Charles News

Understanding Delays in Bringing Charges for a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident

Understanding Delays in Bringing Charges for a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident

In the aftermath of a fatal motor vehicle accident involving a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the time it takes for police or state attorneys’ offices to bring charges can be weeks or even months. This delay is due to the complexity of the investigation and the need for thorough evidence...
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2-Alarm Townhouse Fire in Waldorf Deemed Accidental, No Injuries Reported

2-Alarm Townhouse Fire in Waldorf Deemed Accidental, No Injuries Reported

On Sunday, October 27, 2024, at approximately 5:10 a.m., fire and rescue personnel from Charles and Prince George’s County were dispatched to the 11300 block of Golden Eagle Place in Waldorf, for the reported structure on fire. While firefighters were responding to the scene, dispatchers advised they received multiple calls reporting the house is...
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Student Assaulted by Two Other Students at Milton Somers Middle School

Student Assaulted by Two Other Students at Milton Somers Middle School

On Monday, October 28, 2024, at 11:04 a.m., a student at Milton Somers Middle School was attacked by two students. No one was injured during the brief altercation, which was quickly stopped by school administrators and the school resource officer. In accordance with Maryland law, the involved students cannot be criminally charged due to...
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UPDATE: CSM Professor Dead After Vehicle Crossing Double-Line Causes Serious Three-Vehicle Crash in Prince Frederick

UPDATE: CSM Professor Dead After Vehicle Crossing Double-Line Causes Serious Three-Vehicle Crash in Prince Frederick

UPDATE 10/28/2024: On October 28, 2024, at approximately 7:12 a.m., Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Bureau deputies responded to a report of a serious motor vehicle collision involving entrapment in the 6600 block of Hallowing Point Road (Rt. 231) in Prince Frederick. Upon arrival, deputies confirmed that one driver was deceased and immediately requested...
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No Injuries Reported After Apartment Fire in La Plata

No Injuries Reported After Apartment Fire in La Plata

On Friday, October 25, 2024, at approximately 10:48 p.m., firefighters from La Plata, Waldorf, and surrounding departments from Charles and Prince George’s County responded to the 600 block of Zekiah Run Road in La Plata, for the reported apartment fire with subjects possibly trapped. The 911 caller reported a stove fire in their apartment...
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Firefighters in St. Mary’s and Calvert Respond to Large Brush Fires During Abnormally Dry Fall

Firefighters in St. Mary’s and Calvert Respond to Large Brush Fires During Abnormally Dry Fall

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is implementing a statewide ban on open air burning, effective November 1st 2024, in all Maryland counties. The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) currently lists Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s County as D0 – Abnormally Dry with Short-term dryness slowing planting, growth of crops, Some lingering water deficits, and...
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All Arrests and Criminal Summons Issued in Charles County 10/11/2024 to 10/24/2024

All Arrests and Criminal Summons Issued in Charles County 10/11/2024 to 10/24/2024

SMNEWSNET.COM will provide a list of all arrests and criminal summonses issued in Charles County. In the spirit of transparency, we are committed to keeping our community informed about local law enforcement activities. This list includes arrests made by both the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police, providing a comprehensive look...
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Maryland State Police 158th Academy Class Graduation Welcomes 20 New Troopers

Maryland State Police 158th Academy Class Graduation Welcomes 20 New Troopers

The Maryland Department of State Police Superintendent Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. and Major General (retired) Linda L. Singh, PhD, welcomed the graduates of the 158th Academy Class to the ranks of Maryland’s Finest during a ceremony today at LifePoint Church in Reisterstown. Major General (retired) Singh delivered the keynote address to the Department’s 20...
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UPDATE: Two of Four Waldorf Men Convicted After Trial for Murder, Armed Robbery, Carjacking, After Violent Crime Spree Across Maryland and Virginia

UPDATE: Two of Four Waldorf Men Convicted After Trial for Murder, Armed Robbery, Carjacking, After Violent Crime Spree Across Maryland and Virginia

After a 9-day trial, a federal jury returned verdicts against Thaddeus Lamont Wills, age 51, and Keionta Shawn Hagens, age 44, both of Waldorf, Maryland, of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, carjacking, and of...
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Bel Alton and Hughesville Volunteer Fire Departments Donate Equipment to North Carolina Fire Department That Lost Everything to Hurricane Helene

Bel Alton and Hughesville Volunteer Fire Departments Donate Equipment to North Carolina Fire Department That Lost Everything to Hurricane Helene

The Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department is proud to announce its coordination of a relief effort to aid the South Side Volunteer Fire Department in Albemarle, North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene, leaving the department without essential resources. Among the donated items are rescue tools from the Bel Alton department, ready to...
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Founder of Thirty-One Announces Closure in December of 2024 After 21 Years of Business

Founder of Thirty-One Announces Closure in December of 2024 After 21 Years of Business

October 20, 2024 — Cindy Monroe, the founder of Thirty-One Gifts, announced that her popular direct-sales business will be closing its doors in December 2024. This decision marks the end of a 21-year journey that began in Monroe’s Tennessee basement and has grown into a global community of women empowered through entrepreneurship. Monroe started...
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Elevated Fire Conditions Due to Dry Conditions Throughout Maryland

