth floor and announced themselves and were invited in by the individual who opened the door. The officers reportedly observed Chavers curled up under blankets on the bed furthest from the door, according to police reports.
Officers advised Chavers they were investigating an alleged assault for which he was the suspect. Chavers said hotel housekeeping had been banging on the room’s door and that they did not have a search warrant. OCPD officer explained multiple times they were investigating an assault and no search warrant was needed. Chavers did admit having a conversation at the front desk about receiving a refund but denied ever assaulting the employee.
Chavers was advised hotel staff wanted him trespassed from the property because of the assault, a trespassing that would occur in the hotel lobby. Chavers was advised he was trespassed from the property by the manager for two years and if he returned, he would be arrested. Chavers did leave the hotel but remained on a bench outside still on the property, according to police reports.
OCPD officers interviewed the victim who corroborated the story told to police by the manager. OCPD officers the went outside to arrest Chavers for the assault on the employee and he reportedly launched into an expletive-laced tirade directed at a female officer, according to police reports. Throughout the arrest process, Chavers reportedly resisted and assaulted various officers in the process. At one point, he spit in the face of one of the arresting officers. He was charged with trespassing, multiple counts of second-degree assault and resisting arrest among others.
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Not A Cardiac Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Florida man was arrested last week after causing a disturbance downtown and later falsely claiming he was having a heart attack during the booking process following his arrest.
Around 2:10 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of Wicomico Street for a reported disorderly male. The caller reportedly advised a male suspect, later identified as Norman Key III, 54, of Apoka, Fla., threw a bottle on the ground in the street and was with a female and both of them were falling down.
Officers arrived and attempted to speak with Key, who did not have identification and attempted to walk away from officers, according to police reports. Officer advised Key he was not free to go, but he continued to attempt to walk away, according to police reports.
Key reportedly continued to yell as he walked away from officers and attempted to cross Philadelphia Avenue. Key was reportedly advised to use the crosswalk, which he did not do. He continued to yell and was ultimately detained in handcuffs, according to police reports. When Key was advised he was in violation of the town’s noise ordinance, he continued to yell, according to police reports.
Key was transported to the Public Safety Building for booking but continued to not provide police with valid identification information or his address, according to police reports. Key then advised booking staff that he was having a heart attack and requested Ocean City EMS to respond.
Ocean City paramedics responded, but when Key was advised OCPD officers would be accompanying him to the hospital, he told police he no longer had chest pains and did not need the assistance of Ocean City EMS, according to police reports. Throughout the booking process, Key never exhibited any signs of being in medical distress, according to police reports.
He was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct for yelling and smashing a bottle in the street, along with disturbing the peace and giving a false alarm by requesting an ambulance and advising he was having a heart attack.
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Obstructing, Hindering Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury woman was arrested last weekend after allegedly obstructing and hindering an investigation and assaulting an officer in the process.
Around 2:10 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of Wicomico Street for a reported disorderly female. Upon arrival, OCPD officers observed a female later identified as Jessica Tilghman, 39, of Salisbury, fall to the ground, according to police reports. Tilghman was reportedly helped from the ground by a male she was with, and the couple attempted to cross Philadelphia Avenue not in a crosswalk.
Tilghman was detained at that point and officers asked her to move to the sidewalk so they could talk with her, according to police reports. Tilghman was advised to sit on the curb while officers interviewed the other suspect. She complied at first, but then stood up multiple times and attempted to approach OCPD officers, according to police reports.
Tilghman was reportedly told multiple times not to interfere with the officers’ investigation of the larger incident but did not comply. She stood up a third time and approached the officers conducting an investigation. When she stood up a third time, she was derailed from approaching the scene, but grabbed one of the OCPD officers by the arm while yelling expletives, according to police reports. She was arrested and charged with obstructing and hindering and second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer.
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Weapons Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Maryland woman was arrested last week after a search following a driving while impaired arrest led to the discovery of multiple weapons in her vehicle.
Around 1:25 a.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the downtown area and observed a vehicle traveling on Philadelphia Avenue make an aggressive turn in the area of 12th Street nearly hitting another vehicle. The officer stopped the vehicle, driven by Mary Butrim, 56, of Street, Md., in the area of 14th Street.
During the officer’s encounter with Butrim, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected coming from the passenger compartment. Officers asked Butrim to exit the vehicle and administered field sobriety tests, which she did not complete to their satisfaction, according to police reports. At that point, she was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving while impaired.
During a search of the vehicle incident to the arrest, OCPD officers reportedly located a set of metal knuckles in the driver side door compartment. Under the driver’s seat, officers located a steel cable with electrical tape around one end fashioned into a baton-style weapon. OCPD officers also located a .38 caliber handgun in the center console with four rounds located in the chambers.
The three weapons were seized as evidence. Butrim was charged with multiple counts of carrying concealed dangerous weapons along with traffic violations including driving while impaired.