OC Today-Dispatch JANUARY 3, 2025
STUBBORNLY LOCAL, EQUALLY INDEPENDENT
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PRICELESS
Fatal tram accident probe finds violations Police investigation into crash that claimed life of child classifies Boardwalk as a road, thus leading to conclusions that braking system was inappropriate and that tram’s payload far exceeded Jeeps’ rated towing capacity.— Page 3
County hires PR firm for harbor fight STEWART DOBSON GRAPHIC/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
Seeing into the future is easy if you don’t mind being wrong half the time. — PAGE 55
Commissioners figure going against US Wind’s plan for dock property could benefit from public relations help. — PAGE 12
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JANUARY 3, 2025
OC Today-Dispatch
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OC Today-Dispatch
Toddler tram death linked to equip. problems, probe finds
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (Jan. 3, 2025) The investigation into the tram collision that killed a toddler on the Boardwalk this summer has revealed a series of motor vehicle violations. In mid-December, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) concluded its investigation into the Aug. 20 incident, when a toddler from Princess Anne was struck and killed by a tram traveling south on the Boardwalk near Dorchester Street. While no charges will be filed against the tram driver, police concluded various equipment violations – including improper braking systems and towing capabilities – played some role in the fatality, according to files obtained through a Maryland Public Information Act request filed by this newspaper last month. “After reviewing evidence on scene, video evidence and the medical examiner’s report it is clear to me [victim’s name redacted] did not receive injuries that caused his death until the Jeep had almost come to a complete stop,” Cpl. Michael Karsnitz, an investigator in the case, reported. “Had the Jeep been in compliance with the Maryland Transportation Article and had functioning brakes on the rear tram trailer I believe
it would have been able to stop before causing the fatal injury to [the victim].” With the investigation now ended, city officials are left to evaluate the future of the tram service. Citing a potential lawsuit, City Manager Terry McGean declined to comment on tram operations. However, McGean did issue a statement that said the city’s suspension of tram services would continue as options are explored. “The Town of Ocean City is devastated by the loss of life that occurred on our Boardwalk in August 2024. We took immediate action by suspending tram operations. The findings of the Ocean City Police Department, as set forth in their report, have identified certain issues with the tram system and we take those findings very seriously,” he wrote. “We have always prioritized passenger and pedestrian safety in our tram operations; but given the gravity of this situation, tram service will not resume until our operations have been fully reevaluated and possibly changed to provide for the safest possible tram experience for our residents and visitors. We are committed to learning from this tragedy. Although we know it will never be enough, our deepest condolences go out to the family and all those See BRAKING Page 4
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OC Today-Dispatch
JANUARY 3, 2025
Braking, towing issues cited No charges for city’s tram in fatal Boardwalk collision driver, prosecutor reports
Continued from Page 3 affected by this devastating accident.” Investigation finds tram issues On Aug. 20, just after 8 p.m., first responders were called to the Boardwalk near Dorchester Street for a fatal pedestrian collision in the concrete tram lane. The initial investigation revealed the victim, a two-year-old boy, was struck by a tram while running from the beach toward the wooden portion of the Boardwalk, also known as Atlantic Avenue. However, an incident report issued Dec. 9 delves deeper into the tram fatality on what police consider to be a public roadway. Investigators concluded that the Jeep pulling the tram trailers was towing more than three times the weight permitted under state and federal law. They also found the rear trailer had no braking capacity, a rear brake actuator had no brake fluid, and that both tram trailers were equipped with “surge brakes,” all of which are violations of the Maryland Transportation Article. Surge brakes, which are activated by the movement of the towed vehicle and not by the vehicle operator, are not permitted under state law if the towing vehicle and its load exceed the manufacturer’s weight rating. “The combination of vehicles and braking systems involved in the collision played a consequential role in the death of [child’s name redacted],” Karsnitz wrote in his report. “The Jeep and both trailers it was towing was in violation of the Maryland Transportation Article.” Police also noted that the height of the Jeep had hindered the driver’s ability to see