Cops And Courts – February 17, 2017

Cops And Courts – February 17, 2017
Social Issues Government

Jail Time For Choking Cop

OCEAN CITY — A Parsonsburg man, arrested in September after choking an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer attempting to stop him from walking in traffic, was found guilty last week of second-degree assault and was sentenced to six months in jail.

Around 5:45 p.m. last Sept. 8, an OCPD officer was patrolling in the area of Coastal Highway and 71st Street when he observed Joshua Bell, 21, of Parsonsburg, walking in the bus lane along the busy highway at that time of day. The officer was stopped at a red light when he observed Bell walk out into the highway as the light changed to green.

The OCPD officer then conducted a pedestrian stop on Bell, who was walking into the highway with traffic flowing in the north and southbound lanes. According to police reports, the officer instructed Bell to walk back to the sidewalk at 70th Street, but Bell was uncooperative and refused to move out of the roadway. Bell stood in the northbound lanes of Coastal Highway at 70th Street, causing three vehicles to stop abruptly to avoid hitting the suspect and the officer.

According to the officer’s report, Bell was foaming at the mouth with an unknown pink substance and was unable to make coherent, audible messages when the officer spoke to him. The officer reported Bell’s eyes were glazed over in a “thousand yard stare.”

The officer reported he was concerned for Bell’s and his own safety and wanted to allow traffic to resume normal activity, so he attempted to escort Bell out of the highway by taking hold of his upper arm and leading toward the sidewalk. Bell then turned around and mumbled something inaudibly before wrapping his fingers around the officer’s throat for several seconds, all while continuing to look at the officer with the “thousand yard stare.”

The officer was able to push away from Bell’s grip around his throat and continued to escort him to the sidewalk with traffic stopping in both directions. Once on the sidewalk, Bell approached an adult male and two adult females standing by their vehicle. According to police reports, Bell began to lean on one of the females, causing the male in the group to confront him, although the officer defused the situation and the three individuals left the scene and walked toward the beach, according to police reports.

Bell was eventually arrested and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and hindering the right of free passage. Last week, he was found guilty of second-degree assault and was sentenced to six months in jail.

30 Days For Indecent Exposure On Boardwalk

OCEAN CITY — A Salisbury man, who was arrested twice within the span of a couple of hours in Ocean City in July after first dropping his drawers on the Boardwalk and then being found rolling around in the surf while drunk, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Around 1:15 a.m. on July 19, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of 16th Street and the Boardwalk for a reported indecent exposure. OCPD communications advised responding officers a 911 caller had reported an adult male had deliberately pulled down his pants and exposed himself to individuals on the Boardwalk and patrons and employees of a Boardwalk bar.

OCPD officers responded and found the suspect, identified as Roger Dennis, 55, of Salisbury, with whom they were familiar because of frequent prior interactions on various calls for service. According to police reports, Dennis told police his shorts fell down and he was having trouble pulling them up although the officers observed them to be tight with the drawstring taut.

Witnesses told police Dennis had deliberately pulled down his shorts and exposed his private parts to bar patrons and employees and others on the Boardwalk including juveniles sitting on the nearby seawall. Based on the evidence, Dennis was arrested for indecent exposure and was taken to the Public Safety Building at 65th Street for processing.

Around 9:20 a.m. the same day, OCPD officers responded to a breakfast restaurant at 66th Street not far from police headquarters for a reported disorderly customer, later identified as Dennis, who had been released from jail a short time earlier. OCPD officers spoke with Dennis and released him at the scene, but Dennis walked into an adjacent beer and wine store and bought a beer before walking across Coastal Highway toward the beach at 65th Street.

An OCPD officer went across to 65th Street, parked his police cruiser and stood atop the dune crossing looking for Dennis. The officer was approached by a citizen who told police he could guess whom the officer was looking for and told the officer he was concerned because Dennis was rolling around drunk in the surf and putting his head under the water. The witness told police he was concerned Dennis might drown.

