Southern Maryland News Net

UPDATE: Lexington Park Man Arrested in Connection with Three Unprovoked Assaults in Lexington Park

UPDATE: Following an investigation into three seemingly unprovoked assaults on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office have arrested and charged Malachi Alexander Steele, 22, of Lexington Park. The incidents left one victim with injuries, requiring hospitalization. The Sheriff’s Office received the first report at 10:32 a.m., with two additional reports following, indicating that assaults had occurred near Great Mills Road and South Coral Drive in Lexington Park. Deputies responded and searched the...
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Maryland State Police Investigating Serious Crash with Ejection in Mechanicsville

On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at approximately 5:53 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Three Notch Road and North Sandgates Road in Mechanicsville, for a serious motor vehicle collision with entrapment, ejection, and one unresponsive. 911 callers reported a three vehicle collision with one victim trapped and one ejected from a vehicle. A helicopter was requested to pre-launch. Firefighters from Hollywood and Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Departments responded with first arriving units confirming one...
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VIDEO: Impaired Woman Released One Day After Her Arrest Following Single Vehicle Rollover in Lexington Park

UPDATE 11/4/2024: A mugshot has been requested as Arnett was released the day after her arrest on an unsecured personal bond of $5,000 Hakietta Danise Arnett age 49 of Glen Burnie, has been charged with the following below. (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) VEH. WHILE IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL FAILURE TO DRIVE RIGHT OF CENTER DRIVER FAILURE TO OBEY PROPERLY PLACED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE INSTRUCTIONS On Monday, October 28, 2024,...
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UPDATE: Felony Charge Dropped for Bushwood Man Following Shooting of 19-Year-Old Male in Hollywood

11/4/2024: The felony charge of accessory after the fact against John Curtis Reeves IV, initially filed in St. Mary’s County District Court, has been removed from case search records, along with the related court documents. However, multiple traffic charges connected to the high-speed chase remain active in District Court. According to court documents obtained by SMNEWSNET.COM prior to their removal, Reeves admitted to being present at the scene of the shooting. He informed investigators that he had seen the...
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UPDATE: Convicted Murderer on Parole Sentenced to 20-Years After 2024 Shooting in Charles County

Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, November 1, 2024, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Damion Anqwan Wilson, 42, of La Plata, to 20 years in prison for First-Degree Assault, Possession of a Firearm with a Felony Conviction, and Possession of Cocaine. On August 21, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charges. On January 17, 2024, officers responded to the Dash In located in the 600 block of Charles Street...
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Driver Flown to Trauma Center After Single Vehicle Rollover in Leonardtown

On Monday, November 4, 2024, at approximately 6:33 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of 21943 Point Lookout Road and Ridge Path Way in Leonardtown, for the serious motor vehicle collision with one overturned and entrapment. Due to 911 callers reported the male as unconscious, a helicopter was placed on standby until the arrival of First Responders. Crews arrived on the scene to find a single vehicle off the roadway and on its roof...
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Police Investigating Serious Motor Vehicle Collision Involving Motorcycle in Leonardtown

On Sunday, November 3, 2024, at approximately 12:48 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of St. Andrew’s Church Road and Brown Road in Leonardtown, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle. 911 callers reported a vehicle struck a motorcyclist with the rider laying in the roadway unconscious with agonal breathing. Crews arrived on the scene to confirm an adult male going in and out of consciousness. A helicopter was launched to land nearby....
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Impaired Lexington Park Man Sends One to Trauma Center After Motor Vehicle Collision in Callaway

On Saturday, November 2, 2024, at approximately 8:10 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Take It Easy Ranch Road and Piney Point Road in Callaway, for the reported motor vehicle collision with injuries. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find two vehicles involved with two patients to be evaluated and advised one male patient appeared to be impaired. A helicopter was requested to land nearby for a 29-year-old female, she was reported as...
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UPDATE: 23-Year-Old Hughesville Woman Killed, Three Others Injured After Collision Involving Trash Truck in Charles County

UPDATE 11/2/2024: On Saturday, November 02, 2024, at approximately 9:58 a.m., Troopers from Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to Maryland Route 231 in the area of Maryland Route 381 for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, the Maryland State Police CRASH Team responded to assume the investigation. A preliminary investigation conducted by Troopers from the MSP La Plata Barrack and the MSP CRASH Team indicates a Ford Mustang operated by Osiel...
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Multi-County High Speed Pursuit Ends with Three Arrested Following Shooting in St. Mary’s County

