Charles News

UPDATE: GoFundMe Added – Charlotte Hall House Fire Deemed Accidental, One Cat Perishes, Occupants Safely Escape

UPDATE: GoFundMe Added – Charlotte Hall House Fire Deemed Accidental, One Cat Perishes, Occupants Safely Escape

UPDATE 8/3/2023: The 1-story single family home owned/occupied by Craig and Kimberly Skidmore suffered over $400,000.00 in loss of structure and content Investigation determined the fire started in the dryer located in the laundry room and has been deemed accidental. One cat perished in the fire. The occupants of the home are being assisted...
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SMECO Warns Customers About Scams

SMECO Warns Customers About Scams

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) was recently contacted by customer-members who received phone calls from scammers targeting the Southern Maryland area. Scammers may identify themselves as SMECO employees and demand payment with prepaid debit cards or bitcoin in order to avoid having electric service cut off. According to Tom Dennison, vice president of government...
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15-Year-Old Arrested in Waldorf for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

15-Year-Old Arrested in Waldorf for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

On July 25 at 6:17 p.m., officers responded to the area of Albermarle Place in Waldorf for the report of possible illegal drug activity and gambling. When officers arrived, they observed a juvenile male who appeared to have a handgun in his waistband. As officers approached, the juvenile fled. He was apprehended after a...
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Half of Maryland Competitors Finish in National Top Ten During SkillsUSA Competition

Half of Maryland Competitors Finish in National Top Ten During SkillsUSA Competition

Maryland’s SkillsUSA student delegation brought home 24 medals from the 59th Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), recently held in Atlanta, Georgia. A team of the state’s most talented Career and Technical Education (CTE) students showcased their skills in 95 CTE competitions. Demonstrating exemplary CTE training and preparation, Maryland students challenged 6,000 other...
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Police Investigating Fatal ATV Crash in La Plata

Police Investigating Fatal ATV Crash in La Plata

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, at approximately 6:00 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the 6000 block of Wright Cross Place and Valley Road in La Plata, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving an ATV. 911 callers reported a single ATV rolled over in the backyard of the residence with one...
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Waldorf Water Tower Demolition Starting July 31st, 2023

Waldorf Water Tower Demolition Starting July 31st, 2023

Starting today, July 31, 2023, crews will begin the demolition of the water tower off route 301, Crain Highway, just south of route 228/Leonardtown Road, at the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department. This is expected to take approximately 30 days, pending any weather-related delays.
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SMECO Releases Information on Outages and Damage Following Severe Storms

SMECO Releases Information on Outages and Damage Following Severe Storms

SMECO released the following information. “Severe storms caused significant damage to our system last night. We lost multiple transmission lines, substations, and distribution feeder lines causing nearly 30,000 outages throughout our service territory. SMECO crews, and contractor crews from AUI Power and PennLine, worked through the night to restore service. As of 10 a.m.,...
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Maryland State Police to Celebrate National Night Out In Communities Across Maryland

Maryland State Police to Celebrate National Night Out In Communities Across Maryland

Maryland State Police will visit communities throughout Maryland in support of National Night Out, an event that aims to bridge law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. National Night Out since 1984 has been observed annually on the first Tuesday of August. This year’s event is on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Police officers throughout...
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Brandon Foster, Director of the Charles County Detention Center, Retires After Serving Over 26 Years!

Brandon Foster, Director of the Charles County Detention Center, Retires After Serving Over 26 Years!

“Today the CCSO family is saying farewell to Brandon Foster, Director of the Charles County Detention Center (CCDC), who is retiring after dutifully serving 26.5 years. Director Foster began his journey with the CCDC in 1997. He chose corrections because he believed he could build an amazing career in that field. He was right....
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La Plata Police Department Seeking Assistance in Locating Lexus Involving in Hit and Run

La Plata Police Department Seeking Assistance in Locating Lexus Involving in Hit and Run

The La Plata Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance with a hit and run that occurred on July 25, 2023, between 1045-1048 a.m. The hit and run occurred at the intersection of Charles Street and North Maple Avenue. The involved vehicle is a 2007-2010 Lexus LS460. The vehicle should have frontend damage and...
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CCSO Public Safety Cadets Take 3rd and 4th Place in SkillsUSA National Competition

CCSO Public Safety Cadets Take 3rd and 4th Place in SkillsUSA National Competition

Public Safety Cadets Aaliyah Davis (left) and Keirstin Perez (right), who are both North Point High School Criminal Justice students, recently participated in a five-day National Leadership and SkillsUSA competition held in Atlanta, Georgia taking home the 3rd and 4th place respectively. SkillsUSA is a National Organization that provides Career and Technical Education (CTE)...
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Charles County Cooling and Warming Centers

Charles County Cooling and Warming Centers

During the holiday season, some of these locations are closed.  If you or someone you know are in need of shelter during this time, please call the Charles County Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-2222.  In emergencies, call 9-1-1. The following public buildings are open during regular business hours for use by residents: Capital Clubhouse –...
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Registration Now Open for Inaugural DMV Girls Try Hockey for Free Day at 14 Local Hockey Rinks

Registration Now Open for Inaugural DMV Girls Try Hockey for Free Day at 14 Local Hockey Rinks