By now a crowd had gathered on the busy beach and the OCPD officer walked toward an Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguard who was just starting his shift to assist with Dennis, who was still rolling around in the surf, but when Dennis saw the OCPD officer, he got out of the ocean on his own, according to police reports.

The officer approached Dennis and observed him to be in possession of an open bottle of beer. Dennis reportedly told the officer he didn’t want to get in trouble and that he opened the beer because he was thirsty. Dennis was arrested again on various charges including disorderly conduct and open container. Last week, Dennis pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

High-Speed Chase Sentence

OCEAN CITY — A Pittsville woman, arrested on numerous charges last September after a high-speed chase through the downtown area that reached speeds approaching 100 mph and ended with stop sticks being deployed, pleaded guilty this week and was sentenced to six months in jail.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol observed a Pontiac driven by Sunny Mae Schrum, 26, heading north on Baltimore Avenue while consistently honking her horn for no apparent reason for several three-to five-second bursts from 6th Street to the intersection with Coastal Highway at 33rd Street.

According to police reports, Schrum continued to lay on the horn while committing several traffic violations including driving through marked traffic signals. For example, at 9th Street, Schrum was in the designated turn lane before swerving back into northbound Baltimore Avenue. The OCPD officer continued to follow Schrum north on Baltimore Avenue as she continued to blast the vehicle’s horn for no apparent reason with no other vehicles on the roadway or pedestrians in the area.

When Schrum stopped in the middle of the marked crosswalk at 33rd Street and Coastal Highway, the OCPD officer activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop her vehicle. Schrum eventually stopped at 45th Street, but as the officer approached the vehicle on foot, she allegedly took off again, making a U-turn and heading south on Coastal Highway.

Several other OCPD officers joined the pursuit as Schrum’s vehicle reached speeds in excess of 90 mph. According to police reports, Schrum drove through six solid red traffic signals during the pursuit including 26th, 23rd, 17th, 12th, 8th and 5th streets. A decision was made to deploy stop sticks in the roadway at 3rd Street, which were successful in disabling Schrum’s vehicle. However, she continued south on Philadelphia Avenue and eventually came to a stop on the westbound side of the Route 50 bridge.

A background check revealed Schrum’s Maryland driver’s license was revoked in February 2015 for a point system violation and suspended in March 2016 for failure to pay child support. Officers detected an odor of alcohol on Schrum and she was transported to the Public Safety Building where she did not pass standard field sobriety tests to the officers’ satisfaction. She consented to a blood-alcohol test which resulted in a reading of .15.

Based on the evidence, Schrum was charged with driving under the influence and driving while impaired along with numerous traffic violations related to the chase. On Monday, Schrum pleaded guilty to DUI per se, reckless driving and attempting to elude police and was sentenced to six months in jail.

LSD Found At Traffic Stop

SNOW HILL — A Virginia woman was arrested on drug charges last week after a traffic stop on Route 113 near Snow Hill.

Around 2:40 p.m. last Thursday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle along Route 113 near Timmons Road in Snow Hill. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the location of suspected LSD on the person of a passenger identified as Amanda Kyle DeLeo, 22, of Virginia Beach. DeLeo was arrested and taken before a District Court Commissioner, who release her on personal recognizance pending a court date.

Sheriff Issues 2016 Stats

SNOW HILL — The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office this week released its statistics for 2016.

The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office processed 3,831 new warrants and served 1,445. The Sheriff’s Office also processed and served 896 protective orders and processed 9,801 civil and criminal papers with 7,539 served and 696 others posted on properties.

Overall, the Sheriff’s Office patrolled nearly 1.6 million miles during 2016, conducting 13,562 traffic stops resulting in 18,584 violations. The Sheriff’s Office also issued 13,886 warnings and 3,535 citations. Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies made 135 DWI arrests, issued 203 civil citations and made 1,331 criminal and traffic arrests.

The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) handled 216 criminal cases and 115 arrests. The Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team initiated 152 investigations and made 87 arrests for drug violations.