5-Year Sentence In Boardwalk Chase

OCEAN CITY -- A Pennsylvania man, arrested in July on numerous charges after a wild stolen car chase that included two stints on the Boardwalk and a crash through a fence before he jumped into the bay to elude police, pleaded guilty last week to motor vehicle theft and possession of marijuana and was sentenced to a combined six years in jail.

Around 6:30 a.m. on July 28, Ocean City police attempted to pull over a four-door Dodge Magnum for a seat belt violation in the area of 3rd Street and the Boardwalk. The vehicle, driven by Jimmy Carl Anderson, 22, of New Park, Pa., fled police by driving up on the Boardwalk. Numerous citizens on the Boardwalk at the time had to get out of the path of the vehicle to avoid being struck.

OCPD officers, not wanting to pursue the vehicle on the Boardwalk, maintained a line-of-sight on the vehicle as it continued to travel north on the Boardwalk. Ocean City Police followed up the Boardwalk in a marked vehicle several blocks behind the Anderson and the Dodge. The fleeing vehicle turned off the Boardwalk at Surf Ave. and slowed down, allowing three passengers to bail out at that point in the chase. The passengers were detained by police.

OCPD officers continued to follow the vehicle, but lost sight of it as it continued to flee north along Baltimore Ave. A description of the vehicle was broadcast and another OCPD officer in a marked car picked up the chase around 16th Street and Baltimore Ave. The fleeing vehicle continued to attempt to elude police and went up on the Boardwalk a second time at 16th Street and got off at 17th Street.

Once back on Baltimore Ave., Anderson lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the median before continuing north in the southbound lane. The vehicle turned west at 19th Street, crossed Coastal Highway to Dolphin Street and then north on Marlin Drive. At the end of Marlin Drive, the vehicle crashed through a fence and continued driving through a private citizen’s yard, stopping just short of driving into a canal.

Anderson then exited the vehicle and attempted to elude police by jumping into the bay. He was apprehended shortly after. The investigation revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen during a burglary in York, Pa. Anderson was found to be a wanted fugitive from Pennsylvania. OCPD officers also recovered a quantity of marijuana and prescription drugs on Anderson and in the stolen vehicle.

This week in District Court, Anderson pleaded guilty to unauthorized taking of a motor vehicle and was sentenced to five years in jail. He also pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and was sentenced to one year on jail on that count. Roughly 30 traffic charges were not prosecuted.