Chase Ends In Arrest

Chase Ends In Arrest
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BERLIN – A high-speed
chase through northern Worcester County led to the arrest of a man who
abandoned his vehicle and fled police on foot.

Last Wednesday, a
Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol in the area of Racetrack Rd.
and Route 113 attempted to stop a vehicle with a headlight out. The suspect
attempted to elude the deputy and a chase ensued with speeds reaching 80 miles
per hour on Route 113. Additional law enforcement officers joined the pursuit
as the suspect, later identified as Bruce Dennis, fled toward the Delaware
line.

During the chase, Dennis
ran through several stop signs along the way and entered Delaware. Selbyville,
Del. police joined the chase and Dennis abandoned his vehicle on Selbyville Rd.
and fled on foot. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase. Dennis was
charged with fleeing and eluding along with numerous traffic violations and was
taken into custody by Delaware authorities and was being held at the Sussex
Correctional Institute.

Shoplifters Nabbed

WEST OCEAN CITY – Two
Russian girls were arrested on theft charges last weekend after allegedly
shoplifting at a West Ocean City department store.

Shortly before 9 p.m.
last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to the Marshall’s department
store in West Ocean City for a reported shoplifting. Upon arrival, the troopers
met with store staff members who reported the two suspects, identified as Anna
Ratushnaya, 19, and Danis Tefkilevich, 21, both of Russia, had left the store
without paying for items they had stuffed in a backpack. One of the suspects
also shoved a shirt in his pants without paying for it. The two suspects were
arrested and charged with theft over $100.

Speeding Stop Leads To
Pot

BERLIN – A Towson man
was arrested on marijuana possession charges last week after getting pulled
over for speeding on Route 50.

Around 2:45 p.m. last
Friday, a Maryland State Police trooper working stationary speed enforcement
pulled over a vehicle for going 70 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. When the
trooper made contact with the driver, identified as Eric Thomas Uveges, 21, of
Towson, the officer detected the distinct odor of burnt marijuana. A search of
the vehicle was conducted and an unknown quantity of marijuana was discovered.
Uveges was arrested for possession and was taken before a District Court
Commissioner.

Phony Police Scam
Warning

BERLIN – The Worcester
County Sheriff’s Office this week is warning citizens about an uncovered scam
during which unknown suspects representing themselves as law enforcement
officials are calling parents in the area to inform them their child has been
arrested and instructing them to wire bail money to an account in order to get
them released.

In recent weeks, the
Sheriff’s Office has investigated multiple incidents where unknown suspects
have been calling parents representing themselves as law enforcement officers
from local law enforcement agencies. The callers are phoning parents claiming
their children have been arrested, usually for drug violations, and are in
jail.

The suspects are
representing themselves as high-ranking officers and are giving return call
back numbers. When the unsuspecting parents return the calls, the suspect or
suspects on the other end of the line state they are an official law enforcement
agency and provide the concerned parents with a list of the charges their child
is being held on. According to the sheriff’s office, the calls appear to sound
official.

During the
investigation, the sheriff’s office has determined the calls, and the people
representing themselves as police officers, are not official and the children
in question have not been arrested anywhere. The suspects are requesting
parents to wire money to a fraudulent “Bail Bondsman Account” and that their
children will be released upon receipt of the money.

In all cases, the
sheriff’s office has been able to locate the supposedly jailed children and
confirm that they have not been arrested and are in good condition before any
money has been transferred.

The sheriff’s office is
asking citizens if they receive a call of this type to ask for a name and a
call back number for the phony agency, and then call a local law enforcement
agency to verify if it is a legitimate call or not. The sheriff’s office is
also advising citizens a legitimate law enforcement agency will not ask them to
send money anywhere to secure the release of a person.

Armed Robbery Suspects
Nabbed

POCOMOKE – Two more
suspects wanted in connection with a pair of armed robberies in Pocomoke in
early June were arrested this week after the first was identified and arrested
last week.

On Monday, Worcester
County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives arrested two more suspects
wanted for the armed robbery of a convenience store and the attempted armed
robbery of a pizza parlor in Pocomoke back on June 9. Arrested this week were
Decarlo Marcus White, 19, of Pocomoke, and Dexter Wise, Jr., 23, of Laurel,
Del. Last week, WCBI detectives arrested Dorian Rashawn Johnson, 19, for his
role in the armed hold-ups. Each of the suspects is being held in the Worcester
County Detention Center on $250,000 bonds.

Around 11:35 p.m. on
June 9, the clerk of the Goose Creek convenience store in Pocomoke was
attempting to lock up for the night when she was confronted by three masked men
who had just entered the store. One of the men was brandishing a handgun,
according to police reports. All three of the suspects demanded money while one
of them pointed the gun at the clerk. The suspects were able to get an
undisclosed amount of money and fled the area on foot.

During the
investigation, it was learned about 30 minutes earlier, the manager of a Pizza
Hut restaurant nearby had contacted the Pocomoke Police Department to report
three masked men had attempted to rob him at gunpoint as he closed the business
for the night. The store manager was able to get into his vehicle and drive
away.

The information obtained
from the Pizza Hut manager matched the information provided by the Goose Creek
clerk in terms of physical descriptions of the suspects and the types of
clothing they were wearing at the time, etc. Based on the information, WCBI
detectives were able to identify White, Wise and Johnson as the suspects. Each
has been charged with 23 total counts including armed robbery, first-degree assault,
reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

DWI Suspect Gives False
Name

BERLIN – A Berlin man
was arrested last week for drunk-driving and providing a false or fictitious
name to police after a routine speeding stop last Saturday.

