Southern Maryland News Net

Mechanicsville Man Charged Arrested After Setting His Home and Parents Vehicle on Fire

UPDATE 6/23/205: Deputy State Fire Marshals have charged a Mechanicsville man with setting his home on fire early Monday morning and later connected him to setting his parents’ car on fire Saturday morning. Michale Robert Guy, 47, was arrested shortly after the fire with the assistance of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. Just after 1:00 a.m. on June 23, 2025, the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to 27099 Morganza Turner Road for a dwelling fire. Upon arrival,...
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UPDATE: Sentencing Rescheduled for Ashley Nolan, Who Killed Her Child in Drunk Driving Crash

UPDATE 6/23/2025: Ashley Nicole Nolan, 28, of Lexington Park, is scheduled to appear in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County for sentencing on July 21, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. This follows a court-approved postponement of her previously scheduled sentencing date of June 2, 2025. The delay was requested by her attorney, Thomas J. Maronick Jr., due to a scheduling conflict with another court matter in Worcester County. The State, through Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Mosier, did not...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Deputy Cited and Released for Driving While Impaired After Traffic Stop

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, Deputy First Class Ryan McLean #400, of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, was stopped by a Maryland State Police Trooper and cited for driving while impaired. McLean was not on duty at the time and was operating a personally owned vehicle. Following the citation, McLean was released to a sober driver. In accordance with agency policy and Maryland state law, DFC McLean is suspended with pay. An administrative investigation has been initiated by...
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UPDATE: GoFundMe Started for Family Displaced by Accidental Fire in Great Mills, Dog Saved and No Injuries Reported

UPDATE 6/20/2025: The fire investigation has determined the cause of the fire was accidental and caused by a portable phone charger. The neighbor has started a GoFundMe to assist the homeowner, who has asked we share for additional support and assistance. The fire was discovered by a neighbor who heard smoke alarms sounding. The occupants were not home at the time of the fire. The neighbor successfully rescued one dog from the home. The family was displaced and is...
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Child Flown to Children’s Center After Being Kicked by Horse in Leonardtown

On Thursday, June 19, 2025, at approximately 2:10 p.m., firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 24000 block of Pin Cushion Road in Leonardtown, for the reported traumatic injuries. 911 callers reported a child was kicked by a horse, with the child conscious and breathing. Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 7 was placed on standby. Fire and rescue personnel arrived on the scene to find a 9-year-old female was kicked in the upper-body by the horse, with the...
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La Plata Man Faces Multiple Felony Drug and Firearms Charges After Police Raid

Bruce Robinson, 57, of La Plata, has been charged with 14 criminal offenses, including multiple drug trafficking and firearms violations, following a police raid at his home on May 30, 2025. According to court documents filed in the District Court for Charles County, the charges stem from the execution of a search warrant carried out by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Section with support from the Emergency Services Team. Robinson is facing the following charges: Three counts...
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No Injuries Reported After Early Morning RV Fire in Charlotte Hall Damages Residence

On Thursday, June 19, 2025, at approximately 3:57 a.m., firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 14000 block of Scalloway Place in Charlotte Hall, for the reported structure on fire. 911 callers reported a large RV was on fire and threatening the residence, with subjects attempting to put the fire out with a garden hose. Crews arrived on the scene to confirm a 40 foot RV/camper was fully engulfed in flames and actively threatening the residence which was...
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Moped Operator Killed After Being Struck by Truck in Great Mills

On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at approximately 5:54 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded the area of Chancellors Run Road and Longfields Boulevard in Great Mills, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a moped with one unconscious. Crews quickly arrived on the scene to confirm a single truck struck a moped, with the operator laying unconscious in the roadway. A helicopter was immediately requested to land nearby. Firefighters and emergency medical services found the adult male was...
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UPDATE: Man Sentenced to 58 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder, Multiple Domestic Violence Offenses

UPDATE 6/18/2025: State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced today that John Otha Dickens, Jr., 35, of Lexington Park, Maryland, was sentenced to LIFE in prison with 58 years of active incarceration for several domestic violence incidents. On November 21, 2024, a St. Mary’s County jury convicted Dickens of attempted first-degree murder for viciously attacking his prior intimate partner. Dickens slashed the victim’s neck with a knife, causing devastating, life-threatening injuries that required immediate emergency medical treatment. Most troubling, Dickens was out...
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EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Lexington Park Man Arrested Following Handgun Threat Incident

