Crack, Weapon Charges
OCEAN CITY – A Baltimore man’s open container consumption in a parked car led to drug and assault charges last month.
On Nov. 24, around 11 p.m., Ocean City police observed a 2007 Toyota Camry in the parking lot of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center occupied by four individuals. A police officer observed a male, Sentell Burks, 26, drinking from a bottle of New Amsterdam vodka from the backseat with the vehicle’s door ajar and the inside light on.
A search of the vehicle initially revealed nothing. While police were preparing to transport him for processing for the open container violation, Burks removed his seatbelt and opened the vehicle’s door, telling police he needed to spit. The officer allowed Burks to spit and then attempted to place his seatbelt on him. Burks refused to turn his head away from the officer and attempted to “bite my fingers, jerking his head quickly toward my hand,” according to the statement of charges.
At police headquarters, Burks told the officer he had a knife on him in his sock. While he was being transferred to booking staff, Burks dropped a “Tic Tac” container with a white crystal rock inside recognized by the officer as crack cocaine.
Burks was charged with second-degree assault, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (cocaine) and two counts of open container of alcohol.
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Drug Possession Arrest
OCEAN CITY – A Maryland motorist’s speedy ways led to police discovering drugs on him and inside his vehicle.
On Nov. 27, shortly after midnight, Ocean City police officers were conducting an impaired driving enforcement detail and located a suspected impaired driver around 16th Street and Baltimore Avenue. The 2017 Blue Honda Civic had reportedly driven through a red light at North Division Street and the vehicle’s brake light was out. Police followed the vehicle for multiple blocks, observing the motorist, later identified as Derek Kemble, 24, of Catonsville, rapidly accelerating in between stoplights and not stopping behind the white line at multiple intersections.
After police pulled over the vehicle, the officer observed Kemble looking through his phone for his insurance while speaking rapidly. Kemble’s eyes were observed as unusually red, leading police to wonder if he was under the influence of any substances. Kemble performed poorly on Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement Tests.
Kemble was placed under arrest for driving while impaired by controlled dangerous substances. Kemble was found to have a “hollowed-out body of a pen, with a white powdery residue inside of it,” according to the statement of charges. Police also found a clear bag in Kemble’s wallet containing a pill broken into small sections confirmed to be alprazolam. The bag also contained another pill labeled “111” confirmed to be carisoprodol, a schedule IV controlled dangerous substance. Kemble was found to not have a prescription for either substance.
A further search of Kemble’s vehicle was initiated due to probable cause. Police found another bag containing cocaine as well as a “small, crystalized rock-like substance on the driver’s seat,” which later was confirmed as crack cocaine.
A records search found Kemble had his driver’s license suspended due to refusing a chemical test for a suspected DUI on Aug. 22 in Ocean City. After that stop, an order of suspension form was issued, meaning his driving privileges would be suspended 45 days after the stop.
In the Nov. 27 arrest, Kemble consented to an intoximeter test, which revealed his alcohol concentration was zero per 210 liters of breath. Therefore, the driving while impaired charge was dropped, but Kemble was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule II (cocaine), possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule IV (alprazolam) and possession of a controlled dangerous substance of schedule IV (carisoprodol).