Assault, Burglary Charges
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man faces assault and other charges this week after allegedly first running over a bicycle with his vehicle and then fighting with another man attempting to keep him from fleeing the scene.
Around 5 a.m. last Thursday, Ocean City police responded to the area of 2nd Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a reported fight in progress. Officers arrived and found numerous people standing in a parking lot, including the suspect, identified as Dzianis Ramashka, 33, of Ocean City. According to police reports, Ramashka had a laceration over his eye and his hands and arms were covered in blood.
Police interviewed several witnesses involved in the incident and determined Ramashka allegedly attempted to leave the parking lot when he backed over a bicycle parked near a porch. Ramashka attempted to flee the scene, but several people in the community confronted him and attempted to keep him from driving away.
According to police reports, Ramashka did get out of his vehicle and charged at another man on the scene. Ramashka chased the victim around the vehicle multiple times before the victim ran into his residence nearby. Ramashka allegedly continued to threaten the victim and chased him into his residence.
When the victim got into his residence, he attempted to close the door behind him and almost had it shut when Ramashka allegedly barged through and into the residence, which is when he suffered the cut above his eye. Once inside the residence, Ramashka allegedly continued to threaten the victim before others in the area interceded until police arrived.
When interviewed by police, Ramashka denied driving his vehicle and running over the bicycle. However, officers noted in their report the car’s hood was still warm to the touch. During the interview with police, it became apparent the altercation was over more than just the damaged bicycle. Ramashka said he was in the area visiting a female acquaintance when the victim said something disrespectful toward him. Ramashka told police he would not be disrespected, which is why he went after the victim.
Even after Ramashka was arrested, he continued to threaten and yell at the victim, according to police reports. Ramashka told the victim he was going to find him, and if the victim went back to Turkey, he was going to travel to Turkey, find him and assault him. According to police reports, Ramashka threatened to assault the victim if he showed up for court and insinuated he was going to do something to the victim to ensure he did not show up for court. Based on the evidence and testimony, Ramashka was charged with assault, burglary, disorderly conduct and numerous traffic offenses.
No Assault Charge In Road Rage Incident
WEST OCEAN CITY — A West Virginia man was arrested for having a loaded handgun in his vehicle without a valid Maryland permit during a road rage incident in West Ocean City last week, but avoided first-degree assault charges when it was learned he pointed a cell phone at a victim and not a weapon as first believed.
Around 10:25 a.m. last Wednesday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a reported road rage incident involving a weapon near the intersection of Routes 611 and 707 in West Ocean City. A 911 caller reported an unknown individual who had followed him to a parking lot and confronted him. During the argument, the victim believed the suspect was waving a handgun at him, but could not be certain.
MSP troopers searched the area for the suspect vehicle and located in the parking lot of a nearby motel. The suspect, later identified as Charles Hill, 39, of West Virginia, was located and did acknowledge he had been in an argument, but said the other party in the road rage incident had threatened to shoot him. Hill also told police he never waved a gun or even had a gun with him.
MSP troopers searched Hill’s truck and found a loaded .40 caliber handgun and Hill was taken into custody without incident. After further investigation including interviewing witnesses, it was determined Hill was waving a large cell phone at the victim and advising he was going to call the police.not
Because Hill did not wave a handgun at the victim as first believed, he was not charged with first-degree assault as expected. However, while he did have a valid West Virginia carry permit, out-of-state permits are not valid in Maryland. As a result, Hill was charged with wearing, carrying and knowingly transporting a handgun on public roadways.
Showed Them What He Can Do
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man faces multiple traffic violations this week after allegedly speeding down Coastal Highway when his friends urged him to “show them what he could do.”
Around 2:45 a.m. last Friday, a call when out over Ocean City Police radio to be on the lookout for a red vehicle heading south on Coastal Highway at a high rate of speed. An officer spotted the vehicle and reported its male passenger was hanging out of the window. Another OCPD officer attempted to stop the vehicle at 36th Street where it was observed running through a red light on southbound Coastal Highway.
The officer made a U-turn, activated his lights and siren and began pursuing the red vehicle, driven by Devon Lutz, 20, of Lebanon, Pa. With two OCPD vehicles now in pursuit, Lutz continued down Coastal Highway southbound at an estimated 80-90 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone. According to police reports, the officer increased his speed, but Lutz steadily pulled away from the pursuit.
Lutz was observed running red lights at 30th Street, 28th Street, 26th Street and 23rd Street. At 26th Street, Lutz crossed over from the center lane all the way to the bus lane and passed roughly 10 vehicles while traveling in the bus lane. The pursuing officers lost sight of Lutz’s vehicle around 23rd Street.
The OCPD south-end patrol was made aware of the situation and began looking for the vehicle. A short time later, an OCPD patrol vehicle observed the suspect’s red vehicle in the area of 2nd Street and Philadelphia Ave. OCPD officers trailed the vehicle until it parked on Baltimore Ave. near 12th Street and all of the occupants including Lutz got out.
The male and female passengers began running west between two houses, but stopped shortly thereafter. Lutz also ran west between two houses, but did not stop. OCPD officers gave chase on foot as Lutz hopped a fence on Philadelphia Ave. and fell to ground where he then gave up. During a search, Lutz was found to be in possession of a spring-assisted knife.
During an interview with police, Lutz first denied committing any traffic violations or eluding the pursuing officers. After a few more minutes, Lutz reportedly told police his friend asked him to “show him what it can do” and also told police that is how he drives back home in Pennsylvania. He later admitted he was driving and ran from police because he was scared. He was charged with numerous traffic violations including fleeing and eluding a police officer.
Probation, Fine For ‘Survivalist’
OCEAN CITY — A Reisterstown, Md. man arrested on May on weapons charges after being found sleeping in his car on a downtown Ocean City street pleaded guilty this week to possession of a concealed dangerous weapon and was placed on probation and fined.
Around 2:20 a.m. on May 2, an OCPD officer on routine patrol observed a Honda Civic parked on Edgewater Avenue near 7th Street with the driver’s seat completely reclined. The officer approached the vehicle and observed the driver, later identified as Sean Myers, 22, of Reisterstown, sleeping in the driver’s seat covered with a white blanket in violation of a city ordinance.
The officer knocked on the window but Myers did not immediately wake up. Myers awoke when the officer knocked louder. When Myers rolled down the window, the officer detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana. The officer asked Myers to step out of the vehicle and further advised him that his vehicle smelled like marijuana.
According to police reports, Myers told the officer he had just smoked all of his marijuana. When Myers exited the vehicle, the officer observed a multi-colored glass pipe in the small change pocket on the interior of the door. As Myers exited the vehicle, he informed the officer he had used the glass pipe to smoke his marijuana.
When the officer informed Myers he was going to search the vehicle, Myers told the officer there was additional marijuana in a black backpack located on the front passenger seat. A search of the vehicle did turn up suspected marijuana in glass jar in the backpack. Also located in the magazine pocket on the back of the front passenger seat was a large, fixed-blade K-Bar fighting-style knife with a blade of about nine inches.
The officer noted the knife was concealed from view within arm’s length of Myers and easily accessible from the driver’s seat. Myers told police he used the knife to cut off pieces of a small aloe plant found on the back rear floorboard but the officer found that explanation unreasonable, according to police reports.
A search of the trunk revealed a collapsible twisted-blade fighting sword. The fighting sword had a metal detachable handle, which allowed the sword to be broken into two pieces to easily carry and conceal the weapon. According to police reports, Myers told police he was a survivalist, which is why he had the weapons throughout the vehicle. This week, Myers pleaded guilty and was placed on probation for one year and fined $300.
