Annual Car Show Brings Unwelcome Crime For Ocean City

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- A yearly tradition has become a nuisance and dangerous for the Ocean City Police Department.

The annual H2OI Car Show was canceled but many still showed up and the weekend ended with thousands of calls for service, dozens of arrests and a man hitting police officers with his car.

The event showcased souped-up Audi's and Volkswagen's and kept officers busy.

From Thursday to Sunday, police responded to more than 2,700 calls for assaults and disorderly conduct, a 7-percent hike from last year.

People in town said the crowds were rowdy.

"The screaming and the yelling and the cussing. There were some foul, foul things that went on over the weekend," one woman said. "It's a two-sided sword. Have the business really well and have to deal with what went on here in Ocean City."

Police arrested 78 people over the hectic weekend, including Antonio Ambrosino. Investigators say late Saturday night, he hit a Worcester County deputy and an Ocean City police officer.

Authorities later arrested him and his passenger.

Some businesses say while they don't welcome the mayhem from the event, the money that comes with it, helps drive their bottom line.

"Me as a server, we go home with good money, so it's good for our pockets," one worker said.

Ambrosino and his passenger face a number of charges including attempted murder.

Authorities say they're preparing for another car show this weekend and plan to work with City leaders on new policies to prevent this from happening in the future.

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