Natural Causes Ruled In Mysterious Death In Resort

OCEAN CITY – The Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office this week confirmed the cause of death of a Pennsylvania man found unconscious between buildings in the area of 17th Street in early September was the result of natural causes, likely heart disease.

Around 3 a.m. on Sept. 7, Ocean City police responded to 17th Street and Coastal Highway in the area known as the Party Block complex in reference to an unknown male individual found unconscious and possibly not breathing. OCPD officers arrived on the scene and found two civilians attempting to perform CPR on the individual, later identified as Christopher Paul Cherenyack, 34, of Sugarloaf, Pa.

Ocean City Fire Department paramedics arrived on the scene and took over CPR efforts from the unidentified civilians before transporting Cherenyack to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. Cherenyack was later pronounced dead at AGH.

Little is known about the events leading up to Cherenyack’s discovery in an area between buildings in the nightclub complex. From the beginning, OCPD detectives did not suspect any foul play in the incident. Party Block staffers told police Cherenyack was in the bar earlier in the evening, but it is unknown when he left or in what condition. A bar staffer reportedly found Cherenyack in the area between the buildings and attempted to revive him, thinking he was asleep, before calling 911.

Cherenyack was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for a complete autopsy in an attempt to determine the cause of death and several weeks went by without any confirmation of the results. This week, however, a medical examiner’s office spokeswoman confirmed Cherenyack died of natural causes likely brought on by hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

According to neighbors, Cherenyack had recently moved to the 28th Street area.

According to his published obituary, he was employed at the time of his death by the maintenance department of the Holiday Inn and Suites in Ocean City. The obituary also reported Cherenyack was formally trained as an emergency medical technician (EMT). The medical examiner’s confirmation of the cause of death this week brings some measure of closure to the mystery.