UPDATE 1/12/2026: On January 11 at 3:30 a.m., officers responded to the 3400 block of Williamsburg Drive in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. A preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between siblings involving a male, age 38, and a female, age 29. During the altercation, the male was shot by the female. Medical aid was rendered; however, the male was pronounced deceased. He has been identified as Jerome Christian Edward Benoit, age 38, of Waldorf....
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The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal three-vehicle collision that occurred in December of 2025 in Accokeek. The deceased passenger of one of the involved vehicles is 75-year-old Linda Howell of Indian Head. She died of her injuries on December 26th, 2025. On December 25, 2025, at approximately 11:30 PM, officers responded to a collision in the 14000 block of Indian Head Highway. The preliminary investigation revealed the collision occurred in...
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Brandon Adams, 18, of Bowie; Jevone D. Reid, 19, of California; and Justin T. Chapman, 22, of Lexington Park have been charged following an armed robbery and firearm-related investigation in St. Mary’s County. All three were arrested in connection to an incident that occurred on January 11, 2026, and are being held without bond. Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported armed robbery that took place on Redwood Lane in California, Maryland. The investigation...
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On Sunday, January 11, 2026, at approximately 6:10 p.m., police responded to the 44000 block of Redwood Lane in California, for the reported armed robbery. The 911 caller reported at least two suspects armed with firearms robbed them of personal belongings before fleeing in a Grey sedan. Police responded to the area and obtained suspect and vehicle description. Upon searching the area, Deputies quickly located a vehicle matching the victims description which lead to the recover at least one...
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Khobe Manuel Prospere David, 24, of White Plains, was arrested on January 6, 2026, after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop in a stolen vehicle and crashing in Waldorf. Court documents indicate that David faces multiple charges, including felony motor vehicle theft, weapons violations, and several traffic offenses. According to charging documents, officers with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the rear of a residence on St. Luke Drive in White Plains at approximately 7:26 a.m. to...
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On Friday, January 9, 2026, at approximately 8:00 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Point Lookout Road and Tripple E Farm Way in Park Hall, for the serious motor vehicle collision with entrapment and rollover. 911 callers reported a single vehicle into a tree with the vehicle on its side with the operator trapped. Crews from Ridge and Bay District Volunteer Fire Departments responded with crews quickly arriving on the scene to confirm...
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UPDATE 1/8/2026: Bell and his family of firefighters have selflessly supported our communities and dedicated countless years to our local fire departments. This assistance link is setup through TheYardFoundation, by his IAFF Local 1619 in Prince George’s County with the following message. Click here to support, please share if you can’t. “Every firefighter knows the risk. But no one expects to be on the other side of the 911 call. Early this morning, Brother Chris Bell (IAFF Local 1619)...
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On January 7, 2026, at approximately 10:44 a.m., deputies from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Bureau responded to the intersection of South Solomons Island Road (Route 4) and Ball Road in St. Leonard, for the report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the severity of the crash, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team was requested and assumed the investigation. The preliminary investigation indicates that a 2019 Freightliner truck, operated by Erbert Locklear Jr., 64,...
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Joseph Marcel Vigneault, 54, of Lexington Park, has been charged with multiple offenses following a reported hit-and-run crash and subsequent investigation that revealed alcohol consumption and the presence of a loaded handgun in his vehicle. According to court documents filed in St. Mary’s County District Court, on January 4, 2026, the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received several calls from community members regarding a dark-colored truck that had crossed over the center median at the intersection of Chancellors Run Road...
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UPDATE 1/6/2026: A structure fire on Rufus Madeline Place in Marbury, Charles County, resulted in a total loss of a single-family home on January 5, 2026, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The fire caused an estimated $125,000 in damage to the structure and $50,000 in lost contents. The blaze, discovered around 1:52 p.m. by a family member, prompted a response from the Tenth District Volunteer Fire Department. Approximately 50 firefighters responded to the scene, where...
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A suspect is in custody in Virginia in connection with a fatal shooting early Saturday morning outside of a banquet hall in Temple Hills. The suspect is 39-year-old Antonio Lancaster of the Landover area. He faces multiple charges, to include murder, for fatally shooting 27-year-old Ronez Proctor of Waldorf. Two other adult males were also shot and killed during this incident. They are identified as 33-year-old Pierre Davis and 26-year-old Kevon Medley Williams, both of Washington, DC. The preliminary...
