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Charges Pending After Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision in Prince George’s County, Maryland State Police Investigating

Charges Pending After Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision in Prince George’s County, Maryland State Police Investigating

Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash in which one person died and another was injured early Saturday morning in Prince George’s County. On Saturday, May 1, 2021, at approximately 3:35 a.m., troopers from the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack responded to the outerloop of I-495 at Kenilworth Road for a...
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AUDIO: Father and Daughter Dead After Drowning in Waldorf, Third Victim in Critical Condition

AUDIO: Father and Daughter Dead After Drowning in Waldorf, Third Victim in Critical Condition

UPDATE 5/2/2021: On May 1, 2021 at 5:58 p.m., Charles County Emergency Services (911) received calls regarding multiple drowning victims in a pool at a residence in the 1200 block of Jefferson Lane in Waldorf. A Fire Unit from Station 3 in Waldorf with four personnel were the first to arrive on the scene....
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Five Former Volunteer Firefighters Indicted by Prince George’s County Grand Jury in Multiple Arsons of Vacant Structures

Five Former Volunteer Firefighters Indicted by Prince George’s County Grand Jury in Multiple Arsons of Vacant Structures

On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, five former volunteer firefighters of the West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department were indicted by a grand jury on various arson, conspiracy, and/or misconduct in office charges for allegedly participating with four intentionally-set fires of vacant structures in Prince George’s County in late 2019 and early 2020. The indictments...
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Bay District Conducting Training Burn on Sunday, May 2, 2021

Bay District Conducting Training Burn on Sunday, May 2, 2021

On Sunday, May 2, 2021, the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department along with visiting departments will be conducting a training burn on a residence located at Point Lookout Road and Cullison Lane in Lexington Park. Firefighters will be conducting training scenarios in the residence that was donated to the department, and will be operating...
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Police Seeking Identity of Suspect Who Stole Cash from Register at California Holiday Inn Express

Police Seeking Identity of Suspect Who Stole Cash from Register at California Holiday Inn Express

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the identity of the person shown in a theft investigation. On Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 8:23 p.m., the suspect, who was not a registered guest, stole cash from the drawers at the front desk while unattended at the Holiday Inn Express on Abell House Lane...
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Governor Hogan Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate, and Ends Restrictions on Outdoor Dining Beginning Saturday, May 1, 2021

Governor Hogan Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate, and Ends Restrictions on Outdoor Dining Beginning Saturday, May 1, 2021

With consistent improvements in key statewide health metrics and a fast pace of vaccinations, Governor Larry Hogan lifted the outdoor mask mandate in Maryland and all restrictions for outdoor dining. The governor also announced that the state has entered a new phase of its vaccination campaign, moving to direct scheduling at mass vaccination sites...
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Pasadena Man Previously Convicted of Eight DUI’s Receives Maximum Sentence After Causing Serious Crash, Leaving Victim Permanently Disabled

Pasadena Man Previously Convicted of Eight DUI’s Receives Maximum Sentence After Causing Serious Crash, Leaving Victim Permanently Disabled

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced that Todd Allen Beeker, 58, of Pasadena was sentenced to 10 years prison in a non-fatal collision that left the victim, Mr. Bennett Kriewald, 29, permanently disabled. This charge runs consecutive to another 10 year sentence imposed in St. Mary’s County for Driving While Under...
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Two Charles County First Responders & the “Latham Family” Will be on Family Feud, May 4, 2021

Two Charles County First Responders & the “Latham Family” Will be on Family Feud, May 4, 2021

Justin Lucas posted on Facebook, the following information: This is your 1 week reminder! The Latham Family, Dean, Taylor, Justin, Donald and Jimmy from Indian Head Maryland will be on Family Feud next Tuesday night May 4th at 8:30 on WDCA!!! If you are not in the Washington DC area, go to www.familyfeud.com to...
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VIDEO: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Burglary of Lexington Park Papa John’s Pizza

VIDEO: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Burglary of Lexington Park Papa John’s Pizza

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the identity of the person depicted in the attached video in a burglary investigation. On Friday, April 23, 2021 at 12:56 a.m., the suspect smashed the glass in the front door of the Papa John’s Pizza on Great Mills Road in Lexington Park and entered the...
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SMECO Opens New Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Charles County

SMECO Opens New Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Charles County

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) announced the opening of the first of its SMECO EV Recharge public charging stations for electric vehicles in Charles County. The station is located at Laurel Springs Regional Park on Radio Station Road in La Plata. Additional charging stations at White Plains Regional Park, the Charles County Department of...
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Calvert County Detectives Seeking Identity of Prescription Fraud Suspect

Calvert County Detectives Seeking Identity of Prescription Fraud Suspect

The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a prescription fraud that occurred on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. The suspect pictured below entered the CVS Pharmacy, located at 10095 Ward Road in Dunkirk, MD and attempted to pass a fraudulent prescription. The suspect is described as a black male in his early to mid-20s,...
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UPDATE: State Police Identify Trooper Involved in Shooting That Killed Teenager in Leonardtown

UPDATE: State Police Identify Trooper Involved in Shooting That Killed Teenager in Leonardtown

UPDATE 4/26/2021 @ 5:40 p.m.: Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators are continuing an investigation into a trooper involved shooting that occurred in Leonardtown on April 13, 2021. The involved trooper is identified as Trooper Joseph Azzari, who is assigned to the Leonardtown Barrack as a road patrol trooper. He has been a Maryland...
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UPDATE: Three Victims Shot in St. Mary’s County in One Hour, Three Flown to Trauma Centers

