OCEAN CITY, MD – Ocean City police said that their officers conducted a traffic stop early Sunday morning at around 12:30 a.m. During the stop officers noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle when they approach. Officers called for the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit to respond and to scan the vehicle.
Police said that the K-9 detected the presence of a controlled dangerous substance and during a search of the vehicle, officers located over 1,500 small bags of heroin and additional narcotics. Officers then arrested all three occupants of the vehicle, without incident.
According to police one of the suspects, Jerry L. Weston, 37, of Greenwood, DE., began to complain of trouble breathing while in custody.
Jail personnel contacted Ocean City Emergency Medical Services (EMS) who responded shortly after. Upon arrival of Ocean City EMS, the individual began to seize and later went into cardiac arrest, according to police. Ocean City EMS began conducting lifesaving measures and transported him to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, MD where he was later pronounced deceased.
Authorities indicated that the man’s body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
At the request of the Ocean City Police Department, the Maryland State Police has taken over responsibility for the death investigation.