St. Mary’s News

Natural Resources Police Toy Drive Underway for 2024 Holiday Season

Natural Resources Police Toy Drive Underway for 2024 Holiday Season

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is conducting its annual “Boatload of Toys” holiday gift drive at several locations across the state in advance of the 2024 holiday season. NRP officers are collecting donations of new, unopened toys for local children in need. The program is part of the national United States Marine Toys for...
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Maryland’s ‘Gift of Trees’ Available for 2024 Holiday Season

Maryland’s ‘Gift of Trees’ Available for 2024 Holiday Season

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering holiday shoppers a different type of gift this year–one that can be in honor of a loved one, to benefit future generations, and improve the environment. The Gift of Trees is a program where Marylanders purchase native trees — either a single tree or a grove...
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Firefighters from Maryland and Virginia Respond to Large Boat Fire in Colonial Beach

Firefighters from Maryland and Virginia Respond to Large Boat Fire in Colonial Beach

On Sunday, December 1, 2024, at approximately 12:50 p.m., firefighters from Virginia, Maryland and NDW Dahlgren responded to the 1700 block of Castlewood Drive in Colonial Beach, VA, for the report of multiple boats on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find an approximate 30 foot boat on fire threatening other boats and...
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Cocaine Found During Routine Traffic Stop in Lexington Park

Cocaine Found During Routine Traffic Stop in Lexington Park

Alehandro Brown, 52, of Lexington Park, was arrested on November 26, 2024, following a traffic stop initiated by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. Brown faces multiple charges, including drug possession and tampering with evidence. The charges stem from a routine traffic enforcement operation that escalated into a search and seizure of illegal substances....
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UPDATE: Video Footage Captures Home Invasion in St. Mary’s County; Suspect Charged with Attempted Murder

UPDATE: Video Footage Captures Home Invasion in St. Mary’s County; Suspect Charged with Attempted Murder

UPDATE 11/2/2024: Robert Eric Hyatt Jr., 38, of Fort Washington, has been arrested and charged with numerous crimes, including attempted first-degree murder, after an alleged violent home invasion in St. Mary’s County. On November 29, 2024, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a home invasion at an...
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Archaeologists Work with Indigenous Peoples, Department of Natural Resources to Uncover History at Chapel Point State Park

Archaeologists Work with Indigenous Peoples, Department of Natural Resources to Uncover History at Chapel Point State Park

Before John Smith arrived and even before the glaciers melted to create the Chesapeake Bay, Indigenous Peoples had called the land that is now Maryland home. Indigenous sites in Maryland have been dated as early as 12,000 years ago by archaeologists. Many Indigenous People lived along the then Susquehanna River, using the resources provided...
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Christmas on the Square & Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Leonardtown is Here!! Friday Nov.29th, 2024

Christmas on the Square & Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Leonardtown is Here!! Friday Nov.29th, 2024

The holiday season begins in Leonardtown when Santa arrives for Christmas on the Square & the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Town Square on Friday, November 29, 2024. The festivities begin at 4:30 PM with holiday music, entertainment, sleigh rides, train rides, hayrides, live nativity, balloon art, face painting, children’s crafts, hot drinks, food, holiday...
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St. Mary’s County Woman Arrested After Stabbing in Lexington Park

St. Mary’s County Woman Arrested After Stabbing in Lexington Park

Raven Savannah Gardiner, 22, of Leonardtown, has been charged in connection with an altercation that left a man with multiple stab wounds and another woman injured. The incident, which occurred on November 10, 2024, in the North Essex Drive area of Lexington Park, involved an attempt to break up a fight that escalated into...
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Commissioners of St. Mary’s County & NAS PAX Announce Joint Meeting

Commissioners of St. Mary’s County & NAS PAX Announce Joint Meeting

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) and the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS PAX) will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 9 a.m. in the Frank Knox Building, located just outside of NAS PAX Gate 2 at 21866 Cedar Point Road, Patuxent River. “Our partnership...
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Rock in the Holiday Season with Historic St. Mary’s City

Rock in the Holiday Season with Historic St. Mary’s City

December 2024 marks the return of a beloved holiday tour, along with a fresh approach to celebration! Historic St. Mary’s City is thrilled to unveil an entire weekend filled with holiday magic, offering activities that will delight every member of your family. Enjoy everything from an outdoor rock show to crafting your own fresh...
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Cannabis-Related ER Visits Increased Ahead of Recreational Legalization, State Dashboard Shows

Cannabis-Related ER Visits Increased Ahead of Recreational Legalization, State Dashboard Shows

by Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters November 24, 2024 Cannabis-related emergency room visits climbed steadily through July 2023, when recreational use was first legalized in Maryland, but have never reached that peak again, fluctuating up and down in the months since. That was just one of the findings of a new Maryland Health Department...
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No Injuries Reported After Vehicle Strikes St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Leonardtown

No Injuries Reported After Vehicle Strikes St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Leonardtown

On Monday, November 25, 2024, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office advised a vehicle struck the building and was checking for injuries. Firefighters and emergency medical services were dispatched and responded, however, before their arrival, all units were placed in service as no injuries were reported. The elderly...
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St. Mary’s County Museums to Host Free Family Holiday Events & Exhibits 2024

