MARYLAND

Man drives on dunes in Ocean City for nearly 20 blocks, police say

The Daily Times

A tow truck pulls an SUV off the 99th Street dune after the vehicle crashed there, Ocean City police say.

A Federalsburg, Maryland, man's SUV burst through fencing and drove through the dunes Sunday morning, resulting in a DUI charge, officials said.

Police found 47-year-old Daniel Silvers' Ford Explorer stuck in the dunes near 99th Street at about 5:50 a.m. Sunday, said Jessica Waters, Ocean City communications manager.

A SUV on the 99th Street dune after the vehicle crashed there, Ocean City police say.

A police investigation determined the vehicle entered the beach at 118th Street and traveled south on the dunes, damaging fencing and other property in his path, Waters said.

Silvers' charges included driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while impaired by drugs and failure to stop after unattended property damage accident.

The dunes are protective masses of sand and vegetation, which help prevent flood waters from damaging properties and residences.

Broken fencing near 118th Street where Ocean City police say a man drove his SUV onto the dune until his vehicle stopped near 99th Street.

Ocean City is in the midst of a $3 million beach renourishment project in order to counter storms eating away at the dunes.

The renourishment project involves placing nearly 900,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from offshore shoals on the beach, in order to protect the city for the next four years.

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