Beach Bar Assault, Theft
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City woman was arrested on assault and other charges after allegedly accosting a juvenile male on the beach.
Around 9:25 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer assisting with an assault investigation interviewed a juvenile male who told police he was on the beach near a midtown beach bar when he saw Kara Mihavetz, 19, of Ocean City, urinating on the beach behind a beach stand box. According to police reports, when the juvenile and his friends confronted Mihavetz about the incident, she became angry and shouted at the juveniles, who then told bar security.
According to police reports, Mihavetz was removed from the bar property by security, but a short time later, the juveniles observed her crawling back onto the beach bar property on her hands and knees. A short time later, Mihavetz allegedly confronted the juvenile and his friends again and attempted to throw a drink in his face. The thrown drink missed the mark, but did splash all over the juvenile.
Mihavetz then grabbed the juvenile’s backpack, ripping it violently from his shoulders and causing the strap to break. During the struggle, Mihavetz allegedly slapped the juvenile. Mihavetz walked away from the juvenile “bear-hugging” his torn backpack, which contained his cell phone, wallet containing credit cards, bank cards and cash along with other personal property.
The juvenile again reported to bar security that Mihavetz was back on their property and that she had taken his backpack. When bar security was removing Mihavetz from the property again, she reportedly shoulder-checked the juvenile who was standing nearby.
OCPD officers interceded and interviewed Mihavetz, who agreed to talk to police. Mihavetz told police the group of juvenile boys had approached her and her group and asked them to buy alcoholic beverages for them, but they refused. Mihavetz also told police the juvenile boys asked another female in her group to show them her breasts, which she also refused. Mihavetz said that angered her and she confronted the boys, who then threw sand at her.
However, one member of the juvenile’s group recorded the entire incident with a cell phone and the video corroborated the victim’s version of the events. Mihavetz was arrested and charged with robbery, theft, assault and malicious destruction of property.
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Hit-And-Run, DUI Charges
OCEAN CITY — Two Maryland men were arrested on a slew of traffic charges last week after an alleged incident that began with a hit-and-run at the midtown bar and included switching drivers before a drunk-driving stop.
Around 10:10 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were advised to be on the lookout for a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run at a midtown bar parking lot. According to police reports, a green pickup truck had backed into and damaged another vehicle without stopping or reporting the collision.
An OCPD officer stationed nearby observed the suspected vehicle stopped at the entrance to the bar. The officer observed two men standing outside the vehicle. While the officer observed, Nicholas Lucker, 25, of Greensboro, Md., got in the passenger seat of the truck. Another man, Donald Pearson, 29, of Centerville, Md. walked around behind the truck and got in the driver’s seat. According to police reports, it was apparent the two men were switching seats with Pearson now behind the wheel.
An OCPD officer followed the vehicle south on Coastal Highway. The vehicle was stopped at a red traffic signal, but when the light changed to green, the truck just sat there and did not move forward, blocking traffic for several seconds, according to police reports. A traffic stop was conducted and officers detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Pearson, who was now the driver.
Pearson told police he and Lucker had been at a bar and decided to drive immediately when they left the bar because of Lucker’s level of intoxication. However, OCPD officers knew that was not true because they had observed Pearson and Lucker switch seats at the bar parking lot after the hit-and-run collision.
During processing, Pearson reportedly refused to take a breath test and refused to sign any of the administrative paperwork, telling police he knew it was an invalid arrest because he is currently enrolled in law school.
Meanwhile, it was determined Lucker, who was the registered owner of the vehicle, had been behind the wheel when it collided with another vehicle in the parking lot. That crash was captured on video. When police asked Lucker to step out of the vehicle after it was stopped several blocks away, he refused and initiated a cell phone call. Lucker refused to end the call after being advised to do so by police.
When police attempted to arrest Lucker, he reportedly resisted, but was eventually handcuffed. At the Public Safety Building, Lucker continuously referred to himself as “muffin” and provided multiple different dates of birth. He was charged with 25 total counts including drunk-driving, leaving the scene of a property damage collision and driving on a suspended license. Pearson was charged with 15 counts including driving under the influence.
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Motel Chair Destroyed
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on malicious destruction of property charges last week after allegedly destroying a chair at a downtown hotel.
Around 2:10 a.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the downtown area observed Colin Rihn, 23, of Lancaster, Pa., spring away from a convenience store on North Division Street. Following Rihn were to other men later identified as employees of a nearby motel.
