OCEAN CITY, MD - The Ocean City Police Department has arrested a man who allegedly led them on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle Wednesday night.
Police say they received an alert from a License Plate Reader that a car reported stolen in Wicomico County was entering Ocean City on the Route 50 Bridge on December 4. Officers located the car and attempted to stop it, according to police, but the driver sped off and crossed into oncoming traffic on Baltimore Avenue.
The car continued to speed recklessly on multiple streets until finally entering a condo parking lot where it struck a parked car and crashed into a fence, investigators say. The driver of the allegedly stolen car then fled on foot, eventually trying to hide in a condo building’s stairwell.
Using a drone, police say they located the suspect and watched as he tried to discard what was later identified as drug paraphernalia. The suspect eventually surrendered to police and was identified as Jamie Ruark, 38, of Salisbury. Ruark was charged with including unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia, trespassing, theft between $1,500 and $25,000, and numerous traffic offenses. He is currently being held at the Worcester County Jail without bail.
“This successful apprehension highlights the power of modern tools like License Plate Reader systems and drones, alongside the diligence and professionalism of our officers,” Interim Chief Michael Colbert said. “Their swift action kept the situation under control and resulted in a safe resolution.”