Registration is now open for the inaugural DMV Girls Try Hockey For Free Day at 14 rinks across Maryland and Virginia. The DMV Girls Try Hockey for Free Day is a joint effort between the Washington Capitals, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association (PVAHA), and various youth hockey organizations...
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Waldorf Man Found Guilty of Sexual Solicitation of 8-Year-Old Victim

Waldorf Man Found Guilty of Sexual Solicitation of 8-Year-Old Victim

Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, a Charles County jury convicted Jose Eugenio Escobar-Argueta, 34 of Waldorf, of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor, Second-Degree Assault, Fourth-Degree Sexual Offense, and Fourth-Degree Attempted Sexual Offense. On January 30, 2022, an officer from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded...
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Public Safety Issues Animal Safety Alert Due to Severe Heat

Public Safety Issues Animal Safety Alert Due to Severe Heat

Due to forecasted high temperatures, animal owners or custodians are required to provide appropriate protection from the weather including shelter, water, space and access to shade In addition, the following requirements are in effect until the official heat advisory expires: Dogs with short snouts (brachiocephalic), such as boxers, Shih-Tzus and pugs, and long hair winter...
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75-Year-Old Male Flown to Trauma Center After Rollover Collision with Fire in Hughesville

75-Year-Old Male Flown to Trauma Center After Rollover Collision with Fire in Hughesville

On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 9:55 a.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the area of Prince Frederick Road and Brandywine Road in Hughesville, for the serious motor vehicle collision with one reportedly trapped with a vehicle on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to report smoke showing from one vehicle with...
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Reward of up to $12,500 Offered in 2022 Murder Case on October Place in Waldorf

Reward of up to $12,500 Offered in 2022 Murder Case on October Place in Waldorf

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office and Charles County Crime Solvers are offering a combined cash reward of up to $12,500 for information leading to an arrest in a shooting case that occurred last year. On July 24, 2022, officers responded to an apartment complex in the area of October Place in Waldorf for the...
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UPDATE: Victim in Fatal Motorcycle Crash in Hughesville Identified as 25-Year-Old Great Mills Man

UPDATE: Victim in Fatal Motorcycle Crash in Hughesville Identified as 25-Year-Old Great Mills Man

UPDATE 7/24/2023: On Saturday, July 22, 2023, at approximately 8:25 p.m., Troopers from Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to Maryland Route 5 (Leonardtown Road) in the area of Huckleberry Drive for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision involving a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle. Due to the circumstances, Trooper First Class...
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CCPS Supervisor of HR receives leadership Award

CCPS Supervisor of HR receives leadership Award

Kevin Howard, Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) supervisor of Human Resources, recently received the Fay Miller Education Leadership Eagle Institute Award by the Maryland Association of School Business Officials (MD ASBO). Every year, the MD Association chooses someone who exhibits leadership skills in his or her school system and has demonstrated a commitment to...
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Registered Sex Offender Arrested After Assaulting and Robbing 80-Year-Old Victim in Charles County

Registered Sex Offender Arrested After Assaulting and Robbing 80-Year-Old Victim in Charles County

On Friday, July 21, 2023, at approximately 1:28 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Charles Street for the report of a strong-arm robbery. Preliminary investigation found the suspect approached the 80-year-old victim and attempted to enter the victim’s pockets. The suspect then punched the victim who fell to the ground and was...
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Police Investigating Fatal crash on Post Office Road That Killed Waldorf Woman

Police Investigating Fatal crash on Post Office Road That Killed Waldorf Woman

On July 20, 2023, at 3:19 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office  responded to the area of Post Office Road near Henry Ford Circle in Waldorf for the report of a motor vehicle crash. A preliminary investigation by members of the CCSO Traffic Operations Unit revealed the driver of a passenger car...
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Police Investigating Hit and Run on Crain Highway That Killed 34-Year-Old La Plata Man

Police Investigating Hit and Run on Crain Highway That Killed 34-Year-Old La Plata Man

On July 21, 2023,  at 12:09 a.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 6500 block of Crain Highway in La Plata (near the Shelton Shopping Center) for the report of a man lying in the roadway who appeared to have been struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, the man was...
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UPDATE: Thompson Sentenced to Life in Prison for First-Degree Murder After Killing 19-Year-Old in Waldorf for a Pair of Shoes

UPDATE: Thompson Sentenced to Life in Prison for First-Degree Murder After Killing 19-Year-Old in Waldorf for a Pair of Shoes

UPDATE 7/20/2023: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, July 20, 2023, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Keishon Javontae Thompson, 21, to life plus 15 years and two days in prison for the First-Degree Murder of J’Shaun Wallace, as well as related weapon charges. On December...
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Speeding Leads to Arrest of White Plains Man for Multiple Firearm Violations

Speeding Leads to Arrest of White Plains Man for Multiple Firearm Violations

On July 17, 2023, at 1:15 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop in the area of Bensville Road and Grassland Court in Waldorf after observing a speeding violation. As the driver was pulling over, the officer observed the driver throw a gun to the back seat. Upon approaching the car, the officer observed a...
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Powerball Drawing Creates Two Maryland Millionaires, Large Winners Sold in PG and Charles County

Powerball Drawing Creates Two Maryland Millionaires, Large Winners Sold in PG and Charles County

Jackpot roll that began in April contributes approximately $10.8 million to the state While the $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot was won last night on a ticket sold in California, the July 19 drawing produced two Maryland tickets worth $1 million each. In addition, one ticket sold in Maryland was a third-tier winner with the...
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