The employees told police Rihn allegedly walked onto the motel property, picked up a plastic chair in front of one of the units and threw it, destroying it in the process. When the employees confronted Rihn about destroying motel property, he allegedly screamed an expletive at them and run into the nearby convenience store, according to police reports.
A description of Rihn, who was reportedly highly intoxicated, was broadcast and he was located a short time later in an alley nearby. The motel employees were brought over and positively identified Rihn as the suspect who destroyed the chair. He was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property.
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Jail Time For Knife Assault
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man, arrested last November after pulling a knife on his live-in girlfriend at an uptown residence, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to seven years, all but 225 days of which were suspended.
Around 11:45 p.m. last Nov. 24, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a residence on 123rd Street for a reported domestic assault. Upon arrival, the officer met with a female victim who told police she lived at the residence with her 6-year-old child and her boyfriend, Robert Neverdale, 37, of Ocean City.
The victim told police she and Neverdale had been in an argument earlier in the afternoon and the fight had carried over into the evening, according to police reports. The victim told police the fight continued and she observed Neverdale downstairs in the unit sharpening a knife. The victim told police Neverdale had inflicted injuries on himself in the past to gain attention, according to police reports. The victim told police Neverdale came upstairs with the knife and began yelling at her and waving the weapon at her, according to police reports.
The victim told police Neverdale then struck her in the head with the broad side of the blade two or three times. The officer observed a swelling bruise on the victim’s forehead corroborating her story, according to police reports. The victim told police Neverdale then struck her across the face with an open hand.
The officer noted in the report the victim’s face was red and swollen. The victim told police she was then able to reach a balcony and called for passersby or other neighbors to call the police. A neighbor heard her pleas for help and called the police.
The victim told police Neverdale had physically abused her in the past and that he had broken her neck in a prior incident. Another OCPD officer met with Neverdale, who admitted being in an argument with the victim, but denied any physical interaction.
At one point, Neverdale lifted his shirt to dry his face, revealing superficial wounds on his abdomen and stomach. According to police reports, Neverdale told police he had inflicted the wounds on himself with a knife.
Neverdale was taken into custody for alleged domestic violence charges. Once Neverdale was handcuffed, he changed his story again and told police the wounds on his abdomen were self-inflicted. Neverdale was ultimately charged with first-degree assault for his alleged knife threat and attack on the victim. Last week, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to seven years, all but 225 days of which were suspended.
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Suspended Sentence For Handgun Threat
OCEAN CITY — A Frederick, Md. man, arrested on weapons charges last month after threatening a group of people on the Boardwalk, pleaded guilty last week to possession of a firearm by a minor and was sentenced to three years, all of which was suspended but the time he served while awaiting trial.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on June 2, a description was broadcast for a reported suspect with a handgun in the area of 9th Street and the Boardwalk. Shortly thereafter, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer located a suspect matching the description in the area of 8th Street and Baltimore Avenue. The suspect, identified as Pharoah Lawson, 18, of Frederick, was walking with two other individuals.
The officer detained Lawson and told him he was going to frisk him for a weapon. According to police reports, Lawson through a purse-like bag to the other individual he was with and told the officer, “go for it, but the bag isn’t mine,” according to police reports.
The officer searched Lawson’s person and reportedly found a small amount of marijuana in a bag in his pants pocket. Another officer on scene retrieved the purse which Lawson earlier had over his shoulder and found it to be heavy. A frisk of the outside of the purse revealed the outline of a handgun. OCPD officers opened the bag and found a Glock .40 caliber handgun with a loaded magazine inside, although no round was chambered in the handgun.
At that point, Lawson was taken into custody and the handgun was secured. According to police reports, Lawson was attempting to start a fight with the group and advised the group, “I’ve got 30 bullets for all of you,” according to police reports, and a second witness corroborated the first witness’s version of the events. Meanwhile, a background check with a national gun center revealed the handgun Lawson possessed was reported stolen out of Miami. A further background check revealed Lawson was wanted on a non-extraditable warrant from West Virginia.
Lawson was arrested on multiple weapons charges including possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a handgun on his person and possession of a firearm by a minor. When interviewed, Lawson reportedly told police “I’m not a gangster, I just have that for self-defense.”
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Crack Dealer Sentenced
SNOW HILL — A Berlin man, arrested in February on drug distribution charges after a months-long investigation when he allegedly sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer on different occasions, was sentenced last week to 10 years in jail, all but five of which was suspended.
Last November, an Ocean City police 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 February 7.
On Feb. 14, 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.
On July 1, Pitts pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Back in court last Friday, Pitts was sentenced to 10 years for each count, all but five years of which was then suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years.
