Former Pocomoke chief to run for Somerset sheriff

 

View WMDT news story:

Former Police Chief announces candidacy for Somerset Co. Sheriff, says focus will be on public safety - 47abc (wmdt.com)

Somerset Code Red Sign-Up

Somerset County residents are encouraged to sign up for the new Code Red emergency notification alert system that will soon be tested.

The County Times, Princess Anne, has more info:

https://www.csctimes.com/courts-cops/sign-now-codered-emergency-alert-somerset-county-tests-system/

Firemen's Fest- Coming Soon!!

 

COMING SOON!!

CONTACT THEM FOR ADVANCE TICKETS

 

Body Of Woman Found Is Alice Davis

Alice Davis

WMDT 47 News - Maryland State Police say they have been notified that the body found in Somerset County Sunday is that of missing Wicomico County teacher, Alice Davis.


The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, confirmed her identification through dental records. A cause of death has not yet been determined, however officials say there is trauma to the body and that further forensic examinations and tests are being conducted.


Her body was found in the woods Sunday, about a quarter-mile from Loretto Road in Princess Anne. This is on the property of the House of Jacob Church and police say the church goers were in the area and unexpectedly spotted it and called 911


Davis was an English teacher at Parkside High School, where she has worked since 1983. She was reported missing on September 4. Last Wednesday the prime suspect in her disappearance, her husband, Jess Davis took his own life.


The investigation is ongoing.

Source;  http://www.wmdt.com/story/15444999/breaking-news-body-identified-as-alice-davis

Seven More Arrested For Drug Trafficking In Pocomoke City and Crisfield

GREAT JOB!!  Keep going.  I'm sure there are plenty more of these scumbags out there.

CRISFIELD -- Seven people were arrested and three more are sought on warrants in connection with drug trafficking in Crisfield and Pocomoke City.

Police in both municipalities worked together on a three-month undercover investigation in which officers gained information on drug operations, said Crisfield Police Chief Mike Tabor.

A Crisfield officer worked in Pocomoke City, while one from Pocomoke City worked in Crisfield, he said.

More evidence is expected to be turned over to a Somerset County grand jury next week.

"This is going to be an ongoing thing," Tabor said.

Six of the suspects have been charged in connection with drug dealing in Crisfield and four in Pocomoke City.

All have been charged with distribution of drugs and related charges and were held on bonds ranging from $75,000-$100,000 each, Tabor said.

Arrested in Crisfield were Chance Ames, 19, of Crisfield, who is incarcerated at the Department of Corrections in Jessup; Andre Tyrone Fisher, 26, of Crisfield; Freddie Scott Laird, 35, of Tangier; and Janet Nicole Webster, 28, of Princess Anne.

Arrested in Pocomoke City were 20-year-old Breon Odale Ames, 47-year-old Vera Denise Byrd and Chris Lee Pittman, all of Pocomoke City.

Crisfield police have indictments for two more people, and Pocomoke City police are still seeking one more suspect on an arrest warrant.

The cooperation between departments has been extended to checkpoints and other initiatives, Tabor said.

On Friday night, the department was assisted by the Princess Anne and Pocomoke City police departments and the Somerset County Sheriff's Office to provide increased patrols in certain hot spot areas of Crisfield.

Six arrests were made on various charges.

"It makes a big difference," Tabor said of the patrols. "The weekend was crime-free."

Source;  http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201108090432/NEWS01/108090311

Outdoor Burning Bans In Somerset and Worcester Counties

Md.- Both Somerset and Worcester counties issued outdoor burning bans on Monday. Both bans are effective immediately.

Somerset County's ban applies to all outdoor ignition sources, including campfires, bonfires, fireworks, leaf, brush, grass and trash burning and other similar methods of open incineration. Cooking with contained barbecue grills and charcoal grills are still permissible. All existing outdoor burn permits have been rescinded.

The ban is in effect until further notice.

Worcester County's burn ban applies to all outdoor ignition sources with the following exceptions:

• Proper use of gas and charcoal grills;
• Campfires at the county's commercial, state and federal campgrounds;
• Permitted official Ocean City bonfires;
• Private property recreational campfires which are limited to a fire area of 2 feet with a height of 3 feet;
• Public fireworks displays;
• Volunteer fire company training exercises

Worcester County's burn ban will remain in effect until the dry conditions dissipate. In addition, all existing outdoor burn permits have been rescinded. 

Source;  WBOC

KKK Fliers Circulating In Somerset County

Written by

Earl Holland
WESTOVER -- Police are encouraging Somerset County residents to be on the lookout after flyers promoting a Ku Klux Klan event in Virginia were found on the Lower Shore.