Shortly before 11 p.m.
last Saturday, a Berlin Police officer on traffic patrol stopped a vehicle for
speeding and an equipment violation on Seahawk Rd. Upon contact with the
driver, later identified as Michael Anthony Bratten, 48, of Berlin, the officer
observed the suspect to be under the influence of alcohol.

Bratten initially gave
the officer his brother’s name, but a background check revealed his true
identity. The background check also revealed Bratten was driving on a suspended
and revoked license, and that he was wanted in Wicomico County for failing to
appear for Circuit Court trial for driving while suspended in that county.

Bratten was taken into
custody and charged with driving under the influence, driving while impaired,
giving police a false or fictitious name and numerous other traffic violations.

One Injured In Pines
Kitchen Fire

OCEAN PINES – Unattended
cooking is being blamed for a fire at an Ocean Pines residence early last
Saturday morning that sent one person to the hospital with burn injuries.

At roughly 4 a.m. last
Saturday, the Ocean Pines and Showell Volunteer Fire Departments were
dispatched to reported house fire on Moonraker Rd. in Ocean Pines.
First-arriving units reported an occupant of the residence had put the fire out
prior to their arrival, although firefighters remained on the scene for about
an hours assisting with smoke removal.

One person was
transported to Atlantic General Hospital for burn injuries but and was treated
and later released. The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office responded and
determined the fire originated in the kitchen area and was caused by unattended
cooking. The fire is listed as accidental.

Chlorine Leak At
Assateague

ASSATEAGUE – A
potentially hazardous chlorine leak at Assateague State Park on Tuesday morning
was contained by local officials before any injuries or major environmental
impacts occurred.

Shortly after 9 a.m. on
Tuesday, the Berlin Fire Department responded to the north beach area of the
Assateague Island State Park for a reported leak or spill at the facility. The
Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office also responded to the scene and
activated the Special Hazards Response Team-Hazmat 1 to assist with the
mitigation of the incident.

The investigation
revealed a 150-pound cylinder used for water treatment was leaking from a
valve. A leak kit from the county’s Hazmat 1 truck was used to stop the leak.
No injuries were reported.

Tased Twice In Pocomoke

POCOMOKE – A Pocomoke
man was arrested for assaulting an officer and resisting arrest last week after
refusing to comply with a request from law enforcement officers in an incident
during which he had to be hit twice with a Taser.

Last Friday, a Worcester
County Sheriff’s Deputy patrolling in Pocomoke observed a pedestrian standing
in the middle of a street and approached the individual to determine who he was
and why he was standing in the roadway. When the deputy approached the suspect,
later identified as Desmond Monte Marshall, 32, of Pocomoke, he began to walk
away.

The deputy tried to
prevent Marshall from walking away and the suspect allegedly became
argumentative and refused to comply with the officer’s requests. An argument
ensued and Marshall allegedly struck the deputy in his chest. The deputy then
deployed a Taser on Marshall, but the attempt did not have the desired results
and the suspect was able to flee on foot. After a brief foot chase, Marshall
was tased a second time and was taken into custody.

Marshall has been
charged with second-degree assault, escape and disorderly conduct. He was
released after posting a $10,000 bond.

Stabbing Case Forwarded
To Circuit

SNOW HILL – A West Ocean
City woman arrested in May on assault and reckless endangerment charges after
allegedly slashing her live-in boyfriend during an argument over what he was
preparing for dinner had her case forwarded to Circuit Court last week after a
preliminary hearing in District Court.

Around 3:30 p.m. on May
30, a Maryland State Police (MSP) trooper went back to the MSP Berlin barrack
to investigate a reported first-degree assault. The trooper met with the victim
who told police he had been stabbed by his live-in girlfriend, later identified
as Zoila Arely Ramirez-Andrade, at the couple’s West Ocean City residence.

Emergency Services
responded to the Berlin barrack and treated the victim for a two-inch slash on
his forearm. The victim told police he and Ramirez-Andrade were involved in a
verbal argument, which escalated into a physical confrontation over the food
the victim was preparing. MSP troopers responded to the residence on Keyser
Point Rd. and located and arrested Ramirez-Andrade.

According to police
reports, Ramirez-Andrade admitted she stabbed the victim because she was tired
of arguing with him. Ramirez-Andrade was arrested and charged with first- and
second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. After a probable cause was
determined during a preliminary hearing in District Court last week,
Ramirez-Andrade had her case forwarded to Circuit Court. She was scheduled to
be arraigned this week.

Family Displaced By Fire

POCOMOKE – The Worcester
County Fire Marshal’s Office this week is investigating a residential house
fire in Pocomoke last weekend that left a family of five, including two
children, homeless.

Around 2:15 p.m. last
Sunday, the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company responded to a reported residential
fire on 4th Street. First responders reported fire venting out of a
bedroom window of the one-story, single-family home. The fire was quickly
extinguished, but not before extensive damage was caused to the home.

The residence was
occupied at the time, but all of the occupants escaped without injury. The
tenant of the residence, along with five of her six children, ages 5,6,7,8 and
16 were at home at the time of the fire. The American Red Cross arrived and
made arrangements for the family to stay at an area motel. The cause of the
fire is undetermined and is still under investigation.

Anyone
with information about the fire is urged to call Deputy Fire Marshal Rodney
Sharpley, Sr. at 410-632-5666.