UPDATE: Three Victims Shot in St. Mary’s County in One Hour, Three Flown to Trauma Centers

UPDATE 4/27/2021: Multiple citizens have contacted SMNEWSNET asking why we have not covered the other reports of gunshots throughout Great Mills and Lexington Park on Sunday, April 25, 2021. We were not aware of any other incidents, and we are currently looking into them. On Sunday night, April 25, 2021, police responded to the...
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UPDATE: Police Investigating Stabbing at California Wawa, Victim Transported to Area Trauma Center

UPDATE: Police Investigating Stabbing at California Wawa, Victim Transported to Area Trauma Center

UPDATE: On April 24, 2021, at approximately 9:52 p.m. deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 23100 block of Three Notch Road in California, for the reported assault. Deputies arrived on scene and located a male victim, age 39 of Lexington Park, who was suffering from multiple stab wounds. Detectives...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Body Found in Vehicle in Charlotte Hall

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Body Found in Vehicle in Charlotte Hall

On Sunday, April 25, 2021, at approximately 4:00 p.m., police responded to a parking lot in the area of 30050 Three Notch Road and Henry Lane in Charlotte Hall, for the reported deceased female in a vehicle. Police arrived on the scene and found an unknown aged female deceased inside of the vehicle. Technicians...
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Waldorf Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm

Waldorf Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm

On April 21, 2021, members of the Firearms Investigation Unit, with the assistance of the Emergency Services Team from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, served two search warrants related to an on-going firearms investigation. During one of the searches, detectives recovered a loaded firearm and ammunition inside the residence. The subject of the investigation,...
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UPDATE: 2-Year-Old Boy Killed in Waldorf Motor Vehicle Collision, Maryland State Police Investigating

UPDATE: 2-Year-Old Boy Killed in Waldorf Motor Vehicle Collision, Maryland State Police Investigating

UPDATE 4/21/2021: The Maryland State Police are continuing an investigation into a two vehicle crash yesterday in Charles County that killed a toddler and injured three others. The deceased victim is a 2-year-old-boy, the child of the driver of a 2017 Hyundai Elantra, identified as Princess Cecilia Pearl Collins, 21, of Waldorf, Maryland. The...
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VIDEO: 19-Year-Old Female Flown to Trauma Center After Being Struck by Impaired Driver Red Light Running in Lexington Park

VIDEO: 19-Year-Old Female Flown to Trauma Center After Being Struck by Impaired Driver Red Light Running in Lexington Park

On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at approximately 3:35 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the area of the St. Mary’s Square on Great Mills Road in Lexington Park, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Crews arrived on the scene to find a 19-year-old female with multiple injuries to her...
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Police Investigating Bomb Threat at Great Mills High School

Police Investigating Bomb Threat at Great Mills High School

On Thursday, April 15, 2021, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office received information of a bomb threat at the Great Mills High School. While searching the school and the surrounding area police found evidence that required an upgrade of additional resources respond to the incident. The entire building has been evacuated and the school...
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Official Statement From the Family of Peyton Ham, the 16-Year-Old Shot and Killed by Police in Leonardtown

Official Statement From the Family of Peyton Ham, the 16-Year-Old Shot and Killed by Police in Leonardtown

This is the official statement provided by Mr. Christopher T. Longmore, attorney for the Boyle family, for distribution on behalf of Peyton Ham’s Family, Michael & Kristee Boyle, (Birthfather Jason Ham Haight) Peyton Alexander Ham is an incredibly smart, gifted sweet young man. Peyton is an honor student who enjoyed attending Leonardtown High School....
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Leonardtown Man Arrested for Sex Offense Involving a Minor

Leonardtown Man Arrested for Sex Offense Involving a Minor

In March of 2021, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a minor that occurred in the late 1990s. The suspect was identified as Allen Briscoe Weiland, 59 of Leonardtown. During the course of the investigation evidence was obtained supporting the allegations. The investigation was presented...
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Despite Lower Travel Volumes During Pandemic, Motor Vehicle Fatalities Increase 6.4% in 2020

Despite Lower Travel Volumes During Pandemic, Motor Vehicle Fatalities Increase 6.4% in 2020

Despite fewer drivers on the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic, motor vehicle crashes on Maryland roadways claimed 569 lives in 2020, an increase of 6.4% compared to 535 deaths the previous year. Preliminary data released today by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) also shows an increase in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, from...
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Edgewater Man Covers his Hands in his own Feces After Traffic Stop in Calvert County

Edgewater Man Covers his Hands in his own Feces After Traffic Stop in Calvert County

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at approximately 3:55 p.m., a deputy from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office was stationary at the intersection of Dares Beach Road and Solomons Island Road in their marked patrol vehicle. The deputy observed a silver 2005 Toyota passenger car traveling Northbound at a high rate of speed, run a...
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Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Statement Regarding Death of Off-Duty Deputy

Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Statement Regarding Death of Off-Duty Deputy

Statement Regarding Death of Off-Duty Calvert County Sheriff’s Deputy The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office is deeply saddened to announce the sudden death of Deputy First Class William ‘Wes’ Beisel, a school resource officer (SRO) assigned to Northern High School (NHS) in Owings. Beisel was found deceased at his residence in St. Mary’s County, on...
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FEMA to Cover up to $9,000 in COVID-19 Funeral Expenses, Applications Open Monday, April 12, 2021

FEMA to Cover up to $9,000 in COVID-19 Funeral Expenses, Applications Open Monday, April 12, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus. Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American...
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