OCEAN CITY, Md.- Last year, car enthusiasts who showed up for an unsanctioned H2Oi car rally caused chaos in parts of Ocean City. A year later, the resort town’s police department has its hands full yet again.
On Friday night, witnesses captured video of a police officer being assaulted by someone following an arrest on 31st Street. All throughout the night, there were burnouts, fireworks set off on city streets and unruly crowds, with some people getting into fights.
Since the middle of the week, tow trucks and police patrols have been out in full force issuing tickets and stopping traffic. On Thursday, 75 cars were towed and 31 arrests were made. But on the Thursday of last year’s rally, only 12 cars were towed and seven arrests made.
Ocean City has established a Special Event Zone that is in place until Sunday with the goal of deterring motor violations by lowering speed limits and increasing fines and penalties. Police are also allowed to make arrests for certain motor violations in the Special Event Zone, following legislation passed earlier this year by the Maryland General Assembly.
The unsanctioned event continues through the rest of the weekend.
