On January 23, 2019, Anthony Roper, age 39, of Delmar, Maryland, was convicted in the District Court of Maryland for Worcester County of attempting to elude uniformed police by fleeing on foot, attempting to elude uniformed police by failing to stop, and failing to immediately stop at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury. Roper was sentenced by the Honorable Daniel R. Mumford to a period of incarceration of 5 months and 29 days on each count, to run concurrently. The charges stem from a November 13, 2018 incident during which officers of the Ocean City Police Department observed Roper driving a motor vehicle with illegal window tint in the area of 65th Street and Coastal Highway. Officers also learned that Roper was wanted on an active arrest warrant for felony drug trafficking out of Wicomico County. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of 94th Street and Coastal Highway at which time they advised Roper of the outstanding warrant. He immediately accelerated his vehicle away from the officers, leading them on a high speed chase through the town. Roper lost control of his vehicle in the area of 65th Street and struck a police patrol vehicle operated by Public Safety Aide Hernandez. PSA Hernandez suffered injuries to his head and neck as a result of the collision and was treated at Atlantic General Hospital, and his patrol vehicle was seriously damaged. Roper then exited his vehicle and fled on foot from officers, but was eventually apprehended in the area of 66th Street. Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser praised the officers of the Ocean City Police Department for their proactive policing measures and thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Brittani Roksiewicz, who prosecuted the case.
