Afternoon Officer Assault
OCEAN CITY – A Maryland woman faces second-degree assault charges after getting physical with police officers trying to talk with her.
On Aug. 20, around 2:15 p.m., several Ocean City police officers were dispatched to 70th Street for a disorderly person complaint. A family member told police Taylor Woods, 29, of Indianhead, was intoxicated and attempting to use a stick to break a window at her home. When police arrived, family members said Woods was now on the beach. Police located Woods sitting with a lifeguard.
When police tried to talk with her, Woods refused to cooperate, saying, “goodbye” and walked away. At the street end, Woods cursed at a man standing nearby. Woods then turned to two trailing officers and grabbed each of their wrists, stating they needed to get away from her in foul language heard by a man and young child walking nearby. An expletive tirade ensured with Woods threatening officers and repeatedly trying to take one cop’s glasses off. Officers were able to grab Woods by her arms and place her under arrest.
After being handcuffed, Taylor sat down and refused to walk, telling police she did not want to make easy for officers. She was subsequently carried off the beach by officers to a transport van. Woods continued to be uncooperative with police screaming and cursing at officers. Woods kicked two officers, struck another officer in the chest with a headbutt and attempted to bite one cop several times. Woods was placed in a violent person restraining device.
Woods was charged with three counts of second-degree assault for causing intentional injury to officers, disturbing the peace and failing to obey a lawful order.
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Burglary, Assault
OCEAN CITY – A Maryland man is facing charges for breaking into a condominium unit and randomly attacking a sleeping resident.
On Aug. 16 around 2:21 a.m., an Ocean City police officer was dispatched to a call for a burglary in progress at a 47th Street condominium building. The caller told police he was attacked by an unknown individual, later identified as Austin Eby, 24, of Baltimore, inside of his unit.
When police arrived to the unit, officers found the victim pinning Eby to a bed. Eby was placed under arrest. The victim told police he was asleep and was awoken by Eby standing over him. The victim then was placed by Eby in a choke hold. The victim punched Eby multiple times to avoid losing consciousness. A police investigation revealed Eby entered the unit by the residence’s screen door.
Eby, who appeared under the influence according to the police report, was charged with breaking and entering and second-degree assault.
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Drug Distribution Alleged
OCEAN CITY – A variety of drug possession and distribution charges were filed last week against a Maryland man found driving without a valid license.
On Aug. 18, around 9:45 p.m., an Ocean City police officer on uniform patrol observed a 2022 Honda HR-V with Illinois registration in operation without rear lights activated. Police observed the driver, Marvin Johnson Jr., 35, of Annapolis, making unsafe lane changes and creating dangerous driving conditions for other motorists. The vehicle was pulled over, and police learned Johnson’s driver license had been suspended and revoked. Johnson was subsequently placed under arrest.
A search of the vehicle resulted in a significant haul of drugs. A canvas bag was located in the trunk containing three vacuum sealed bags of marijuana containing more than 2.5 ounces; 16, 3.5-gram bags containing marijuana; one, 3.5-gram container with marijuana; and one digital scale set to grams with pot residue on it. Another bag found in the trunk contained a sandwich bag filled with marijuana; $9.537 in cash; nine Oxycontin pills in a small plastic bag; a bag with psilocybin mushrooms; and two spring-assisted opening knives. Another bag in the rear passenger seat contained one black scale set to grams with marijuana residue on it; one, 3.5-gram bag containing marijuana; and numerous empty bags with marijuana residue inside.
Along with traffic offenses, Johnson was charged possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (oxycontin), distribution of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (oxycontin), possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule I (psilocybin mushrooms), possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule I (cannabis) in an amount over civil use and possession of cannabis in sufficient quantity to reasonable indicate distribution.
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Illegal Weapon Charges
OCEAN CITY – Several illegal martial arts weapons were seized from an individual involved in a traffic collision last weekend.
