Page 24 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch January 3, 2014 New Area Officers Begin Careers Cops & Courts OC Police Mourns Animal Control Officer OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) this week is mourning the loss of a veteran Animal Control officer who passed away last Monday. The OCPD last week announced Animal Control Officer Donald Spence had passed away on Monday, Dec. 23, after being admitted to PRMC in Salisbury the day before with a medical emergency. Spence, 43, was an Animal Control Officer with the OCPD for 10 years and was truly DONALD SPENCE loved by everyone at the department and throughout the town of Ocean City, according to an OCPD press release. A service to celebrate his life has been set for tomorrow, Jan. 4, at 11 a.m. at the Bishopville Fire Department on Bishopville Rd. The newest members of the Ocean City Police Department after graduating from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy graduation are Officer Erica Specht and Officer Jacob Fetterolf, who are pictured above with Chief Ross Buzzuro. The officers were formally recognized as certified police officers of the OCPD after 24 weeks and roughly 950 hours of intense training at the academy. Sprecht earned both the Physical Fitness Award and the Pistol Expert Award. Fetterolf also earned the Pistol Expert Award and was recognized for having an overall 100-percent mark for pistol proficiency during the course. Submitted Photos Alleged Rock Thrower Nabbed WEST OCEAN CITY – A West Ocean City man was arrested on malicious destruction of property and other charges this week after allegedly throwing a rock through the windshield of a vehicle at the Park-and-Ride. Around 5:50 p.m. on Sunday, a Maryland State Police trooper was dispatched to the Park-and-Ride in West Ocean City for a reported white male suspect wearing a Baltimore Ravens jacket who had thrown a rock through the window of a van in the lot. While en route, the trooper observed a suspect matching the description in the parking lot of the nearby Royal Farms convenience store. The suspect was identified by the boyfriend of the vehicle’s owner, who had witnessed him throwing the rock through the window. The suspect, identified as Donald Anthony Collins, 55, of West Ocean City, was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property and trespassing. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was later released after posting a $5,000 bond. Farmingville, N.Y., while the two passengers were identified as Michael Mignone, 20, of Centereach, N.Y., and Peter Ventrone, 20, of Morgantown, W.Va. Due to several criminal indicators observed by troopers, a K-9 scan of the vehicle was conducted. After a positive alert from the K-9 for the presence of narcotics, a search of the vehicle was conducted. Troopers located a zip-lock bag that contained nine capsules of an off-white powder suspected to be methamphetamine or bath salts and another bag of suspected cocaine. Also located in the vehicle was a plastic bag containing 58 unused capsules, which were the same as the capsules located in the front passenger area. Each of the suspects was arrested and $1,186 in currency was seized. The currency was seized as a result of the arrest and probable cause the money was proceeds from drug sales. The estimated street value of resale of the bath salts is roughly $800 to $1,000, while the estimated street value of the cocaine is $400 to $500. Each suspect was arrested and as of mid-week were being held on the Worcester County Jail on $25,000 bonds. Armed Robber Sought SALISBURY – Salisbury Police this week are looking for the suspect who returned to a residence at which he had done some work earlier in the day last weekend and knocked an elderly man over the head with a blunt object before stealing his wallet. Last Saturday, Salisbury Police responded to a residence on Jefferson Street for a reported armed robbery. The investigation revealed around 1 p.m. on Saturday, an unknown individual had raked the leaves in the 87-year-old victim’s yard and was paid for his services. Around 10:30 p.m., the suspect returned to the residence and knocked on the door. When the victim looked outside and noticed it was the same individual who had raked his leaves earlier in the day, he opened the door. At that point, the suspect demanded the victim’s money and entered the residence while holding a blunt object in his hand. The victim resisted and was struck once in the back of the head with the blunt object. The suspect then ripped the pocket off of the victim’s pants and stole his wallet. The suspect fled on foot with the wallet containing money, credit cards and the victim’s identification cards. The 87-year-old victim did not require any medical attention. The suspect is described as an African-American male, about 20 SEE NEXT PAGE The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office have welcomed two new deputies who graduated from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy. Joining the county sheriff’s department are Deputy Sheriff Matthew Bertino and Deputy Sheriff Robert Clarke. Both new deputies will be assigned to patrol duties for the sheriff’s office. They are pictured with the Sheriff’s Office’s Dale Smack and Sheriff Reggie Mason. Drug Busts At Traffic Stop BERLIN – Three men were arrested on drug distribution charges last weekend after a routine traffic stop in northern Worcester County. Around 7:50 a.m. last Saturday, a Maryland State Police trooper stopped a tan Ford Explorer on Route 113 at Route 575 near Berlin for going 64 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. The driver was identified as Andrew Mitchell Monteverde, 20, of Two Ocean Pines Police officers recently graduated from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy. Police Officer Eric Otey, Jr. received a Physical Fitness Award and was elected by his classmates as class speaker at the graduation ceremony. Police Officer Harry Miller received a Firearms Proficiency award from the academy. Both Officers shall be assigned to patrol assignments in the department.