Trooper knocked unconscious during arrest in Ocean City following car rally

by Micarie Kemp Sunday, September 27th 2020

(OCEAN CITY, MD) – Maryland State police say a trooper was injured and knocked unconscious while trying to make an arrest in Ocean City Saturday night.

Hundreds of people flocked to the beach town this weekend for a car rally called H2Oi.

RELATED| "Unruly" "Destructive" - More than 100 people arrested in Ocean City after H2Oi Car Rally

Just before 11 p.m., troopers were called to 71st Street to assist the Ocean City Police Department with a disorderly crowd that consisted of hundreds of people.

An Ocean City officer attempted to arrest 23-year-old Jonathan Bello, 23, of Norfolk, Va who police say, resisted and ran away. ... A state trooper went after Bello on foot. ... When the trooper made contact with the suspect, they both fell to the ground, and Bello reportedly fell on top of the trooper.

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SEP 27, 3:02 PM

Unsanctioned Car Rally Attracts Large Crowds, Lots Of Arrests In Ocean City

Ally Schweitzer https://twitter.com/allyschweitzer

Police arrested and charged more than 100 people in Ocean City over the weekend after an unpermitted car rally lured crowds of maskless 20-somethings to the resort town.

The event known as H20i filled the beach community Friday and Saturday nights, despite efforts by police and Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan to keep it away. Meehan said when the gathering came through town last year, the downtown area was overrun with “speeding, reckless driving, spinning of tires” and “demonstration driving,” prompting roughly 1,400 police citations and 100 arrests, according to Fox 5 DC.

This year, officials lowered speed limits and raised fines in an attempt to impose law and order, but videos posted to social media show how unsuccessful they were. Attendees in cars and on foot filled the streets in downtown Ocean City, sometimes setting off fireworks. Police cracked down on the event, hauling away 115 cars on Friday night alone, according to WJLA. “Never seen so many cars being towed,” an attendee tweeted Saturday.

While the summer has seen a number of clashes between crowds and police, the event was not directly associated with ongoing protest movements. However, videos showing police tackling revelers circulated on social media Sunday, drawing criticism of heavy police tactics.

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