Cops And Courts – February 22, 2019

Cops And Courts – February 22, 2019

Alleged Crack Dealer Busted

OCEAN CITY — A Berlin man was arrested on drug distribution charges last week after allegedly selling crack cocaine to an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on different occasions.

During the month of November, an OCPD narcotics detective began an investigation into a suspect believed to be involved in distributing crack cocaine in the resort.

On Jan. 11, the OCPD detective made arrangements with the suspect, identified as Joshua Pitts, 50, of Berlin, to purchase crack cocaine at an appointed place and time and the deal was allegedly consummated as planned. On Jan. 23, the same detective made arrangements with Pitts to purchase crack cocaine at an appointed place and time and that deal was allegedly consummated. A similar deal was allegedly completed on Feb. 7.

Last Thursday, the undercover detective allegedly made arrangements with Pitts for yet another crack cocaine deal. The deal was completed in the area of 120th Street and the officer and suspect parted ways. A short time late, Pitts was stopped in his vehicle in the area of 123rd Street and a search of the vehicle revealed a quantity of crack cocaine in two bags. Pitts was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

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Disorderly, Resisting Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges last weekend after two separate incidents.

Around 1:25 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to 49th Street for a reported disorderly male who had been harassing employees and allegedly yelling racial slurs at other patrons. The suspect, later identified as Barry Lewis, 27, of Wrightsville, Pa., had been removed from the establishment and had been given a trespassing warning, but allegedly refused to leave the area.

According to police reports, at one point, Lewis walked up to another OCPD officer in the area conducting a DUI stop and handed him a business card in the middle of the investigation. Lewis was asked to leave the area of the unrelated traffic stop and the larger areas in general because he had been issued a trespassing warning, but he allegedly launched into an expletive-laced tirade at the officers and demanded a courtesy ride because he “had bombs fly over his head,” according to police reports.

Eventually, Lewis did get in a cab and leave the area. About 30 minutes later, OCPD officers were handling a call for a domestic incident near a downtown bar at 8th Street when Lewis showed up again and got out of a taxi. The bar was closing and the staff was getting the last stragglers out when Lewis allegedly walked right past the staff and the OCPD offices and into the bar, according to police reports.

Lewis was asked to leave the area again, but instead started screaming at and taunting the OCPD officers in the area, causing a scene at closing time with dozens of other individuals in the area. Lewis than walked into a nearby pizza carryout and continued to cause a scene, at which time OCPD officers decided it was time to arrest him.

According to police reports, Lewis resisted arrest and scrapped with OCPD officers before he was eventually subdued and taken into custody. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

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Hit-And-Run Arrest

OCEAN CITY — A Bel Air woman was arrested on drunk-driving and other charges last weekend after allegedly hitting another vehicle and leaving the scene only to be tracked down by the other driver.

Around 3:30 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of Northside Park for a reported hit-and-run collision. The officer arrived and observed a Nissan Frontier parked across two parking spaces at the recreation complex, with a Jeep parked nearby. The owner of the Jeep told police he was at the red light on eastbound 127th Street waiting to turn onto Coastal Highway when the driver of the Nissan, later identified as Victoria Pyzik, 29, of Bel Air, Md., made a right turn from the highway and collided with the front of his vehicle.

The victim told police Pyzik continued west on 127th Street, rolled through a stop sign at Jamaica Avenue and pulled into Northside Park. The victim told police he was stunned at first, but called police and followed Pyzik until she stopped at Northside Park.

According to police reports, when the officer asked Pyzik for her license and registration, she replied, “umm, you want my fishing license or what?” When the officer requested her information again, she reportedly handed him a red folder which contained her license.

When the officer asked Pyzik where she had been and what she had been doing, she did not answer directly, instead telling the officer she just bought a house in Delaware and that she just bought the Nissan. She also told the officer it was her birthday the day before and that she was coming from a yoga class, according to police reports. Pyzik also told police she had hit the victim’s vehicle and that she was going to stay in a hotel now.

According to police reports, Pyzik exhibited signs of intoxication and did not perform field sobriety tests to the officer’s satisfaction. She was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was taken to the Public Safety Building where a breath test reportedly returned a result of .27.

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$5 Theft Nets Three Months

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man, charged with theft and rogue and vagabond in January after stealing change from a vehicle, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

On Jan. 4, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) was patrolling in the 28th Street area and was waved down by an individual chasing after another man. The officer responded and found the individual, later identified as a nearby restaurant manager, holding another man, later identified as John Tarr, 39, of Ocean City, in a headlock in front of a bar across the street.

The witness told police he was the manager of a restaurant on the east side of Coastal Highway at 28th Street and had walked out of the kitchen to observe the suspect, later identified as Tarr, inside another employee’s vehicle. At first, the witness said he believe the individual inside the vehicle was one of his employees and yelled for him to get back into work.

However, the manager quickly realized the individual was not his employee and questioned Tarr about why he was in the vehicle. According to police reports, Tarr told the manager the vehicle belonged to a friend and that his friend was inside the bar.