The Maryland State Police received a call this week from a passer-by who discovered multiple flyers in driveways and mailboxes in southern Somerset. On the pieces of paper were the date and time for an event scheduled to take place in Martinsville, Va., along the southern edge of the mainland of the state.

Lt. Krah Plunkert, the commander of the MSP Princess Anne Barrack, said following the call troopers were immediately dispatched to the scene where they found additional flyers. An information incident report was filed.

"We are very sensitive about what these flyers have been stating," Plunkert said. "We have increased patrols within the area and are asking people to report any kind of suspicious activity similar to this."

This has not been the first time Somerset County has dealt with an issue like this. Earlier this year, several traffic signs were vandalized in Marion Station with racial slurs and "KKK" spray painted on many of them. Following a police investigation, two adults and a teenager were convicted of malicious destruction of property.

Plunkert said he contacted local authorities in Martinsville about the event and was told it has been held annually by the group but is "poorly organized and poorly attended."

Kirkland Hall, the president of the Somerset County branch of the NAACP, said he was informed of the incident by Plunkert and said he was surprised but not shocked.

"I'm 60 years old, so I've seen everything, but I am concerned because we're trying to improve race relations in Somerset County," Hall said. "To see that these groups are trying to recruit people here is kind of sad. After what has happened in Somerset County and other places, I guess they feel it is a recruiting ground, but we hope it's not."

Hall said while he has not received any complaints so far about the flyers, he is asking for members of the community to band together to reject the message the flyers represent.

"It's not just an individual project," he said. "Everybody has to step forward in this county and let people know we will not tolerate something like this."

Plunkert said that MSP will have their "ears to the ground" regarding the flyers.

"As very sensitive as it is, it's hard to believe that we have this going on in this day," he said. "We will not tolerate any kind of message promoting religious or ethnic prejudice in Somerset County."

Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110701/NEWS01/107010309/Somerset-warns-KKK-fliers?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|frontpage

Vehicle Accident In Somerset County Claims Life Of Local Man

Hearts are heavy in many local communities upon hearing of the recent death of one of Christopher Lee McCready of Crisfield and an employee of Eastern Correctional Institution.

The single vehicle accident occured Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Rehobeth Road and Cornstack Road (eastbound, Md. Route 667). Deputies from the Somerset County Sheriff's Office said that McCready struck a tree while driving his 2000 Ford Expidition.

Three other passengers were in the vehicle with him at the time of the crash. Both McCready and Anne Christine Goodrow, passenger in the front seat, had to be extricated from the vehicle. Goodrow was flown by Maryland State Police Medivac Helicopter- Trooper 4 to PRMC and later transfered to University of MD. Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD.

Christopher Lee McCready was flown to PRMC via Maryland State Police Medivac Helicopter- Trooper 7, where he was pronounced as deceased from injuries resulting from the crash.A toddler and an infant riding in the backseat of the vehicle were transported to PRMC by the Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad for treatment of non-threatening injuries.
　
Fire departments from the Marion and Crisfield, as well as the Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rrescue Squad and Princess Anne EMS were on scene for approximately four hours.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by Maryland State Police, Princess Anne Police Department, and Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and many friends.

"Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one
day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the
next time you will."
~~Author Unknown~~

Worcester Co. State's Attorney Beau Oglesby To Handle Somerset County Issue

PRINCESS ANNE --An audit of Somerset County government's boat slip account was turned over this week to an outside prosecutor investigating allegations of employee theft at the office of County Commissioners.

The county last week began advertising the position of executive secretary in the office of County Commissioners, a job starting at $30,213 with duties included oversight of boat slip fees.

Somerset County State's Attorney Daniel Powell said Wednesday that he referred the case to his counterpart in Worcester County, Beau Oglesby. Powell, a former county administrator who once supervised the employee under investigation, turned the case over to the Worcester state's attorney to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

Oglesby was not available for comment.

Powell confirmed that more than $6,000 was allegedly taken from the boat slip account between Sept. 2, 2008, and July 7, 2010. Powell also acknowledged that he was county administrator in early September 2008 when one of the alleged thefts took place, based on audit data. The second incident was March 17, 2009, when the late Sam Boston was county administrator.

"There were several occasions, and I was county administrator when one of the alleged incidents occurred," Powell said. "It will be up to Mr. Oglesby whether to press charges."

To Read More Go Here....

Somerset County Officials Still Searching For Answers To Deleted Computer Files

PRINCESS ANNE -- Somerset County officials are asking for outside help in their investigation into how computer files from the State's Attorney's Office were deleted.

County Commissioners made the announcement Wednesday, the day after they held a closed-door meeting with their attorney, Kirk Simpkins.

