Officers honored for valor after multistate chase

Two officers involved in a chase from Ocean City to Ocean View last March have received the Overall Valor Award from the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce and Carl M. Freeman Companies.

Officer First Class Nicholas Harrington of the Ocean View Police Department and Deputy First Class Anthony Rhode of the Worcester County Sheriff's Office received the award at the 2018 Joshua M. Freeman Valor Awards on Friday.

"Both officers stood firm in the face of danger and their performance throughout this ordeal was exemplary," said Ocean View Police Department Chief Kenneth McLaughlin.

On March 18, 2017, officers began to pursue Troy Lee Short, of Hurlock, with the assistance of the Worcester County Sheriff Office.

Rhode attempted to initiate a traffic stop in Ocean City at 8:10 p.m. after police said Short was seen driving erratically.

BACKGROUND: Police ID officers involved in shooting of Hurlock man

Multiple agencies, including Harrington, became involved as Short crossed into Delaware.

During the pursuit, Short crashed his vehicle and proceeded to steal and then abandon two other vehicles before trying to hit Harrington and Rhode with a third vehicle near Ocean View, police said.

Police periodically lost track of Short, but were able to locate him from the abandoned stolen vehicles with help from K-9 units. Officers responded to a burglary in Bishopville, Maryland, where Short fled in a black Infinity, police said.

Short drove the stolen SUV down Burbage Road and crossed over Windmill Drive onto Pine Grove Lane, which is a dead end street, police said.

Short then came to a stop at the end of the road and accelerated backward at a high speed directly into the front of Harrington's fully marked patrol vehicle, pushing it off the roadway, police said. He continued backing at a high rate of speed, almost striking Rhode's fully marked Worcester County Sheriff's vehicle and smashing into a mailbox.

BACKGROUND: Suspect shot, officer hurt, after pursuit in Ocean View

Police said Short then drove the SUV into an empty residential lot, then turned around and began driving toward Rhode, who was standing outside his vehicle in the driveway of the lot. Harrington was able to exit his patrol vehicle and run up to where Rhode was standing as the SUV accelerated toward the two law enforcement officers, who were yelling commands to stop.

Harrington and Rhode fired multiple rounds at the Infinity before the driver came to a stop, police said.

Police removed Short from the SUV and administered first aid until emergency medical services could transport him to Christiana Hospital.

Harrington was transported to Beebe Hospital where he was treated and released with injuries that were not life-threatening. Rhode was uninjured during the incident.

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