A Hancock woman was arrested in Ocean City earlier this month on charges of theft and drugs after allegedly skipping out on a bill at a restaurant in the resort city.
According to Maryland Coast Dispatch, around 10:30 p.m. on July 6, Ocean City Police officers were called to a restaurant downtown for a reported theft of services.
The officer met with the server who reported he had waited on three people at a table and when he brought the bill, the patrons advised they did not like one of the menu items they were served.
The Dispatch reported a manager had taken the item off the check.
When the server returned with the modified check of around $49, the patrons left just $7 on the table and left the restaurant.
The officer also spoke with a manager who advised his security staff followed
the three suspects out of the bar and yelled to them if they didn’t return to pay the bill, police would be called.
The manager reportedly told police the suspects walked away faster and entered a vehicle at 19th Street. Restaurant security staff was unable to locate the vehicle and its occupants, the Dispatch said.
Around 3:20 a.m. on Thursday morning, Ocean City Police located suspect vehicle at 14th Street and St. Louis Avenue and observed three suspects sleeping in- side.
The vehicle make, model, and tag number matched the vehicle seen leaving the area where the alleged theft of service occurred the night before, the Dispatch said.
The female front seat passenger was identified as Joshalyn Morris, 22, of Hancock. The vehicle was determined to be unregistered and uninsured and tow truck was called.
During an inventory of the vehicle’s contents, police located various amounts of heroin and fentanyl and paraphernalia.
Morris told Ocean City Police she left $8 for her part of the $9 restaurant bill, but only a total of $7 was left at the table before the suspects fled the scene.
The Dispatch said Morris then reportedly told police she wasn’t going to pay the bill until the item the party wasn’t happy with was taken off the check.
However, the receipt indicated the manager had taken the item off the check.
Morris was arrested and charged with theft possession of heroin and fentanyl and possession of paraphernalia. According to online court documents, Morris was also charged with having a concealed dangerous weapon.
Morris was released on $2,000 bond.
A trial date has been set for October 7 in Worcester District Court.