On Friday, November 1, 2024, at approximately 11:50 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 45000 block of Breezy Lane in Hollywood, for the reported gunshot victim. First Responders arrived on the scene to find a 19-year-old male suffering a gunshot wound to the upper-body. The victim was conscious alert and breathing. Emergency medical services transported the victim to the Maryland State Police Aviation Command Hangar in Hollywood, where Trooper 7 transported the male victim to...
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Two Suspects Apprehended in Lexington Park Shooting; Third Suspect Still at Large

In a coordinated effort, detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, apprehended two suspects on October 31, 2024, in connection with a recent shooting incident in Lexington Park. Mark Albert Fenwick Jr., 32, of Park Hall, and Jarrell Raheim Johnson, 36, of Prince Frederick, were both detained in Prince Frederick and subsequently transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown. The third suspect, Charles Henry Thompson, 30,...
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Maryland Department of Natural Resources Enacts Statewide Burn Ban Effective Today, Nov.1st, 2024

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is implementing a statewide ban on open air burning, effective today, November 1st 2024, in all Maryland counties. Extremely dry conditions persist across the state and have led to an above average number of wildfires statewide, and conditions are not expected to change in the near future. The ban will remain in effect until the Maryland Forest Service determines the state has received enough precipitation to reduce the threat of wildfires statewide. State...
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Four Suspects from Alabama and Tennessee Arrested for “Pigeon Drop” Scam; Police Seeking Additional Possible Victims

The PGPD’s Financial Crimes Unit identified four suspects who targeted an elderly woman last week in a “pigeon drop” scam in the county. A pigeon drop scam involves convincing a victim to give the suspect(s) a large amount of cash as collateral with the hope of then sharing a sum of money. The suspects are 77-year-old James Davis of Birmingham, Alabama, 64-year-old Connie Williams of Birmingham, Alabama, 59-year-old Mary Daniel of Antioch, Tennessee, and 36-year-old Kenneth Gooden of Birmingham,...
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UPDATE: Leonardtown Woman Charged with Vehicular Homicide After Killing One of Her Children and Seriously Injuring Two Others

UPDATE 10/29/2024: Ashley Nicole Nolan, 28, of Lexington Park, was arrested on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, following an 18-count indictment by the Circuit Court charging her with negligent manslaughter and other offenses related to a fatal March car crash in which a juvenile passenger died. The indictment lists the following charges: • one charge of negligent manslaughter by auto/boat/other vehicle, • two counts of negligent homicide as a result of operating an auto/boat while under the influence, • one...
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Mechanicsville Woman Facing Animal Cruelty Charges in St. Mary’s County After 15 Dead Cats Found in Her Freezer

Laura Lynn Reed, 50, of Mechanicsville, is facing 15 counts of animal cruelty following an investigation into severe neglect of animals under her care. Reed was arrested after St. Mary’s County Animal Control and Sheriff’s Deputies found 26 living animals and 15 deceased cats inside her residence on Morganza Turner Road. The investigation began on August 21, 2024, when Animal Control Officer S. Welch and Sheriff’s Deputy DFC Austin Edelen responded to an anonymous tip regarding alleged animal neglect...
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St. Clement’s Island Museum & Piney Point Lighthouse Museum to Join in Nationwide “Bells of Peace” Tolling in Remembrance of World War I Armistice

The bells at St. Clement’s Island Museum and Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, two historic sites overseen by St. Mary’s County Government’s Museum Division, will toll on November 11, 2024, at 11 a.m. to honor the 116,516 Americans, including the 27 St. Mary’s County natives, who died in World War I. BELLS OF PEACE: A...
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School Resource Officer Investigating Threat of Violence at Milton Somers Middle School

On October 31 at 1:14 p.m., a school resource officer at Milton Somers Middle School was notified about comments a student made threatening violence toward the school. A home visit was conducted, and officers were told that the student does not have access to weapons. In accordance with Maryland law, the student cannot be...
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Charles County Woman Humbled After Winning $150,000 With Powerball Ticket

UPDATE 11/6/2024: A Southern Maryland woman told Lottery officials last week that she deals with six-digit even seven-digit dollar amounts nearly every day. One would think, then, that the $150,000 Powerball prize she had just claimed wouldn’t phase her a bit. One would be wrong. “It’s one thing when I see all those zeroes...
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Firefighters Quickly Contain Large Brush Fire in Abell

On Monday, November 4, 2024 at 10:15 p.m., firefighters from Seventh District and Leonardtown were dispatched to the 21000 block of Abell Road in Abell, for the reported large brush fire. 911 callers reported a large fire in the woods along side Abell Road. Firefighters arrived in the area and made access into the...
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18-Year-Old Arrested After Leaving Unsecured Gun in Home, Leading to Child Accidentally Shooting Herself