On Aug. 19, around 3:15 p.m., Ocean City police responded to the area of 33rd Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a crash. Witnesses on the scene told police Matthew Gootee, 30, of Cambridge, was seen in a nearby hotel parking lot throwing a large landscaping rock into his mother’s vehicle’s passenger side windshield, shattering it. Witnesses said Gootee then drove the vehicle, a 2008 Hyundai, westbound toward Philadelphia Avenue when he crashed into the rear of a 2023 Nissan with New York registration stopped at a traffic light. Gootee’s mother was contacted by police, and she said her son had permission to drive her vehicle. The mom also told police she did not want to press charges against Gootee for destroying her windshield.
During a search of the vehicle prior to it being towed, police discovered in the passenger seat a plastic container with five weapons — a fixed blade knife about four to five inches in length; a fixed blade knife measuring six to seven inches; a fixed blade knife about 10 inches in length; a butterfly knife with a blade about four inches in length; and a black holster containing a folding knife in the shape of a handgun.
Along with two traffic offenses connected to the collision, Gootee is charged with five counts of possession of an illegal weapon under Ocean City code.
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Couple Arrested For Assault
OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania couple was arrested on assault charges and causing a public disturbance last week.
On Aug. 18 shortly after midnight, an Ocean City bike officer responded to assist with an assault investigation underway outside a downtown bar. While police were arresting Tara Irons, 31, of Kennett Square, Pa., on second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property under $1,000 and disorderly, her husband, Kevin Irons, 32, of Kennett Square, Pa., began to interfere with officers. Kevin Irons attempted to pull his wife away from handcuffs about to be administered by police. Police pushed him away and ordered him to stop interfering.
At one point, Kevin Irons plunged his shoulder directly into an officer’s chest before walking away on the Boardwalk shouting inappropriate racial comments. Multiple police officers then approached Irons, who tried to run away. Irons was wrestled to the ground and continued to resist arrest and was placed under arrest for second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, hindering a law enforcement officer, noise violations and resisting arrest.
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Drugs, Assault
OCEAN CITY – A domestic incident led police to charge a Pennsylvania woman with assault and drug charges.
On Aug. 17, at 2:45 p.m., an Ocean City police officer responded to 10th Street for a domestic assault involving a husband allegedly twisting his wife’s arm. The victim told police she and her husband had been arguing all night but while driving he reached across her, causing her arm to twist, according to the police report. Throughout the charging document, police noted Amy Kordish, 61, of Greenfield Twp, Pa., did not want to file assault charges against her husband for the incident.
Kordish’s husband, the victim, told police his wife punched him multiple times when he reached across her in the vehicle. Police confirmed visible signs of injury on the forearm of the man, who reported to police the most recent disagreement involved the couple’s cellular phones and their locations.
During the discussion with the couple, police located drugs inside the vehicle. Amy Kordish was charged with second-degree assault, possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (oxycontin), possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (hydrocodone) and possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule IV (alprazolam).
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Fatality In Home Explosion
STOCKTON — The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated an explosion that resulted in a fatality on Saturday, August 19, 2023.
At 8:48 Saturday morning, the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company and the Pocomoke City EMS departments were dispatched to the 400 block of Silva Road in Stockton for a reported trailer explosion with burn injury. Firefighters and paramedics arrived and observed a camper trailer at the residence that had experienced an over pressurization along with an 80-year-old male victim with burn injuries on over 90 percent of his body.
Paramedics quickly requested the Maryland State Police Aviation Command – Trooper 4 stationed at the Salisbury Regional Airport for transport. The patient was treated at the scene before being transferred to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, the state’s only adult burn trauma center. The patient later succumbed to his injuries from the explosion. The name of the victim is being withheld at this time.
Deputies from the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and conducted a thorough fire scene examination. Through the course of the investigation, it was learned the victim was attempting to use the stove inside the trailer at the time of the event. Evidence observed at the scene was consistent with a propane gas style explosion.
The cause of the incident was determined to be accidental. Fire Marshal Matthew Owens reminds citizens to not only have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home, but recreational vehicles and campers as well. If you cannot afford a smoke alarm, contact your local fire department for assistance.