Police in St. Mary’s County responded to a residential neighborhood in Lexington Park on Monday, June 16, 2025, at approximately 2:10 p.m., for the report of a threat involving a firearm. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the victim, who reported being involved in a verbal altercation with a male subject. During the dispute, the suspect allegedly threatened the victim and displayed a handgun before fleeing the area. No shots were fired, and no injuries were reported. While interviewing...
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Indian Head Woman Released By Judge Within 48 Hours After Intentionally Striking Victims With Vehicle at Baby Shower

On Sunday, June 1st, 2025, at 5:06 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 1300 block of Smallwood Drive West in Waldorf for the report of pedestrians struck. A preliminary investigation revealed the suspect, Robin Lessette Alexander, age 53, of Indian Head, was attending a baby shower at the location when she became involved in an argument with a woman who was also at the event. The argument led outside into the parking lot, where Alexander got into...
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Impaired PG County Man Arrested After Motor Vehicle Collision in Dunkirk

On June 2, 2025, Master Deputy Locke responded to a report of a vehicle driving without headlights that had just been involved in a crash on southbound Rt. 4 near the Rt. 260 overpass in Dunkirk. Upon contacting the driver of the striking vehicle, identified as Carrington Girard Britt, 40, of Upper Marlboro, deputies detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage and a strong chemical emitting from his breath. A subsequent investigation revealed multiple open and empty alcoholic beverage...
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Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department Credits Sprinkler System for Minimizing Station Fire

The Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad released the following statement following a fire that fortunately left no injuries, and limited damage to their fire station. Potomac Heights, MD — June 16, 2025 — On the evening of Sunday, June 15, members of the Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Company 7, were actively responding to multiple emergency calls during a series of severe storms that swept through the region. While managing multiple incidents,...
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Police Investigating Two Dead in Great Mills

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, at approximately 2:02 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 22000 block of Towey Court in Great Mills, for the report of two subjects not breathing. Crews arrived on the scene to confirm two patients not breathing and began performing CPR and life-saving measures. Medical personnel responding to the scene requested that Naloxone (Narcan) should be ready for use upon their arrival. At least two doses were administered on scene. One...
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Man Flown to Trauma Center After Being Struck by Vehicle in Marbury

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Chicamuxen Road and Sweetmans Road in Marbury, for the reported pedestrian struck by a vehicle. 911 callers reported a 53-year-old male on a scooter was struck by a pick-truck, and was suffering from a large injury to the head with severe bleeding. Crews arrived on the scene to find the man suffering from serious injuries and requested a helicopter...
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Fort Washington Felon Faces Multiple Firearm and Drug Charges Following Traffic Stop in Calvert County

Antwan Jamar Edwards, 37, of Fort Washington, has been charged with multiple firearms and drug-related offenses following a traffic stop conducted by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office on June 12, 2025, in Prince Frederick. According to court documents, a Calvert County deputy initiated a traffic stop shortly after 1 a.m. after observing a red...
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Piney Point Man Released on Bond Following 108 Violations of Protective Order

Daniel B. Evans, 38, of Piney Point, has been formally charged with 108 misdemeanor counts of violating a protective order, according to records from the District Court for St. Mary’s County. The charges stem from repeated alleged violations occurring between May 20, 2025, and June 16, 2025. Each count is based on a specific...
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Loaded Handgun with Removed Serial Number Recovered Following Foot Chase in Lexington Park

Alexander Chew, 29, of Lexington Park, is facing multiple firearm-related charges following a June 17, 2025, incident in which he allegedly fled from a traffic stop and was later found near a loaded handgun with its serial number removed, according to charging documents filed in the District Court of Maryland for St. Mary’s County....
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Hollywood Man Arrested After Alleged Shotgun Threat During Vehicle Repossession

