The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a hate crime after a message was found on a portable toilet “with overt disparaging racial and ethnic overtones,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The incident is being handled as a racially or ethnically motivated hate crime, a deputy said.

The message was discovered Sept. 2 at 12:13 p.m. at Roaring Point Park in Nanticoke.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 410-548-4890.

 City announces shoplifting arrests

 In an effort to stop shoplifting, the Salisbury Police Department has released the names of those arrested for shoplifting Aug. 4 to Aug. 10. The following people were charged.

A juvenile male, 13, from Salisbury; juvenile male, 13, from Salisbury; juvenile male, 17, from Delmar, Md.; juvenile male, 17, from Delmar, Md.; Brenda Ophelia Ramsey, 48, of Delmar, Del.; and Lakeisia Shedawn Hudson, 29, of Laurel.

 Route 13 traffic stop leads to drug arrest

 A 30-year-old Slidell, La., man was released on personal recognizance after being charged with possession of controlled substance Aug. 29 on Route 13 in Salisbury, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

Matthew Baringer was arrested at 12:15 p.m. after a deputy stopped a vehicle for erratic driving on the U.S. 13 bypass, a deputy said.

During the traffic stop, the deputy discovered the driver didn’t have a valid driver’s license and that the driver was in possession of what would be identified as heroin, the deputy said.

He was arrested and taken before a district court commissioner, the deputy said.

 Pittsville woman facing theft charges

 A 20-year-old Pittsville woman was charged with theft Aug. 31 after  a deputy responded to the Dollar General store there, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

Caroline Lindsey Parsons was arrested at 5:34 p.m. after a woman was caught leaving the store with merchandise she did not pay for, the deputy said.

She was charged on a criminal summons and released pending a future court date, the deputy said.

 Woman charged with drug possession

A 25-year-old Providence, R.I., resident was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance Aug. 31, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy said the arrest was made Aug. 31 at 6400 Hobbs Road in Salisbury.

Jamie Nina Nelson was charged by a deputy on traffic detail at Perdue Stadium, after he observed someone get out of a vehicle adjacent to the main entrance of the stadium and walk into the wooded area. The deputy learned the woman was on her way to Ocean City and needed to urinate. The deputy said he began an investigation  into the possession of illegal drugs and discovered drugs hidden in the woman’s bra.

The deputy said the pills were narcotic pain pills and Xanax,  not in a proper container. Nelson was arrested and  released on $25,000 bail, the deputy said.

 Fruitland woman facing assault charges

 A 22-year-old Fruitland woman was in the Wicomico County Detention Center on $10,000 bail charged with possession of a concealed dangerous weapon, possession of marijuana and second-degree assault, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

Lanita Ladawn Land was arrested on Punkin Court in Salisbury Aug. 31 at 2:24 a.m., a deputy said.

Land was arrested after a deputy witnessed an assault, then inspected a purse on Land’s shoulder. He said he found a loaded 9mm handgun and marijuana.

 Salisbury man arrested on escape warrant

 Markeeta Lateece Waters of Salisbury was being held without bail charged with second-degree escape, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

The 19-year-old was arrested Sept. 2 at noon at her residence on an arrest warrant that charged her with escape, the deputy said.

The warrant was issued  in July 2014 after Waters failed to report to the Detention Center to begin serving a sentence, the deputy said.

 Seaford man charged with cocaine possession

 A 29-year-old Seaford man was in the Wicomico County Detention Center being held without bail after he was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

Keith Kenroy Davis, 29, was arrested in Delmar Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. after a deputy stopped a car for a registration violation. Before he stopped the car, the deputy said he observed the driver throw a small plastic bag out the window.

The deputy recovered it and observed that it held what was recognized as cocaine. The amount of cocaine seized was indicative of intent to distribute, the deputy said.

He said he then arrested Davis.