"After preliminary review, the ... County Commissioners has agreed to seek guidance from outside counsel on whether adequate evidence is present to proceed with an investigation," County Administrator Cindy Ward wrote in an e-mail.

Ward said help was being sought "outside the county," but would not comment on whether it would come from public or private sectors.

Although the problem with the computers was discovered Jan. 3, County Commissioners were at a Maryland Association of Counties meeting last week and did not have time to discuss the case or meet with their attorney until this week.

Staff members realized files had been deleted from office computers the same day new State's Attorney Dan Powell and his assistant prosecutors were sworn in.

The county's two computer system specialists ran a program to recover the deleted files, but Powell said this week that some of the recovered files were in binary code, making them unreadable.

Most of them were forms used by the office, of which Powell said he was able to get copies e-mailed to him from another county.

The files had not been deleted as of late Dec. 30 when the office closed for the New Year's holiday weekend.

Part of the investigation has included looking into who logged on to the office computers during the weekend.

None of the current employees in the office logged on during that time, Powell said.

The Sheriff's Office also reviewed courthouse surveillance tapes from the same time period.

Powell -- who previously served as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore, Somerset and Dorchester counties -- beat incumbent Kristy Hickman in the Nov. 2 election.

Hickman is now working in the Dorchester County State's Attorney's Office.

Karen Dean, the former deputy state's attorney, recently resigned to accept a similar post in Wicomico County, and Joe Riley, an assistant state's attorney, was fired by Powell the week before Christmas.

Riley said last week that he has been in Anne Arundel County since then.

This week, he started a new job in the Caroline County State's Attorney's Office.

www.delmarvanow.com

Somerset County Arrests

REVOKED LICENSE. David Alan Widdowson, 48, of Pocomoke City was issued a citation for driving on a revoked and suspended license on Oct. 5 by Somerset deputies. Deputies rersponded to the area of Whitehaven Ferry road regarding a car in the ditch, and found Widdowson to be the driver. Widowson was released after signing citations.

FAILURE TO APPEAR. Richard Nathaniel Armstrong, 42, of Salisbury was taken into police custody on Oct. 5 by Somerset deputies on a warrant for failure to appear in court. Armstrong was later held on a $500.00 bond.

FAILURE TO APPEAR. Ernest Wells, 40, of Princess Anne was taken into police custody on Oct. 6 by Somerset deputies on a warrant for failure to appear in court. Wells was held on a $500.00 bond.

DRUGS. Robert William Handy, 48, of Crisfield was taken into police custody on a Circuit Court indictment for drug possession - not marijuana and narcotics possession with intent to distribute on Oct. 11 by Somerset deputies. Handy was later held on a $75,000 bond.

DRUGS. Clifton Ricardo Fields, 34, of Crisfield was taken into custody on a Circuit Court indictment for drug possession - not marijuana and narcotics possession with intent to distribute on Oct. 11 by Somerset deputies. Fields was later held on a $75,000 bond.

FAILURE TO APPEAR. Quinton Jerome Bailey, 27, of Princess Anne was taken into police custody on Oct. 12 by Somerset deputies on a warrant for failure to appear in court. Bailey was later released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

PROBATION VIOLATION. Gregory Davis Sterling Jr., 28, was taken into custody by Somerset deputies on Oct. 12 on a bench warrant for violation of probation. Sterling was later held without bond.

FAILURE TO APPEAR. Kenneth Martin Stachowski Jr., 45, of Princess Anne was taken into police custody on Oct. 13 by Somerset deputies on a warrant for failure to appear in court. Stachowski was later released after posting a $500.00 bond.

SUSPENDED LICENSE. Larry Kefford Linton, 40, of Pocomoke City was issued a citation for driving on a suspended out of state drivers license on Oct. 13 by Somerset deputies. Linton was later released after signing citations pending trial.

SUSPENDED LICENSE. Stacey Paulette Holden of Withams Virginia was issued a citation for driving on a suspended out of state license on Oct. 13 by Somerset deputies. Holden was later released after signing citations pending trial.

SUSPENDED REGISTRATION. Elizabeth Anne Cullen, 31, of Marion was issued a citation for driving on a suspended registration on Oct. 13 by Somerset deputies. The Maryland Motor Vehicle placed a police pick up order on the tags for insurance violations. Cullen was later released after signing citations pending trial.

www.delmarvanow.com

Man Commits Suicide During Arrest

WESTOVER — A man who was wanted by three police agencies on drug possession and credit card theft shot and killed himself Friday morning as Somerset County deputies tried to take him into custody.

