OCPD Officer Hurt In Traffic Collision

OCPD Officer Hurt In Traffic Collision
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OCPD Officer Hurt In Traffic Collision

OCEAN CITY – A veteran Ocean City police officer was injured in a car accident last Sunday evening when his marked cruiser was struck by a vehicle that failed to yield the right-of-way.

OCPD K-9 Officer Ronnie Townsend was traveling north on Baltimore Ave. near 21st Street last Sunday evening with his police dog “Indy” in tow when his marked police cruiser was struck by a vehicle driven by Robert John Albright, 41, of York, Pa. Albright was later charged with failure to yield the right-of-way.

Both Albright and Townsend were treated at the scene by Ocean City Emergency Medical Services. Townsend was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury for evaluation and was treated and released with minor injuries. “Indy” was not injured in the collision.

Officer Assaulted On Trespassing Arrest

OCEAN CITY – A Bel Air, Md. man faces a slew of charges this week including assaulting a police officer during his arrest on trespassing charges at a mid-town hotel on New Year’s Eve.

Just before 2 a.m. on December 31, OCPD Officers Aaron Morgan and Shawn Lindsey responded to the Holiday Inn on 67th Street in regards to the eviction of hotel guests due to excessive noise complaints. The officers met with the hotel manager who told them a hotel guest, later identified as James Gus Asimakes, 46, of Bel Air, was being evicted due to excessive noise from his room and that he was refusing to leave the hotel.

The officers accompanied the Holiday Inn manager to Asimakes’ room and he was told he had to leave by the manager in the presence of the police. Asimakes refused to leave and the OCPD officers informed him he could be arrested for trespassing if he did not leave as ordered.

At that point, Asimakes began yelling profanities at both the officers and the hotel staff. Morgan and Lindsey asked Asimakes several times to leave the room, but when he continued to refuse, the officers attempted to arrest him on trespassing charges.

Asimakes immediately resisted arrest and refused to obey the officers’ verbal commands. He also began to swing his right arm with a closed fist at the officers and struck Lindsey. After a few minutes of scuffling, the officers gave Asimakes several verbal warnings to get on the ground or they would be forced to use pepper spray on him.

However, Asimakes continued to yell profanities and strike out at the officers, who eventually made good on their promise to pepper spray him and subdued him. After arriving at the Public Safety Building, Asimakes continued to use vulgar language and was uncooperative during the booking process, refusing to provide any of his personal information. He was charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace and assaulting an officer.

Routine Traffic Stop Ends In Assault, Arrest

OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man stopped for a routine equipment repair order last Sunday was eventually arrested for assaulting an officer and driving under the influence.

Early last Sunday morning, OCPD Officer Aaron Morgan stopped a vehicle at 68th Street and Coastal Highway for a safety equipment violation. During Morgan’s initial contact with the driver, later identified as Robert John Schefter, 38, of Glenrock, Pa., the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the interior of the vehicle. The officer also noted Schefter to be exhibiting the behavior of a person who may be intoxicated, according to his report.

During the traffic stop, Schefter admitted to having consumed some alcoholic beverages and the officer asked him if he would perform some roadside sobriety tests. Schefter declined, stating he was a designated driver. He also stated he was an attorney and that the roadside tests were “bogus.”

At that point, Morgan asked Schefter to step out of his vehicle. While Schefter was getting out of his vehicle, the officer noted he was having obvious balance problems as he tried to walk, according to the report. As a result of his observations, the officer, joined now by Officer Patrick Flynn, attempted to place Schefter under arrest for suspicion of driving while under the influence.

During the arrest process, Schefter resisted and attempted to get back into his vehicle. After a brief scuffle with the officers, Schefter was subdued and arrested. He refused medical treatment at the scene by Ocean City EMS, while the officers were not injured in the scuffle.

Schefter was charged with resisting arrest, second-degree assault on an officer, DUI, willfully disobeying a lawful order and driving on a highway without adequate rear registration plate illumination. Schefter was released on his own recognizance by a District Court Commissioner.

WOC Car Thefts Investigated

WEST OCEAN CITY – Local law enforcement agencies this week are investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins at several communities throughout the West Ocean City and Berlin areas.

Shortly before 7 a.m. yesterday, MSP troopers received a call from a victim in the Deer Point community advising a GPS system had been stolen from his vehicle, which was parked in the driveway of his home. Upon arrival, the responding trooper found out two other vehicles in the same driveway had been tampered with, although nothing had been taken. The victim could not provide any information about potential suspects, but did tell the trooper all of the vehicle doors were unlocked.

While the initial report was being taken, several other victims called the Berlin barrack to report similar crimes. The neighborhoods affected included much of West Ocean City including Deer Point, Mystic Harbor, Whispering Woods and Bay Vista. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office also received calls for vehicle break-ins in Mystic Harbor and Whispering Woods.

In all cases, the vehicles that were tampered with or had items stolen were unlocked at the time of the thefts. The MSP is urging all county residents to keep their vehicles locked, even if they are in their driveways. The case remains under investigation by the MSP and the sheriff’s office. Anyone with information is urged to call the MSP at 410-641-3101, or the sheriff’s office at 410-632-1111.

Groin Assault

WEST OCEAN CITY – A local woman was arrested on assault and trespassing charges last week after kicking her boyfriend in the groin several times at a West Ocean City motel.

On Dec. 22, Maryland State Police troopers responded to the Rambler Motel on Elm Street in West Ocean City for a report of domestic violence. Upon arrival, troopers interviewed the victim, identified as Timothy Todd Neubauer, who told police his live-in girlfriend, Karen Ann Meekins, had kicked him in the groin several times. The property manager was interviewed and his story matched that told by the victim. The property manager also told police he had asked Meekins to leave the motel property earlier in the day and she refused.

