Charles News

Waldorf Couple Face Multiple Charges Following Incident in Charles County

Waldorf Couple Face Multiple Charges Following Incident in Charles County

Two residents of Waldorf, Maryland, have been charged with multiple offenses following an incident on September 1, 2024, that led to arrests by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. Destiny Love Brettler, 22, and Davon Alonzo Dunn, 27, both of Waldorf, are both facing charges including assault and trespassing. Destiny Love Brettler, has been charged...
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Elementary School Meltdown Results in Drug Distribution Charges for Prince Frederick Woman

Elementary School Meltdown Results in Drug Distribution Charges for Prince Frederick Woman

On August 27, 2024, around 12:35 p.m., Deputy First Class Bradley from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Barstow Elementary School, in Prince Frederick, in response to a report of a disorderly individual. Upon arrival, Deputy Bradley identified the subject as Karla Yamith Rodriguez, 34, of Prince Frederick. According to the report,...
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UPDATE: Kevin Bonnie in Custody, Vehicle Recovered in St. Mary’s County

UPDATE: Kevin Bonnie in Custody, Vehicle Recovered in St. Mary’s County

UPDATE 9/5/2024: Bonnie is in custody, police have also recovered the suspects vehicle in Hollywood, located in St. Mary’s County. 9/5/2024: The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office are actively investigating recent social media threats made against children and police officers. On Thursday, September 5, 2024,...
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UPDATE: Police Identify Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Dump Truck as 38-Year-Old Waldorf Man

UPDATE: Police Identify Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Dump Truck as 38-Year-Old Waldorf Man

UPDATE 9/5/2024: On September 4 at 3:35 p.m., officers responded to the area of Middletown Road near Lyles Place in Waldorf for the report of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Upon arrival, officers determined a pedestrian, who was crossing the street and not in a crosswalk, was struck by a dump truck. The...
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$700,000 in Federal Funding Approved for 7 Fire Departments in Charles and St. Mary’s Counties

$700,000 in Federal Funding Approved for 7 Fire Departments in Charles and St. Mary’s Counties

In a major win for Southern Maryland’s fire departments, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, along with Congressman Steny Hoyer, have announced that seven fire departments in Charles and St. Mary’s Counties will receive $707,877.04 in federal funding. This vital funding will enhance emergency response capabilities by upgrading equipment and improving safety...
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Traffic Safety: A Comprehensive Five-Year Crash Data Analysis – Part 2, Charles County

Traffic Safety: A Comprehensive Five-Year Crash Data Analysis – Part 2, Charles County

As St. Mary’s County continues to expand and develop, traffic safety remains a critical issue for local residents, law enforcement, and policymakers. Understanding the patterns and causes of vehicle crashes is essential to improve road safety and reduce accidents. Recent data from the Maryland Department of Transportation provides a detailed look at crash trends...
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Waldorf Native Airman Timothy Goldring Serves Aboard Aircraft Carrier, USS Ronald Reagan

Waldorf Native Airman Timothy Goldring Serves Aboard Aircraft Carrier, USS Ronald Reagan

By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach: Airman Timothy Goldring, a native of Waldorf, Maryland, serves aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan. Equipped with a full flight deck and more than 60 aircraft including attack fighter jets and helicopters, aircraft carriers are one of the largest warships in the world. Goldring graduated...
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Fire Marshal Investigating Shed Fire in Mechanicsville, No Injuries Reported

Fire Marshal Investigating Shed Fire in Mechanicsville, No Injuries Reported

On Wednesday, September 4. 2024, at approximately 1:35 p.m., firefighters from Mechanicsville, Leonardtown, Hollywood, and Hughesville responded to the 26000 block of Prospect Hill Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported structure fire. 911 callers reported and outside fire got out of control and is now involving a shed and trees, while spreading towards the...
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Taking a Second Look at the Impact of the Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry System

Taking a Second Look at the Impact of the Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry System

Southern Maryland, comprising Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s counties, stands on the brink of significant transformation with the proposed Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry System. Announced at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Conference on August 15, 2024, the findings of a feasibility study conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry Consortium outline a visionary...
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Police Arrest Middle School Teacher with Stolen Handgun in Charles County After DUI

Police Arrest Middle School Teacher with Stolen Handgun in Charles County After DUI

On August 31, 2024, Dhonte Jamar Ford, 30, of Indian Head, was arrested following a traffic stop on Crain Highway in Waldorf. According to court documents ,at approximately 2:17 AM, Deputy Gordon was patrolling the area of Crain Highway when he observed a red Nissan Altima driving southbound without the required lights on. The...
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Hughesville Man Arrested After Breaking Police Officer’s Jaw at Waldorf McDonald’s

Hughesville Man Arrested After Breaking Police Officer’s Jaw at Waldorf McDonald’s

Jordan Christopher Williams, 21, of Hughesville, was arrested on August 30, 2024, following a disturbance at a McDonald’s located on Mall Circle in Waldorf, Charles County. According to court documents, Williams faces multiple charges, including assault, resisting arrest, and failing to obey a lawful order. Officers responded to a call about a disturbance at...
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La Plata Man Arrested After Breaking and Entering at Steeple Chase Community Center

La Plata Man Arrested After Breaking and Entering at Steeple Chase Community Center

On August 31, 2024, Patrick Lionel Adams, Jr., 30, of La Plata, was arrested and charged with burglary and trespassing after an incident at the Steeple Chase Community Building in La Plata. According to court documents, Officer J. Shaur of the La Plata Police Department was dispatched to the Steeple Chase Recreational Center around...
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No Injuries Reported After House Fire in Clements, Cause Remains Under Investigation