Deputies arrived at the home of Ronald John Melcher, 60, of Marumsco Road, Marion, around 8:30 a.m. and saw Melcher exit the front door and walk toward a vehicle in the driveway, according to Maryland State Police.

Melcher refused to obey the deputy’s verbal commands to stop and he continued toward the vehicle, all the while yelling that he was not going back to jail, police said.

Deputies then used a Tazer on Melcher, who fell into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

As the deputies attempted to take Melcher into custody, they saw him pull a .38-caliber revolver from within vehicle.

A deputy ordered Melcher to put the gun down, but he shot himself in the head and was killed instantly.

None of the Sheriff’s Office personnel at the scene were injured.

Melcher was wanted by Maryland State Police in Salisbury for drug possession, Baltimore City for drug possession and Virginia State Police for credit card theft charges.

He was also a suspect in a criminal investigation being conducted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

The state police Princess Anne barrack, along with MSP homicide unit, crime scene and IAU personnel, were asked by the sheriff’s office to investigate the case which is continuing.

www.delmarvanow.com

Crisfield Man Charged With Sexual Abuse Of 14 Month Old Child

Crisfield Police have arrested 20 year old Virgil Dashields on child sex abuse charges. Police say he sexually assaulted a 14 month old child at the Somers Cove Apartments last Friday. Dashields faces numerous charges and is being held at the Somerset County Detention Center in default of $50,000 bond.

VIRGIL ERIC DASHIELDS
157 SOMERS COVE APARTMENTS
B/M/3-8-1990
(See Attached Photo)

On 9/20/2010 at 9:52 pm Virgil Eric Dashields was arrested by the Crisfield Police Department for a Sexual Child Abuse charging him with sexually abusing a 14 month old child. The sexual child abuse occurred in the Somers Cove Apartments located in Crisfield on 9/17/2010. Dashields was located at 59 Somers Cove Apartments and placed under arrest. The following charges were placed on Dashields:

Sex Abuse of a Minor
Sex Offense 4th Degree
Sex Offense 4th Degree
Assault 2nd Degree
Child Abuse
Sex Offense 3rd Degree
Assault 2nd Degree
Attempt Sodomy

Dashields was placed on $50,000 bond by Somerset County Court Commissioners. He is currently residing in the Somerset County Detention Center.

www.wgmd.com

Md. Sen. Ben Cardin Scheduled To Tour Smith Island

SMITH ISLAND-- U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., was scheduled to tour Smith Island on Sunday to meet with residents and tour federally funded projects as a kickoff to a three-day visit to the Eastern Shore.

It was his first trip to the island.

"I know he's really looking forward to it," Susan Sullam, the senator's communications director, said last week.

Upon arrival in the morning, Cardin was scheduled to see Army Corps of Engineers erosion management projects by boat before attending Sunday services at Rhodes Point United Methodist Church, Sullam said.

After that, he was expected to tour the new Rhodes Point pump station which has been online since December.

Last year, the Rhodes Point Southern Water Works was awarded federal stimulus funds, with Cardin's support, through the Maryland Department of the Environment, Sullam said.

"It's something the senator worked hard on and supported," she said.

In addition to a new well and pumping station, the federal grant paid for new water lines.

After touring Rhodes Point, Cardin was to head over to the neighboring village of Ewell for a chicken barbeque and a meet-and-greet with residents.

Accompanying him on the trip were his wife, Myrna, and Somerset County Commissioners Mike McCready and Paul Ward.

Cardin did not have a public schedule on Monday, but on Tuesday, morning, he was scheduled to tour the NASA Wallops Flight facility. to see the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and the U.S. Navy's Surface Combat Systems Center.

After that he was to travel to the Salisbury-Wicomico Senior Service Center to discuss the new health care law and how it will affect seniors with members of the senior advocate and health care communities.

Later in the afternoon, he also was scheduled to visit the Choptank Community Health System's Cambridge Dental Center and Fassett Magee Health Center, which recently received a grant award of $1 million in recovery funds that to expand dental services.

www.delmarvanow.com

REMINDER~~~Parts Of Rehobeth Road To Be Closed

REHOBETH — On Sunday, July 18, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration will temporarily close Route 667 (Rehobeth Road) from Route 13 to Peach Orchard Road in Somerset County for a small structure replacement project.

Weather permitting, the closure will last approximately one week and will allow crews to replace a small structure on Rehobeth Road over Puncheon Landing Branch.
Motorists will be directed to use Peach Orchard Road and Route 13.

SHA will provide advance notice of the closure using variable message signs. Work includes replacing the existing corrugated metal pipe with two 72-inch concrete box culvert pipes, constructing new headwalls, new guardrails and resurfacing the roadway.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/