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Gun Crimes Unit identified and obtained charges against the suspect who left a firearm unsecure which led to a young child shooting herself on Sunday. The child remains in the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery. PGPD’s Fugitive Unit located and arrested 18-year-old Elijah Fauntleroy...
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No Injuries Reported After Vehicle Strikes House in Bushwood, Operator Flees Scene

On Sunday, November 3, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 23000 block of Pleasant Lane in Bushwood, for the reported vehicle into a structure. Crews arrived on the scene to find 911 callers reporting the vehicle went down the hill and struck the back of a...
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November Weddings in Southern Maryland: Driving Safely Around Amish Buggies

As November arrives, Southern Maryland’s Amish communities, particularly in St. Mary’s and Charles counties, observe their traditional wedding season. Weddings are typically held on Tuesdays and Thursdays during this month, leading to increased horse-drawn buggy traffic on rural roads. This uptick in slow-moving vehicles requires heightened awareness and caution from all motorists. Amish weddings...
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Is Your Child’s Safety Seat Installed Correctly? Find Out at Our Free Safety Seat Check Event!

Ensuring your child’s safety while on the road starts with a properly installed car seat. But did you know that a large percentage of car seats are incorrectly installed? The Maryland State Police in Leonardtown is here to help! They are offering a free Child Safety Seat Check on Friday, November 15, 2024, from...
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House Under Construction Destroyed After Early Morning Fire in Hollywood, No Injuries Reported

On Saturday, November 2, 2024, at approximately 1:10 a.m., firefighters from Hollywood, Leonardtown, Bay District, Solomons, Second District, Seventh District, Mechanicsville and NAS Patuxent River responded to the area of Clarkes Landing Road and John Cameron Way in Hollywood, for the reported house on fire. Multiple 911 callers advised they couldn’t provide an address,...
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Leonardtown Man Charged with Assault and Theft After Domestic Dispute in St. Mary’s County

Leonardo Darrell Harrod, 41, of Leonardtown, has been arrested and charged in St. Mary’s County with first-degree assault and other related offenses following a reported domestic incident involving a weapon. The charges stem from an alleged confrontation on October 28, 2024, with his girlfriend, who claims she was threatened with a knife and assaulted....
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Bushwood Man Receives Eighteen Month Sentence for Illegal Firearms Possession After Felony Conviction

John William Loar III, 53, of Bushwood, was sentenced on November 1, 2024, to eighteen months behind bars following his guilty plea to charges of illegally possessing firearms despite a previous felony conviction. Loar, convicted of assault in 2009, faced multiple charges after authorities discovered firearms and ammunition at his residence, which he was...
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Waldorf Woman Charged with Burglaries at Leonardtown Apartment Complex

Lashawn Nicole Lewis, age 50, of Waldorf, faces two felony charges of second-degree burglary after her arrest on October 30, 2024, at an apartment complex in Leonardtown. According to court documents, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy James Morgan responded to a call reporting a break-in at on Hamptons Blvd. around 8:30 a.m. on...
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State Highway Administration Performing Routine Inspection of Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge Beginning November 4th, 2024

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will begin a multi-day routine bridge inspection of the MD 4 bridge over the Patuxent River (Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge) at the Calvert / St. Mary’s County line beginning November 4. The night-time inspection will take place through Wednesday, November 6, from 9 p.m. until 5...
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Respiratory Infections in St. Mary’s County, Health Department Resources, Prevention and Treating Illnesses in Peak Infection Season

As the country navigates peak respiratory infection season, the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) reminds county residents of local resources to help with preventing and treating illness. Common respiratory infections this season include influenza (flu), COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and pertussis (whooping cough). Symptoms can include sore throat, cough, headache, stuffy nose,...
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Statement from Sheriff Troy D. Berry Regarding Recent Community Meeting

Charles County, Maryland – On October 30, Sheriff Troy D. Berry was invited to attend a community meeting in Bryans Road, Maryland. This meeting was convened to address community concerns, including the Charter Form of Government Proposal, which is on the Maryland ballot as a referendum. Sheriff Berry spoke to the community about the...
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16-Year-Old and 17-Year-Old Indicted for String of Armed Carjackings

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Carjacking Interdiction Unit’s extensive investigation into a string of armed carjackings resulted in an indictment against two teenagers – a 16-year-old male from Upper Marlboro and a 17-year-old male from Lanham. Both suspects are charged as adults. The two teenagers are charged in connection with nine cases –...
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St. Mary’s County Group Violence Intervention Program Releases New Video About Local Violence Prevention Efforts

The St. Mary’s County Group Violence Intervention (GVI) collaboration is releasing a new video discussing the effects of gun violence in the St. Mary’s County Community. The video will premiere on each of the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) Facebook pages and YouTube channels on November...
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