Meekins was still on the scene when the troopers arrived and was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and trespassing. She was taken before a court commissioner and released on her own recognizance.

Speeding Stop Yields Drug Arrests

WEST OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury man and a local juvenile were arrested on drug charges last week after being pulled over for a routine speeding ticket in West Ocean City.

On Dec. 27, a Maryland State Police trooper on routine patrol pulled over a Dodge Stratus for going 57 mph in a 45 mph zone. The traffic stop was made at the Wine Rack parking lot. When the trooper contacted the driver, identified as Jason Travis Warren, 22, of Salisbury, he noticed the strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and driver’s person.

The trooper also noticed flakes of marijuana on the vehicle’s carpet. A search incident to the arrest revealed a bag of Xanax in the driver’s shirt pocket and more marijuana in a bag in plain view on the floor on the passenger’s side. Also arrested was Warren’s passenger, a 17-year-old juvenile from Berlin. Both were charged with possession of marijuana and Xanax.

Good Deed Punished

WEST OCEAN CITY – A local woman learned a tough lesson this week when the man she gave a ride to ran off with her purse while she went in a West Ocean City convenience store.

Around 6 p.m. on Dec. 31, the Mystic Harbor resident did a man later identified as Ryan Kramer Talbott a favor by giving him a ride to the Wawa on Route   50. When the victim went in the store, she left her purse containing around $500 in cash in the vehicle with Talbott while she shopped.

When the victim returned to her vehicle, the purse and Talbott were gone. The crime was not reported until the following day, Jan. 1, around 3 p.m.

Talbott was identified as the suspect and later located. He was interviewed, arrested and subsequently charged with theft over $500. He was later taken before a district court commissioner and released on his own recognizance.

Burglary Arrests

OCEAN PINES – Three 16-year-old juveniles from Berlin were arrested on burglary and felony theft charges last weekend after allegedly breaking into the Dunkin Donuts on Route 589 in Ocean Pines.

On Saturday, Dec. 29, Maryland State Police troopers from the Berlin barrack responded to the Dunkin Donuts in Ocean Pines for a reported burglary. A manager told police upon opening the store it was discovered a sum of cash had been stolen.

Through the investigation, it was revealed that just after the store closed for business, one juvenile suspect entered the store and removed the cash, while a second juvenile suspect waited outside. The two suspects then left the area and met with a third suspect and divided up the proceeds from the burglary.

The investigation is continuing this week and police expect to make more arrests in the case. All three suspects were arrested and charged with burglary and felony theft before being released to their parents or guardians.

Driver Sought After Crash

BISHOPVILLE – Maryland State Police troopers are seeking the driver of a vehicle involved in a single-car accident in Bishopville on Tuesday.

On New Years Day, troopers from the Berlin barrack responded to a single-vehicle collision on Back Creek Rd. in Bishopville. When they arrived, the police discovered the blue 2003 Chevy Monte Carlo unattended in a ditch. The vehicle displayed Delaware tags registered to David and Michele Schaaf of Selbyville.

A witness observed the possible driver flee the area in an unknown SUV. As of mid-week, the case was still under investigation.

Disorderly On New Year’s Eve

OCEAN PINES – An Ocean Pines woman was arrested for disorderly conduct at an Ocean Pines bar early Tuesday morning after unleashing a stream of obscenities.

Around 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Maryland State Police troopers from the Berlin barrack responded to Whisker’s Bar and Grill in Ocean Pines for a reported disorderly subject. Upon arrival, the troopers made contact with Paula Jon McGrath of Ocean Pines, who was shouting obscenities and attracting the attention of several of the bar’s patrons.

Even after being warned, McGrath continued to scream obscenities and was ultimately placed under arrest for disorderly conduct. She was taken before a district court commissioner and later released on her own recognizance.

Traffic Stop Yields Pot

WEST OCEAN CITY – A Berlin man was arrested for possession of marijuana early Saturday morning after being pulled over for a traffic violation.

Shortly before 2 a,m. last Saturday, the Maryland State Police stopped a gray Mercedes on Route 611 near Assateague Rd. in West Ocean City for failing to drive to the right of center. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle.

A search of the driver, later identified as Thomas Edward Johnson, 19, of Berlin, revealed suspected marijuana on his person. He was then placed under arrest for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. Johnson was processed and later released on his own recognizance.

Wet Road Leads To Single-Car Crash

SNOW HILL – Slippery road conditions are being blamed for a single-vehicle crash on Route 113 near Blades Rd. in Snow Hill last Saturday that sent a Melfa woman to the hospital.

Around 10:30 a.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a reported single-vehicle accident on Route 113 just south of Blades Rd. The investigation revealed the  2004 Nissan lost traction because of the wet road conditions, left the roadway and smashed into a tree.

The vehicle was driven by Cleveland Herbert Chandler, 58, of Melfa, Va. His right front seat passenger, Mary Victoria Chandler, sustained minor injuries and was transported to PRMC by Snow Hill EMS. NO charged were filed against the driver because of the hazardous road conditions.

Suspended, Revoked Driver Found With Pot

WEST OCEAN CITY – A routine speeding stop in West Ocean City last weekend resulted in drug possession and driving under the influence charges for a local woman.

A little before 1 a.m. last Sunday, a Maryland State Police trooper pulled over a 1998 Ford Escort for speeding on Sunset Ave. near Route 611. Upon contacting the driver, later identified as Carolyn Marie Whaley, the trooper detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

Based on probable cause, a full search of the vehicle was conducted and turned up a partially burned cigar filled with marijuana in the ashtray. Whaley was also found to be driving on a suspended and revoked Maryland driver’s license. She was charged with DUI, possession of marijuana and later released on her own recognizance.