Incident: Habitual Beggar
Date of Incident: 19 December 2014
Location: U.S. Rt. 13 at Northpointe Dr., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Nicholas W. Parks, 28, Delmar,MD
Narrative: On 19 December 2014 at 2:30 PM a deputy observed a subject identified as Nicholas Parks standing in the median strip of U.S. 13 in the area of Northpointe Drive and observed that Parks was holding a sign that stated “Homeless Need Help.” The deputy also observed that Parks walked into the roadway to collect money from passing motorists. The deputy had warned Parks the day before to stay away from this location and to stop walking into the roadway to collect money. The deputy was also familiar with multiple encounters where law enforcement had warned Parks about soliciting in the roadway.
The deputy placed Park sunder arrest for Failing to Obey the previous warnings and violation of the County Ordinance that prohibits vagrants soliciting for money.
Parks was processed at the Central Booking Unit and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner.Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Parks on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Failure to Obey a Lawful Order and Habitual Beggar
LOVE IT AND LONG OVERDUE.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, crime is now down.
ReplyDeleteAbout time the police arrested this scam artest keep up the good work sheriff's office fod forbid the Salisbury cops did there job.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a vagrant begger law WHY hasn't it been enforced?
ReplyDeleteBig deal, Nick got a shower and a hot meal on the taxpayers dime, and then let go.
ReplyDeleteis he on the 'system'? if not, he will be now!!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness
ReplyDeleteWhere is this law written???
ReplyDeleteOr did Ireton just say it was
in order to get the homeless out
of view of the public. " Out of sight---Out of mind."
I know nothing of this man or his
situation---but I do know there are many homeless in Salisbury.
Believe me----many live from pay check to pay check----some to their own spend thrift way---some not!
I'm not the judge of these people
& neither is anyone else. I wouldn't give money but I would surely give them a meal or an opportunity to work!
Moron it was a sheriff that arrested him who cover Salisbury who has the Right to arrest ANYONE in Wicomico county.
DeletePS WE ALL LIVE FROM PAY CK TO PAY CK.
DeleteSaw him back by bob Evans today smh
ReplyDeleteHe is still at it. But good job long over due.
ReplyDelete^^^
ReplyDeleteDUH! And where were the cops?...
I must have missed the Title and Chapter of COMAR that he violsted in the article. Maybe I missed some of the words?
ReplyDeleteGive me Title and Verse of the Statute and not the "Mayor's mood", and we can have a discussion.
Without that, this is harassing a homeless citizen illegally like our Mayor enjoys doing every year when the weather turns coldest; invading the land they have permission from the landowner to camp in and disposing of all their clothing and bedding while they are out begging.
Do I like to see them begging? No, but I do not contribute to them, either. I was once charged with evicting a homeless person from a newly bought property. He was a very sane person and obviously not a druggie. He loved being free of rent, utilities, and the hassle they all brought. He could work five days a month painting and have everything he needed. He kept a nice, clean camp with an obvious living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom. He had a "cocoon" type sleeping thing made of cardboard, insulation, and tarp.
We had a nice conversation, and he agreed to set up elsewhere to accommodate our clearing of the woods, but I was very impressed at his wit and wisdom in what he was doing with his life.
However, he said he would never bring himself down to having to beg for his money. Good, honest work was the only way for him.
No, I'm not a fan of the beggars, but that's their gig, and if no one gives to them, they will quit doing it or die of starvation, or work for money so, at the end of the day, YOU who give are the blight.
I saw him also at the corner of rt 13 and Bob Evans. He needs to be arrested again
ReplyDeleteMore police harassment. What was he hurting by standing there? If no one gave them money they would stop begging. I've seen the fireman walking in the road ways with boots collecting money, why isn't that against the law?
ReplyDeleteROR, and hes on probation, hopefully it violates him. Tired of seeing him, especially when he is wearing military camo jackets
ReplyDeletehe is not homeless numb one he has been seen in station 7 in laural partying with the money nice clothes shoes watch cell phone
ReplyDeleteleave him alone hes not hurting anyone bunch of whiners on here
ReplyDeleteTake too your home,whiner.
Deletenow he can beg that his cellmate doesn’t give him the vasaline free long loan.
ReplyDeleteJust saw him out begging on Saturday near the mall. Apparently he knows there is no hard law to nail him on.
ReplyDeleteWalking out into the roadway to collect money appears to be his only violation.That is unsafe to him and could cause a wreck.It was not until he left his designated area that he was in violation.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThere's a older couple by the Fruitland Steak House wanting money... kind of breaks your heart.
If that's the law then they need to stop as well. The Fruitland Police need to tell them about the Halo place
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteMore police harassment. What was he hurting by standing there? If no one gave them money they would stop begging. I've seen the fireman walking in the road ways with boots collecting money, why isn't that against the law?
