Six People Arrested After Large Boardwalk Fight

On September 2, 2012, at approximately 6 p.m. Ocean City Police responded to the area of 709 South Atlantic Avenue in reference to a large fight, involving a subject with a knife.

Uniformed officers arrived at the scene and observed several persons actively fighting in the area directly outside of Davey Jones Locker Room restaurant. As officers began to break up the fight, several of the combatants fled into the Inlet parking lot. One suspect, later identified as Carl Ross Perry, 47, of Berlin, was wearing a t-shift indicating that he was an employee of Davey Jones Locker Room. Perry continued to actively fight, despite attempts by several employees of Davey Jones Locker Room to restrain him.

Uniformed officers at the scene attempted to have Perry stop fighting and ordered him to the ground, however, Perry did not comply and actively fought four officers until taken into custody.

Officers located five additional suspects involved in the altercation, who fled the scene in various locations in the Inlet parking lot.

The five other men who were actively fighting with Perry were identified as: Deve St. Fleur, 24, from Immokalee, FL, Jermaine Lacorey Phillips, 24, of Fort Meade, FL, William Sherman Freeman, 33, of Fort Meade, FL, Michael Fitzgerald Smith, 45, of Fort Meade, FL and Valen Joseph, 23, Legigh Acres, FL.

During the subsequent investigation, police recovered a backpack belonging to St. Fleur. The backpack was found to contain several baggies of suspected marijuana, as well as other evidence that indicated the marijuana was being sold. After the arrest of Carl Ross Perry, officers recovered an amount of Marijuana from his persons that was packaged identically to the items recovered from the backpack belonging to St. Fleur.

Witnesses told police that Perry was outside with the five suspects, but at one point went back into the restaurant and returned with an object that was later determined to be a knife. Perry threatened the suspect, at which time the fight began. The investigation concluded that the confrontation between Perry and the five additional suspects was as the result of a dispute during an illegal drug transaction involving Perry.

Based on the evidence, Ocean City Police charged the suspects as follows:

• Carl Ross Perry: common law affray, disorderly conduct, three counts of 2nd degree assault on three police officers, resisting arrest, possession of CDS (marijuana), possession of CDS paraphernalia, two counts of 2nd degree assault and two counts of reckless endangerment.
• Deve St. Fleur and Jermaine Lacorey Phillips: common law affray, disorderly conduct, possession of CDS (marijuana), possession of CDS paraphernalia, possession with the Intent to distribute CDS (marijuana).
• William Sherman Freeman: common law affray and disorderly conduct.
• Michael Fitzgerald Smith: common law affray, disorderly conduct and possession of CDS (marijuana).
• Valen Joseph: common law affray and disorderly conduct.

As a result of the altercation and arrests, three OCPD officers sustained injuries. Two officers were treated at the scene by OC EMS and one officer was transported to Atlantic General Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

All six of the suspects were arrested and seen by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner. Perry was released after posting a $10,000 bond. Phillips and St. Fleur were both held on $10,000 bond and transferred to the Worcester County Jail. Freeman was held on $3,500 bond and transferred to the Worcester County Jail. Smith and Joseph were both released on their own recognizance.

Ocean City Police Department News Release