St. Mary’s County Museums to Host Free Family Holiday Events & Exhibits 2024

St. Mary’s County Government’s Museum Division, which oversees Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, St. Clement’s Island Museum, and the Old Jail Museum is pleased to present special events and exhibits during the holiday season at each historic site. Piney Point Lighthouse Museum Holiday Family Open House (Sunday, December 1, 2024, from 10 a.m. – 5...
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Holidays and the Dangers of Impaired Driving: Maryland Laws and Recent Crash Data

Holidays and the Dangers of Impaired Driving: Maryland Laws and Recent Crash Data

As families and friends gather for Thanksgiving celebrations, the holiday season also brings increased risks on Maryland’s roads due to impaired driving. Thanksgiving consistently ranks among the busiest travel times of the year, and with that comes a sharp uptick in traffic incidents involving alcohol or drugs. Law enforcement agencies and safety advocates are...
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UPDATE: Stolen Vehicle Pursuit Ends in California – Drugs and Gun Recovered – Lexington Park Man Released Without Charges

UPDATE: Stolen Vehicle Pursuit Ends in California – Drugs and Gun Recovered – Lexington Park Man Released Without Charges

UPDATE 11/24/2024 – Sheriff’s Office Press Release: Early on November 24, 2024, members of the Prince George’s County Police Department contacted the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office regarding a stolen 2023 Dodge Charger reportedly located in St. Mary’s County. Patrol deputies launched an immediate search and, at approximately 11:05 a.m., located the vehicle traveling...
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Vacant Townhouse Fire in Waldorf Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported

Vacant Townhouse Fire in Waldorf Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported

On Sunday, November 24, 2024, at approximately 7:55 a.m., firefighters from Charles and Prince George’s County were dispatched to 11207 Barnswallow Place in Waldorf, for the reported structure on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find a 3-story end of the row townhouse with smoke and fire showing from the second and third...
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One Transported to Trauma Center After Early Morning Crash in Hughesville

One Transported to Trauma Center After Early Morning Crash in Hughesville

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, at approximately 7:55 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Leonardtown Road and Carrico Mill Road in Hughesville, for a motor vehicle collision reported serious with entrapment. Crews arrived on the scene to confirm one adult male was trapped. Firefighters extricated the single occupant in...
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Police Investigating Shots Fired in Lexington Park on 11/21/2024

Police Investigating Shots Fired in Lexington Park on 11/21/2024

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, at approximately 8:15 p.m., police responded to the area of Hancock Road and Midway Drive in Lexington Park, for numerous 911 callers reporting shots fired with people screaming. Police arrived on the scene to find shell casings throughout the roadway at the intersection of Hancock Road and Midway Drive...
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‘Thank You’ to Maryland First Responders: A Father’s Gratitude for Daughter’s Recovery

‘Thank You’ to Maryland First Responders: A Father’s Gratitude for Daughter’s Recovery

On Wednesday, Sgt. Tyler Brice and TFC Patrick Nolan attended the George Washington University Hospital’s Trauma Survivors event in recognition of their treatment of Ms. Kailynn Hart while working on Trooper 7 this past year. Kailynn’s father and aunt were able to attend the event to celebrate her miraculous recovery. Check out Mr. Hart’s...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office to Host 23rd Annual Silent Angel Memorial

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office to Host 23rd Annual Silent Angel Memorial

In a poignant commemoration of lives lost to homicide, community members are cordially invited to participate in the 23rd Annual Silent Angel Memorial hosted by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 6 p.m., at the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department at 46900 South Shangri La Drive, Lexington Park....
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Three Arrested After ATF Executes Search Warrants in St. Mary’s County

Three Arrested After ATF Executes Search Warrants in St. Mary’s County

Two adults and one juvenile were taken into custody Thursday, November 21, 2024, following a joint operation between local police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In collaboration with the ATF, the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division executed search warrants at three St. Mary’s County residences. Bruce Bernard Franks, 32,...
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Police in St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Arrest Glen Burnie Man Who Shot 36-Year-Old Male in Lexington Park

Police in St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Arrest Glen Burnie Man Who Shot 36-Year-Old Male in Lexington Park

UPDATE -11/21/2024: On Thursday, November 21, 2024, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Eugene Terrill Harris, 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, in connection with a shooting that occurred on November 9, 2024, in Lexington Park that involved a 36-year-old man who walked into the Lexington Park Rescue Squad after being shot. Detectives from...
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Lexington Park Man Convicted of Attempted First-Degree Murder State Police Arrest St. Mary’s County Man For Attempted Murder In Lexington Park

Lexington Park Man Convicted of Attempted First-Degree Murder State Police Arrest St. Mary’s County Man For Attempted Murder In Lexington Park

UPDATE 11/21/2024: State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced today that a St. Mary’s County jury convicted John Otha Dickens Jr., 35, of Lexington Park, of attempted first-degree murder stemming from a brutal stabbing incident that occurred on February 13, 2023. “This verdict reflects the courage of a domestic violence survivor and the dedication of everyone...
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Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia Report – 2024 Year End Summary

Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia Report – 2024 Year End Summary

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show the volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen—was generally near or below average in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in 2024. For the year, hypoxia volumes were larger than average in May and early June,...
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Maryland State Police Teams Up for Charlotte Hall Veterans Home Donation Drive

Maryland State Police Teams Up for Charlotte Hall Veterans Home Donation Drive

The Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack has joined forces with a local middle school student to organize a donation drive for the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. The initiative aims to support veterans by collecting essential items and comforts. Requested Donations Include: Toiletries: Sensitive skin lotions/body wash, electric or disposable razors, aftershave balm, alcohol-free mouthwash,...
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