December 29, 2014 at 7:19 PM
It is against the law and they were told to stop. That is why Salisbury quit doing Fill The Boot for MDA.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThere's a older couple by the Fruitland Steak House wanting money... kind of breaks your heart.
If that's the law then they need to stop as well. The Fruitland Police need to tell them about the Halo place
December 29, 2014 at 11:45 PM
The Fruitland police don't need to tell them anything.
It's not COMAR. It's a County Ordinance:
ReplyDelete§ 218-1 Vagrant Defined
Every person within the confines of Wicomico or Somerset Counties, Maryland, not being insane, who has no visible means of maintenance from property or personal labor or is not permanently supported by his or her friends or relatives, who lives idle, without employment, and every person who leads a dissolute or disorderly course of life and cannot give an account of the means by which he or she procures a legitimate livelihood, and every nomad, gypsy or other person practicing that which is commonly called fortune-telling by acts, signs or omens, for value or otherwise, or any common gambler, shall be deemed a vagabond; and every person who habitually wanders about and begs in the limits of Wicomico or Somerset Counties from house to house or sits or stands or takes a position in any place or begs from passersby, either by words or gestures, shall be deemed a habitual beggar; and every person who wanders about and lodges in outhouses, market places, barracks, sheds, barns or in any public building or in the open air and has no permanent place of abode or visible means of maintenance shall be deemed a vagrant.
§ 218-2 Violations and penalties.
[P.L.L. 1930, Art. 23, sec. 401; 1959 Code, sec. 543. 1914, ch. 762, see. 2]
Every vagabond, habitual beggar, vagrant or fortune-teller mentioned in § 218-1 of this chapter, upon conviction before the Circuit Court for Wicomico or Somerset Counties, or before any Justice of the Peace having criminal jurisdiction, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100 or be confined in the Maryland House of Correction for a period of not less than two months nor more than six months, or both fine and imprisonment, within the discretion of the Circuit Court or the Justice of the Peace, provided that any person found to be a vagabond or an habitual beggar who may not be able-bodied, but aged or infirm or seriously crippled, may, in the discretion of the Court or Justice of the Peace, be committed to the almshouse or be paroled, and provided also that any minor committed under this chapter may be sent to any reformatory institution to which minors may be committed under Article 27 of the Code of Public General Laws of Maryland or paroled in the discretion of the Court or Justice of the Peace; provided, however, that if any person when brought before any such Justice of the Peace having jurisdiction in the case shall, before trial for the alleged offense, pray a jury trial, or if the state's attorney for the county shall before trial pray a jury trial on the part of the state, it shall be the duty of said Justice to commit such alleged offender for trial, or to hold him to bail to appear for trial in the Circuit Court of Wicomico or Somerset Counties at its then or next session and to return said commitment or recognizance, with the names and residences of the witnesses for the prosecution endorsed thereon, forthwith to the Clerk of said Court; and the Justice of the Peace before whom the accused is brought to trial shall, prior to the beginning of the trial, inform him or her of his or her right to a jury trial.
If you see him ..call the sheriffs office to report immediately.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
There's a older couple by the Fruitland Steak House wanting money... kind of breaks your heart.
If that's the law then they need to stop as well. The Fruitland Police need to tell them about the Halo place
December 29, 2014 at 11:45 PM
The Fruitland police don't need to tell them anything.
December 30, 2014 at 3:32 AM
Hey Mr. Policeman...
Get off the computer at 3:32am and go out and arrest someone or protect us citzens. Maybe the Chief reads this as well. If it is against the law then go uphold it, OK?
If he was truly homeless why was he released on ROR? If the commissioner is that stupid to believe a homeless person would return for trial, that one needs to be fired!
ReplyDeleteGood point 9:16. If he fails to show for court, there is no house to go to look for him and arrest him on the bench warrant that would be issued for the failure to appear. Granted he could probably be located pretty easily panhandling again.
ReplyDeleteNick was targeted by complaints. Now the sheriffs have started this ball rolling ...be fair you deputy dogs! Get em all! The royal farm store by the court house is a hot spot. And I watched three deputies drive by a guy today. One was at a light just watching him. Or can we expect the usual from mikes bunch? Do what they want to whom.
ReplyDeleteCheck on case search he has an address in Delmar
ReplyDelete6:46 AM looks like your Code was passed in 1959.
ReplyDeleteJoe- it appears that the Wico sheriffs department has to enforce the laws that the Mayberry, sorry, SALISBURY police either cannot or will not enforce. Any thoughts? Maybe WICO needs to charge $ the City of Sslisbury for the deputies time and fees incurred in the county detention center.
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts Joe?
waste of time
ReplyDeleteThis man was got locked up because of THIS BLOG. Again we see the POWER of SBYNEWS.
ReplyDeleteGive you odds he beats the rap.
ReplyDeleteI call spd every other day on these people and Nothing is done.
ReplyDelete4:24-What rap?
ReplyDeleteIt'll never stick......Remember the FIRST AMENDMENT???
ReplyDelete