the young victim. Both the tram driver and tram conductor told police they did not see the victim crossing the tram lane at the time of the incident. As a result, the tram continued driving south after hitting the child with the Jeep’s front bumper. The victim’s father also told police the tram driver failed to see him and other witnesses, who were standing to the right of the Jeep, trying to catch the driver’s attention by waving their hands. “[The driver] stated he did not know he hit the child until he felt the Jeep go over something,” Cpl. Harry Miller, another investigator, reported. “[The driver] stated he then immediately applied the brakes. [The driver] advised people began running over to the front of the Jeep and he realized what happened.” Jeep use questioned Earlier this year, the Town of Ocean City celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Boardwalk tram operation. Since its inception in June 1964, the trams have been an integral part of Ocean City’s Boardwalk scene. The trams have undergone many iterations throughout the decades, however, with the most recent changes taking place in late 2017, when the mayor and council opted to replace two
of the trams’ old towing units with Jeeps. The vehicles, which were also used for the Boardwalk trams in the 1990s, were chosen for their efficiency and lower price tag. However, this decision was contrary to the opinions of members of the Ocean City Transportation Department, emails obtained by the OC Today-Dispatch show. Transportation Operations Manager George Peake wrote on Sept. 3 that tram drivers had expressed concerns about the safety of the Jeeps prior to their purchase. “The majority of the tram drivers preferred NOT to drive this Jeep, due to forward and right front visibility … Although the least costly of the alternative(s) Transportation recommended against the option due to line of vision.” Peake wrote that the city’s transportation department had presented several alternatives, including electric-, diesel- and gas-powered towing vehicles. He also said the Jeeps were acquired against the department’s recommendations. “If the City decided to go with the Jeeps as an alternative, Transportation did make recommendations as to their configuration,” he wrote in his email to department heads. “The City chose the Jeeps and NOT the configuration recommended.” When asked last month if the city or transportation department had received complaints about Jeep safety, McGean responded, “We have not received complaints from tram drivers regarding the safety of the Jeeps.” In the fall of 2018, the mayor and council instituted additional tram upgrades, approving the purchase of eight new Boardwalk tram trailers and new Jeeps to pull them at a cost of $1.4 million. The purchase also included $28,000 for new camera equipment on the Boardwalk trams, as well as another $83,000 to elevate the ride height of the Jeeps. Resort officials to explore tram options The suspension of tram service since Aug. 20 is likely to continue throughout 2025, McGean said. Meanwhile, officials are exploring options for replacing or modifying the existing trams. “No final decision has been made regarding the purchasing/leasing/modifying and it would be premature to speculate,” McGean said of those options. “Funding would come from the general fund.” According to emails provided to the OC Today-Dispatch, discussions on the future of the trams began as early as the day after the accident. Since that time, city staff have contacted national companies to conduct a safety audit of its tram system. They have also contacted Severn Lamb, the successor to Trams Interna-
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (Jan. 3, 2025) Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser said no charges will be filed against the tram driver involved in a fatal collision that killed a toddler on the Boardwalk this summer. While acknowledging that equipment violations and inadequate equipment maintenance may have affected the tram’s braking response in a fatal collision that occurred on Aug. 20, Heiser concluded that the tram driver did not operate the vehicle in a negligent manner. The Ocean City Police Department recently concluded its investigation into the accident that killed a two-year-old boy on the Boardwalk near Dorchester Street. As part of its investigation, the full report was submitted to the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office for review and a recommendation of any criminal charges. “In the moments just before the collision, the Jeep was traveling at approximately 3 to 5 miles per hour,” she wrote. “[Driver’s name redacted] stopped the Jeep immediately upon realizing what had occurred, and he stayed on scene until police arrived. “Prior to beginning his shift driving the Jeep, [driver’s name] completed the Tram Operator Pre-Trip Checklist and noted no issues with the vehicle’s operation. [Driver’s name] cooperated fully with the police investigation, and there is no evidence that he was driving distracted or impaired by any substance.”
