OCEAN CITY — A Halethorpe, Md. man faces drunk-driving charges after allegedly failing to negotiate the turn near the Inlet early last Sunday morning, leaving the roadway and flipping his vehicle not far from the water.
Just after midnight last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the south end of Philadelphia Avenue near the Oceanic Pier for a report of a vehicle in the water. When OCPD officers arrived, they discovered the vehicle not in the water, but rather on its roof in the sand in an area between the fishing pier and a nearby hotel.
The investigation revealed the driver, later identified as Sumpter McWatters, 33, of Halethorpe, was heading south on Philadelphia Avenue and failed to negotiate the turn as the roadway bends around toward Baltimore Avenue and the Inlet lot. Instead, McWatters’ vehicle continued straight, went over the curb and struck a pylon and rolled over on its roof.
According to police sources, the vehicle came to rest on its roof about 30 feet from the Inlet. McWatters was able to kick out the window and climb out of the overturned vehicle. When police arrived, the suspect was standing outside the vehicle. He reportedly was uninjured and refused EMS treatment at the scene. McWatters was charged with multiple counts including driving under the influence and driving while impaired. He was later released on his own recognizance.