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, at approximately 5:20 a.m., patrol deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 25000 block of Gallant Fox Drive in Hollywood for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, deputies met with the victim, who reported that he had arrived at the residence to repossess a...
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Public Should Report Marine Mammal and Turtle Sightings and Strandings in Maryland to DNR

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks residents and visitors enjoying coastal and tidal waterways to remain alert for marine mammals and sea turtles into summer through early fall. Dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales, and other marine wildlife are regular seasonal visitors to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and...
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Calvert County Cooling Centers Available During Extreme Temperatures

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for this week as temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees. The Calvert County Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management reminds citizens there are several places in Calvert County to visit if they need to cool off. These sites will be open...
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Woman Flown to Trauma Center After Being Found Unconscious on FDR in Great Mills

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, at approximately 9:22 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of FDR Boulevard and Iverson Drive in Great Mills, for the reported unconscious victim after a possible scooter accident. The 911 caller reported they observed a woman unresponsive in the area of the given address...
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Southern Maryland Under Extreme Heat Warnings and Watch

Monday, June 23rd, 2025 – Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 107. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Tuesday, June 24th, 2025 – Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 106. North wind 3...
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Coast Guard Seeking Public’s Help After Kayak Found Unoccupied in St. Mary’s River

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of the Chicken Cock Creek in the St. Mary’s River, for the reported open water rescue for a watercraft located with no occupants. The U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Natural Resources Police, and St. Mary’s...
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EXTREME HEAT ALERT: St. Mary’s County Cooling Centers Open Today to Thursday, June 26th

Cooling Centers Open June 23rd to June 26th. With heat indexes expected to reach over 105°F, cooling centers will be open starting today, June 23rd to Thursday, June 26th, 2025, to help residents stay safe and cool. Monday, June 23 – Thursday, June 26 * Times listed below are normal business hours and may...
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Charges Pending After Maryland State Trooper is Struck While Conducting Crash Investigation in Prince George’s County

A Maryland State Trooper was struck early Saturday morning while conducting a crash investigation on the Capital Beltway. The trooper, assigned to the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack, was transported by ambulance to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Maryland, where he has since been released. The driver of a...
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Father Transported, Son Flown to Hospital After Being Bit By Foster Pit Bull

On Friday, June 21, 2025, at approximately 2:03 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 70 block of Elder Place in Indian Head, for the reported animal bite. 911 callers reported a father and son was bit by a foster Pit bull, with a teen victim suffering a hand injury with...
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Fugitive Wanted for Rape and Sexual Offense of a Child Located and Arrested

Members of the Judicial Services Section have located and arrested Franklin Argueta-Marquez, age 28, of no fixed address, who was wanted in connection with two counts of rape and sexual offense of a 13-year-old girl whom he initially met online when she was 12 years old. Argueta-Marquez first reached out to the victim by...
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Charles County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, With 6% Increase From 2024

On Tuesday, May 20, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a balanced General Fund budget of $595,081,500, an increase of 6.0 percent over last year. The approved budget does not increase the current property or income tax rate and aligns with the Commissioners’ strategic priorities. “Despite facing one of the most challenging fiscal years in...
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Public Safety Issues Animal Safety Alert Due to Forecasted Weather, Heat

Due to forecasted high temperatures for Wednesday, June 18, through Thursday, June 19, the Department of Public Safety has issued an animal safety alert. During this period, animal owners or custodians are required to provide appropriate protection from the weather, including adequate shelter, water, space and access to shade. Pay special attention to animals...
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Lusby Woman Facing Multiple Criminal Charges in St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties

Courtney Lauren Turner, 32, of Lusby, is facing a series of criminal charges stemming from three separate incidents across St. Mary’s and Calvert counties in 2024 and 2025. According to court documents, the charges against Turner include malicious destruction of property, second-degree assault, affray, and several traffic-related offenses. Each case remains open as of...
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Maryland State Police Investigating Double Fatal Crash in Anne Arundel County on I-97

Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday night, June 17th, 2025, in Anne Arundel County. The deceased are identified as Thomas Oliver Sellman III, 30, of Churchton, Maryland, and Marcus Eric James Jr, 29, of Shady Side, Maryland. Sellman and James were pronounced deceased on the scene by emergency medical...
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