Heiser, however, did note that the investigation found several equipment violations, “a combination of which may have impacted the timing of and responsiveness of the Jeep and attached tram trailers to [driver’s name]’s braking.” She said the Ocean City Police Department and the Maryland State Police Automotive Safety Enforcement Division had found that the rear trailer had no braking capability, the brake actuator on the rear tram trailer had no brake fluid, the Jeep was towing more weight than permitted, and that both tram trailers were equipped with surge brakes, all of which are violations of the Maryland Transportation Article. “None of these equipment violations existed due to [driver’s name]’s actions or inaction, nor was he responsible for the detailed inspection or maintenance of any vehicles or tram equipment owned by the Town of Ocean City,” she wrote. “No evidence indicates that [driver’s name] had actual knowledge of the function of either tram trailer’s braking ability independent of the Jeep’s braking ability or independent of the other tram’s braking ability. He had not experienced any problems with braking during the first three hours of his shift prior to the collision. Finally, there is no evidence to suggest that [driver’s name] knew or should have known that these equipment violations existed or what effect, if any, they were likely to have in combination with the braking ability and tow capacity of the Jeep.”
tional – the company that sold the tram trailers to Ocean City – to acquire options and pricing for a new, road-legal tram design. However, lead times to build and deliver new trams range between 12 and 16 months, and replacement could cost nearly $600,000 for each new tram vehicle. Complicating those efforts, officials say, are the licensing requirements to operate the tram vehicles. While the city has not required tram drivers to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), Ocean City police, in their incident report, concluded that a CDL with a double/triple endorsement is required to operate the trams on the Boardwalk. Police reported that the tram driver involved in the fatality had a CDL, but without the required endorsement. “I asked [the driver] if he knew he needed a Double/Triple endorsement and he stated he did not know that,” Miller reported. “[The driver] stated that there were several drivers of the trams that did not even possess a CDL License. [The driver] advised me that it was the Transportation Department’s under-
standing that the Boardwalk was not a road and no special licenses or endorsements were needed to operate the tram.” When asked if the city would be cited for the motor vehicle violations, or if city officials believe the Boardwalk is a road in the legal sense, both McGean and City Solicitor Heather Stansbury declined to comment. Investigation concludes with more questions While the future of Ocean City’s tram operation is unclear, one thing is certain – this summer’s incident and the subsequent suspension of the Boardwalk trams will take a toll on the city’s coffers. Tram service generated more than $1.5 million in ticket and ad sales in fiscal year 2024, all of which would be lost if a suspension continues into 2025. Before service was suspended in August, tram revenues for fiscal year 2025, which began July 1, totaled $746,657. There is also the matter of changing the tram system and hiring tram drivers with CDL licenses, should the operation resume. In addition, the Town of Ocean City has been notified that a lawsuit concerning the August fatality is pending.
JANUARY 3, 2025
PAGE 5
OC Today-Dispatch
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MORNING GLORY
OC Today-Dispatch
JANUARY 3, 2025
Beach wedding caps off couple’s unique love story
PHOTO COURTESY OF COLIN SOPER
Saturday’s sunrise is pictured over the Atlantic Ocean from a homeowner’s vantage point at the High Point South on 112th Street.
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (Jan. 3, 2025) After rekindling a decades-old relationship, a local couple shared their vows last week in the place where it all started – Ocean City. On Monday, Dec. 23, Laraine Grant and Vince Ryan were married by Santa Claus on the beach at 144th Street. Joined by loved ones, the couple celebrated their union, as well as a love story that spanned decades. “It’s just surreal,” Grant said. In 1977, in the midst of their divorces, Grant and Ryan met at a professional dart competition. One of their first dates, Grant said, was a trip to Ocean City. “We clicked immediately,” she recalled. “He was like sunshine to me.” However, the relationship ended three years later, and both went on to marry other people. In 2023, after a death in Ryan’s family, the couple reconnected. “I had not talked to him but one time in all those years,” Grant said. “I called to express my condolences, and we found out both of us were widowed. So, one thing led to another.” While both are from the Rockville area, Grant said Ryan had purchased a place in Ocean City years ago. After reconnecting, Grant joined Ryan at the beach, where their relationship rekin-
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
Laraine Grant and Vince Ryan had a special officiant for their oceanfront wedding on Dec. 23 in Ocean City.
dled. “He invited me down and we started picking up where we left off before, and it got real serious …,” she said. “He proposed, and I said yes.” Now full-time residents of Ocean City, the couple celebrated their union last week with an intimate wedding ceremony on the beach. Santa Clause officiated. “We picked up where we left off …,” she said. “You don’t always marry the love of your life, and he was that.”
JANUARY 3, 2025
OC Today-Dispatch
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