No Injuries Reported After House Fire in Clements, Cause Remains Under Investigation

On Monday, September 2, 2024, at approximately 7:18 p.m., firefighters from Seventh District, Leonardtown, Hollywood, Hughesville, and Mechanicsville responded to the 24000 block of Long Road in Clements, for the reported residential structure fire. Dispatchers advised the first 911 call was the home owner/resident reporting smoke coming from the residence with all occupants being...
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The Alarming Rise of Roadway Deaths in Southern Maryland

The Alarming Rise of Roadway Deaths in Southern Maryland

As we move through 2024, Southern Maryland is facing a troubling increase in deadly accidents on our roads. This past Labor Day weekend, instead of being a time for family and fun, sadly added to the growing number of fatalities. Multiple people died in crashes over the holiday, showing how important it is to...
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SMECO Helps Stock Food Bank

SMECO Helps Stock Food Bank

SMECO recently helped fight hunger in the region by supporting the Southern Maryland Food Bank. Through donations of food and cash by its employees, the cooperative was able to stock the charity’s shelves with more than 3,100 pounds of food. The donations will enable the food bank to feed more than 140 families. The...
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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Supporting Our Community Together

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Supporting Our Community Together

September marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the complexities of suicide and promoting resources for prevention. Suicide is a significant public health issue, affecting individuals and communities across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the 11th leading cause of...
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Welcome Back Hawks! CSM Students Set to Return for the 2024 Fall Semester

Welcome Back Hawks! CSM Students Set to Return for the 2024 Fall Semester

Holiday: Labor Day Weekend (College closed).  All campuses of the College of Southern Maryland will be closed for the Labor Day weekend from Aug. 31 – Sept. 2. The college will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Welcome back Hawks! Fall sessions for students start Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, for seven-week and 15-week classes at all College...
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UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed in Charlotte Hall Identified as 39-Year-Old South Carolina Man

UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed in Charlotte Hall Identified as 39-Year-Old South Carolina Man

UPDATE 9/1/2024: On Sunday, September 1st, 2024, at approximately 1:37 a.m., First Responders were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian in the area of Three Notch Road and Carpenter Lane, Charlotte Hall, Maryland. The preliminary investigation indicates that a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse, operated by Samuel Robert Simmons, 41, of Saint Inigoes,...
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Archery Deer Hunting in Maryland Opens September 6th, 2024

Archery Deer Hunting in Maryland Opens September 6th, 2024

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will open the archery hunting season for white-tailed and sika deer on Sept. 6. The season runs intermittently through Jan. 31, 2025. Archers may use vertical longbows and vertical recurve bows Feb. 1 and Feb. 3-4, 2025 during the third annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Hunters should consult the 2024-2025...
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Bryans Road Man Arrested for Assault and Violating Protective Order

Bryans Road Man Arrested for Assault and Violating Protective Order

Cozell Ryan Johnson, 37, of Bryans Road, was arrested on August 29, 2024, following a domestic-related incident in which he allegedly violated a Final Protective Order and assaulted an adult female. According to court documents, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Hilton Court after receiving a report of...
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Charles County Man Arrested After Domestic Assault Involving Firearm

Charles County Man Arrested After Domestic Assault Involving Firearm

Damon Clyburn Glenn, 43, of Accokeek, was arrested on August 28, 2024, following an alleged domestic assault involving a firearm. Glenn has been charged with first-degree assault, a felony, after an incident at an apartment in Waldorf. Authorities responded to a report of a domestic-related assault at approximately 9:22 a.m. at the 2000 block...
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Maryland State Police Step Up Enforcement To Ensure A Safer Labor Day Weekend

Maryland State Police Step Up Enforcement To Ensure A Safer Labor Day Weekend

The Maryland State Police urge all motorists to prioritize safety during the Labor Day weekend and avoid impaired, distracted, and aggressive driving to protect yourself and others on the road. From August 30 to September 2, state troopers from all 23 barracks will conduct saturation patrols across Maryland. The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction...
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Road Rage Incident with Baseball Bat in Charles County Leads to Charges for Accokeek Woman

Road Rage Incident with Baseball Bat in Charles County Leads to Charges for Accokeek Woman

Tanika Lee Lopez, 45, of Accokeek, is facing charges of malicious destruction of property valued at less than $1,000 following an incident that allegedly occurred on August 29, 2023, in Waldorf, according to court documents from the District Court for Charles County. According to the charging documents, Lopez is accused of damaging a vehicle...
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Two Men Face Drug Charges in Charles County After Police Pursuit in Waldorf

Two Men Face Drug Charges in Charles County After Police Pursuit in Waldorf

Two men from St. Mary’s County are facing multiple drug-related charges following a traffic stop earlier this year in Charles County. Delontey Montario Butler, 31, of Lexington Park, and Demetrius Devon Hall, 27, of Chaptico, were charged with misdemeanors for the possession of controlled dangerous substances and drug paraphernalia after a high-speed chase ended...
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UPDATE: No Injuries Reported After House Fire in Colton’s Point

UPDATE: No Injuries Reported After House Fire in Colton’s Point

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, at approximately 12:22 p.m., firefighters from Seventh District, Leonardtown, Mechanicsville, Bay District, Second District, Hollywood, and Charles County responded to the 38000 block of Bayview Road in Colton’s Point, for the reported porch on fire. The 911 caller reported her back porch was on fire. Additional 911 callers then...
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