Cops And Courts – April 19, 2019

Cops And Courts – April 19, 2019

Charges In Highway Assault

OCEAN CITY — A Northeast, Md. man was arrested on assault charges last weekend after allegedly dragging his girlfriend on Coastal Highway and then scrapping with bystanders who attempted to intercede.

Around 2:15 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 49th Street for a reported fight in Coastal Highway. The officer met with a male witness who told police he and his friend had observed a suspect dragging a female in the roadway. The witness told police he and his friend intervened when the suspect, later identified as Cody Schiepan, 28, of Northeast, Md., pulled the female victim to the ground and began dragging her.

OCPD officers met with the female victim, who told police she had been dating Schiepan for eight years. The victim told police the couple had an argument and Schiepan pulled her against her will, causing her to fall to the ground. According to police reports, the victim had abrasions on her palms and wrists consistent with being dragged on the ground.

OCPD officer viewed video surveillance from an area nightclub and observed the apparently intoxicate couple arguing with Schiepen pulling the victim in an attempt to get her to walk with him. When the victim fell to the ground, Schiepan began dragging her before the two witnesses intervened, according to police reports. The video surveillance footage also showed the Schiepan fighting with the two witnesses. Based on the evidence and witness testimony, Schiepan was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

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Jail For Boardwalk Attack

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City, woman arrested in September after getting in a physical fight with another local woman on a crowded Boardwalk in the early evening, pleaded guilty to affray last week and was sentenced to five days in jail.

Around 5 p.m. last Sept. 13, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was on bicycle patrol on the Boardwalk when he was dispatched to the area of the Caroline Street comfort station for a reported assault in progress. The officer arrived and observed a group of people surrounding two women involved in an active assault including a woman known from prior encounters with police as June Elvidge, 62, of Ocean City.

The officer was attempting to speak to the victim when he was confronted by numerous concerned citizens who immediately began pointing at Elvidge and telling police Elvidge was the one who had caused the injuries to the victim. The officer noted in the report the Boardwalk was moderately crowded for a Thursday evening in September likely because of the bike week festivities going on.

The officer also observed several witnesses taking out their phones and recording the altercation between Elvidge and the victim. According to police reports, Elvidge became belligerent and unleashed a tirade of expletives toward the crowd and toward the victim, who she reportedly told, “I will beat [expletive deleted] out of her.”

According to police reports, Elvidge continued to attract a large crowd because of her vulgar language and aggressive posture. The officer noted in the report the large crowd showed signs of disgust and urged police to arrest her. OCPD officers warned Elvidge to stop her tirade or she would be arrested. When she refused, she was ultimately taken into custody.

OCPD officers located several witnesses who reported Elvidge attacked the victim without being provoked. According to police reports, the witnesses told officers Elvidge got on top of the victim, pulled her hair, punched and slapped her and attempted to bang the victim’s head against the cement steps of the comfort station. The victim had fresh wounds that corroborated the witnesses’ version of the events. In addition, a cell phone video shown to police backed up the witness account of the attack.

Elvidge was arrested and charged with assault and disturbing the peace. Last week, Elvidge pleaded guilty to affray and was sentenced to five days in jail.

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Gun Suspect Fails To Show

OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man, charged in March with transporting a loaded handgun after a routine traffic stop in Ocean City, failed to appear for trial this week and had a warrant sworn out for his arrest.

Around 12:20 a.m. on March 15, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on routine patrol clocked a vehicle going 60 mph in a 40-mph zone along Coastal Highway near 75th Street. The officer conducted a traffic stop near 64th Street and detected a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the passenger compartment, according to police reports.

The rental vehicle was occupied by the driver, later identified as Joseph Harris, 33, of Baltimore, and his female passenger. Harris was identified by numerous documents in the vehicle including the rental agreement. Harris and his passenger were told to get out of the vehicle while OCPD officers searched it.

During the search, OCPD officers found a Glock .357 caliber handgun under the driver’s seat with one round in the chamber and eight other rounds in an attached magazine. Upon discovery of the weapon, the investigating officer told other officers to handcuff Harris and his passenger, but Harris said aloud “It’s mine, it’s not hers,” according to police reports.

The search also revealed a quantity of marijuana and some blue tablets of an unknown substance. A check with the Maryland Gun Center revealed the gun was not registered and Harris did not have a handgun permit. He was arrested and charged with transporting a handgun. Harris failed to appear for trial this week and had a warrant sworn out for his arrest.