The manager told Tarr to take him to his friend and motioned for another employee to assist him when Tarr took off running, according to police reports. The manager and the other employee gave chase and motioned to the OCPD officer to assist. When the officer arrived, the manager had detained Tarr in a headlock in front of a bar on the west side of Coastal Highway at 28th Street.

It was determined that Tarr had taken about $5 in change from the victim’s vehicle. According to police reports, Tarr told the arresting officer he had only taken change from the vehicle in order to take a bus to West Ocean City. Last week, Tarr pleaded guilty to theft under $100 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

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Protective Order Violation

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man, arrested in August on first-degree charges after allegedly attempting to run over his wife with a vehicle in the downtown area during a domestic dispute pleaded guilty last week to violating an out-of-state order and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Around 9:30 p.m. last August 26, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a reported domestic assault in progress in the area of Baltimore Avenue. Upon arrival, the OCPD officer met with a witness who said both parties had left the area. During that time, the officer observed a vehicle the witness said was involved in the incident drive past his location at least two times.

The officer flagged down the vehicle and it turned into a downtown motel parking lot near the Inlet. The officer made contact with the female driver who appeared to be very flustered and upset, according to police reports. The victim told police she had gotten into the verbal argument with her legal husband, later identified as Anthony Velasquez, 33, of Harrisburg, Pa., and that Velasquez was attempting to leave her and take all of her belongings.

The victim told police she was standing in front of the vehicle when Velasquez started to drive forward in an attempt to leave. The victim said Velasquez accelerated toward her, causing her to jump on the hood of the moving vehicle in order to avoid being hit by it. According to police reports, the victim said Velasquez continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed for about 50 feet as she clung to the hood.

The victim told police Velasquez then slammed on the brakes, which tossed her off the vehicle. The victim said she and Velasquez then got into a shoving match and he threw all of her belongings into the parking lot as multiple witnesses in the area attempted to break up the fight. When Velasquez heard someone say they were going to call the police, he fled the area on foot. The victim then drove around looking for Velasquez, which is when the police arrived. Velasquez was located a short time later and was detained.

OCPD officers observed the victim to have multiple superficial injuries to her body including scrapes and abrasions on her arms, feet and forehead, but she refused any medical treatment at the scene. The officers also observed the vehicle to have multiple scratches on the hood and sides along with fresh blood on the hood. In addition, one of the windshield wipers had been ripped off and was laying in the passenger seat.

When questioned, Velasquez told police he had been in an argument with the victim earlier, but they had gone their separate ways. He told police he had nothing to do with the incident involving the vehicle. OCPD officers Velasquez had a cut on the back of his head and he reportedly told police he had hit his head on a rock earlier, which is why there was blood on the hood of the vehicle.

OCPD officers further interviewed the victim, who had a cut with stitches in her lip. The victim told police that cut was from an incident about two weeks earlier when Velasquez had assaulted her. A background check revealed there was an active protective order against Velasquez in Pennsylvania prohibiting him from having any contact with the victim. Last week, Velasquez pleaded guilty to violating an out-of-state order and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

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Probation For Burglar Held At Gunpoint

OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man, arrested last September after attempting to break into a downtown residence and being held at gunpoint by the victim until police arrived, pleaded guilty last week to malicious destruction of property and was placed on probation.

Around 9 p.m. last Sept. 10, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a residence on Dolphin Street for a reported breaking and entering in progress. Upon arrival, three OCPD officers retrieved their patrol rifles from their vehicles, while a fourth officer unholstered his handgun.

While the officers were approaching the residence, a female victim stepped outside and told them there was a man attempting to break in the back door and her husband was holding the suspect at gunpoint. All four officers entered the residence and found the male victim holding a black semi-automatic pistol and pointing it toward the back door.

OCPD officers observed a suspect, later identified as Aaron Dill, 38, of York, Pa., at the back door and licking the glass. According to police reports, the OCPD officers pointed their weapons at Dill and gave him commands to get on the ground. The officers also ordered the male victim to put down his gun and he complied, putting the handgun on the coffee table. One of the OCPD officers moved the victim’s gun further away to create more distance from the victim.

Dill was detained by the officers, but was not yet under arrest. Dill agreed to speak with officers and told them he was directed to the house by a friend, although he could not identify the friend or provide a description. Dill acknowledged he didn’t belong there and admitted to being intoxicated. According to police reports, Dill’s pants were wet in the crotch area and a strong odor of urine and fecal matter was emanating from his person, although it is not clear from the report if Dill soiled himself before or after the male victim and later the police pointed their guns at him.

The male victim told police he was in the shower when the female victim told him someone was trying to break in the back door. The male victim told the female victim to call 911 and take their two boys, ages 5 and 2, to the master bedroom to wait for police to arrive. The male victim then retrieved his handgun from a safe and moved toward the back door.

An inspection of the door revealed the screen had been kicked in at the bottom. At that point, Dill was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property and intoxicated endangerment. Last week, Dill was placed on probation for one year and ordered to pay $30 in restitution for the damaged door.