Elevated Fire Conditions Due to Dry Conditions Throughout Maryland

Amid prolonged dry conditions and gusty winds, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a special weather statement for elevated fire conditions across parts of Maryland. The advisory is effective from Thursday, October 24th, through Wednesday, October 30th, 2024, highlighting an increased risk of wildfires in the region due to a combination of low...
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Student Transported to Hospital After Assault at St. Charles High School

Student Transported to Hospital After Assault at St. Charles High School

On Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. during class transition at St. Charles High School, one student approached another student from behind and struck them in the head. The two students became engaged in a physical altercation. Nearby school staff intervened and broke up the altercation. The student who was struck from behind...
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Police in Charles County Investigating Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision on Bumpy Oak Road in Pomfret

Police in Charles County Investigating Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision on Bumpy Oak Road in Pomfret

On October 23, at 1:36 p.m., patrol officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Bumpy Oak Road near Marshall Corner Road in Pomfret for the report of a motor vehicle collision. Officers arrived on the scene and found a three wheeled Harley Davidson motorcycle had left the roadway for...
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National School Bus Safety Week: October 21-25

National School Bus Safety Week: October 21-25

As we recognize National School Bus Safety Week from October 21 to 25, it’s a perfect time for drivers and students alike to brush up on essential safety tips that keep everyone safe on the road. With millions of children relying on buses to get to and from school, it’s critical that we all...
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Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Employee Pleads Guilty to Leaking Confidential Information

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Employee Pleads Guilty to Leaking Confidential Information

Dameshia Cooper, 35, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of disclosing confidential information held by the D.C. Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), which is an independent federal entity within the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA), announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special...
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Waldorf Man Faces Assault and Hate Crime Charges After Tractor Supply Confrontation

Waldorf Man Faces Assault and Hate Crime Charges After Tractor Supply Confrontation

On October 20, 2024, at approximately 4:04 p.m., Charles County officers responded to a report of an armed confrontation outside a Tractor Supply store in White Plains. According to law enforcement, Harold Andrew Howard, 53, of Waldorf, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault and a race or religious crime after...
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Waldorf Man Faces Multiple Assault Charges Following Domestic Assault

Waldorf Man Faces Multiple Assault Charges Following Domestic Assault

Christian Donovan Johnson, age 28, of Waldorf, was arrested on October 5, 2024, following an alleged domestic assault involving his mother. According to court documents, Johnson has been charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and resisting arrest. The incident occurred on Augsburg Court in Waldorf. According to court documents, on October 5, 2024, officers...
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Five Suspects Arrested for Dozens of ATM Robberies, Auto Thefts in DMV Area

Five Suspects Arrested for Dozens of ATM Robberies, Auto Thefts in DMV Area

October 15th, 2024: Federal law enforcement arrested the fourth and fifth defendants charged in connection with a series of burglaries and robberies of commercial businesses, ATMs, and vehicles in the D.C. and Maryland area. Jonathan Winston, 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland Jeffery Felder, 37, of Bowie, Maryland Winston and Felder were arrested early in the...
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Results of Chesapeake Bay 2024 Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey Show Little Change

Results of Chesapeake Bay 2024 Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey Show Little Change

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of this year’s juvenile striped bass survey, which tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in the Chesapeake Bay. The 2024 young-of-year index is 2.0, well below the long-term average of 11.0, and marks the sixth consecutive year of poor reproduction. “These results underscore the complexity of managing...
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Charles County Man Faces Multiple Assault Charges After Domestic Dispute

Charles County Man Faces Multiple Assault Charges After Domestic Dispute

On October 7, 2024, Antonio Jerrel Kornegay, 45, of Waldorf, was arrested following an alleged domestic assault at a residence on Tumbleweed Place. According to court documents, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an assault in progress at the home. Upon arrival, officers encountered Kornegay attempting to leave the scene...
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Charles County Crime Solvers Offering Cash Reward in Destruction of Property Cases at 925 Park and Ride

Charles County Crime Solvers Offering Cash Reward in Destruction of Property Cases at 925 Park and Ride

On Friday, October 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., officers responded to the Park and Ride on Route 925 in Waldorf, after being alerted there was a car in the lot with a window that had been broken out. Officers arrived and found seven cars with windows that were damaged or destroyed. Officers are continuing...
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Multiple Students Involved in Assault at Westlake High School

Multiple Students Involved in Assault at Westlake High School

On Thursday, October 17, 2024, a student at Westlake High School aggressively approached another student inside the school. The student who was approached activated pepper spray and an altercation ensued between the two. School staff separated the students. The student who was initially approached ran outside, followed by three other students who caught up...
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Waldorf Man Faces Multiple Charges After Altercation at Dash In

Waldorf Man Faces Multiple Charges After Altercation at Dash In

On October 9, 2024, Antonio Devon Stanton, 42, of Waldorf, was arrested following an incident at the Westlake Dash In on Smallwood Drive, in Waldorf. According to court documents, Stanton faces several charges, including robbery, second-degree assault, and theft. Officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 5:55 a.m. after...
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Charles County Officers Catch Theft Suspects, Recover Modified Glock and Stolen Property

Charles County Officers Catch Theft Suspects, Recover Modified Glock and Stolen Property

In the early morning hours of October 14, 2024, Charles County patrol officers apprehended two suspects, Dimiuan Paul Jackson, 24, and Robert Leroy Barnes, 24, both of Washington, D.C., after a series of car thefts and break-ins in Waldorf and surrounding areas. The arrests followed a high-speed pursuit and led to the recovery of...
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