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Jamie Lee Lynn Prisk, 35, of Bowie, has been charged with eight charges after an arrest in Prince Frederick on January 1, 2026. The charges stem from an incident where deputies say she falsely identified herself to avoid arrest, and was later found in possession of suspected heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and contraband both during the traffic stop and while in custody. According to charging documents filed by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy observed a...
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UPDATE – Sheriff’s Office Press Release – 1/6/2025: On Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, while conducting proactive patrol operations in Lexington Park, a deputy with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office observed a gray Ford Fusion fail to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Fox Ridge Road and Spring Valley Road. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled. Deputies did not pursue the Ford Fusion. While fleeing, the Ford Fusion was struck...
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A new community-driven initiative aimed at supporting women across Southern Maryland is officially taking shape. My Sister’s Closet has launched with a simple but powerful mission: women supporting women through dignity, opportunity, and community. Created to help women build confidence during career transitions, interviews, and fresh starts, My Sister’s Closet will provide free professional and business attire to women in need. The initiative is currently in its early stages, with organizers hoping to host their first free clothing event...
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Karen Elizabeth Strickland Szabo, 59, of Lexington Park, MD, passed away suddenly on December 31, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born in Leonardtown, Maryland, on September 29, 1966, to Myers and Dee Strickland. Karen grew up on Strickland Road in Great Mills with her two younger sisters, and within walking distance of her beloved Grandma Helen, three sets of aunts and uncles, and 11 cousins. Her childhood was filled with days playing in the woods, going...
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On Sunday, January 11, 2026, at approximately 12:53 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the 4400 block of Livingston Road in Indian Head, for the reported pedestrian struck by a vehicle during a disturbance. 911 callers reported as a vehicle was leaving, they struck the victim with their vehicle with a...
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Thomas Clay Guinyard, 30, of Hyattsville, was arrested on December 31, 2025, in connection with a string of thefts and property destruction involving heating and air conditioning units across multiple counties. According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Guinyard had active arrest warrants and was wanted in a case impacting more than ten businesses,...
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Craig Andrew Kennedy, 61, of Lexington Park, has been charged with trespassing on private property after allegedly entering a Target store in California, Maryland, in violation of a prior ban. The charge, a misdemeanor, was filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County following an incident on January 6, 2026. According to court...
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James Allen Michael Schaeffer, 42, of Sykesville, has been formally charged with multiple misdemeanor offenses following his arrest on January 6, 2026. According to court documents filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County, the charges stem from allegations of violating a protective order and being in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia....
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Adam James Mantz, 44, of Mechanicsville, is facing a string of criminal charges stemming from multiple incidents in St. Mary’s County, including drug possession, theft, and destruction of property. Court records show a pattern of alleged offenses dating back to September 2025, with charges filed in several separate cases across Lexington Park and Mechanicsville....
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Charles County Government is warning residents and businesses about a scam involving fraudulent emails falsely claiming to be from the Department of Planning and Growth Management. According to county officials, the emails instruct recipients to submit payments through wire transfer for supposed fees or outstanding invoices. Officials emphasized that Charles County Government never requests...
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Governor Wes Moore this morning announced a record $124.1 million in funding to support law enforcement in the governor’s proposed FY 2027 budget. Administered through the State Aid for Police Protection Program, the funding represents the Moore-Miller Administration’s continued commitment to making Maryland safer, as the state continues to see historic drops in violent crime....
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January is recognized nationally as Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, a time to raise awareness about the effectiveness of treatment and the importance of reducing stigma surrounding substance use disorders. Substance use disorder is a treatable health condition, and recovery is possible with the right support. Treatment can help individuals regain stability, improve overall...
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The Board of Public Works today approved $8.9 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreational improvements and land conservation in Baltimore City, and Calvert, Howard, Kent, St. Mary’s, Washington, and Wicomico counties. The Board also approved a short-term lease for the Days Cove...
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The State of Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board recently ruled in favor of the Board of Education of Charles County in regard to a complaint filed by a staff member from Southern Maryland News. The complaint, filed in November 2025, alleged the Board of Education violated the Open Meetings Act when it met on Sept. 23, 2025, to discuss Board member vacancy candidates. To fill...
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Governor Wes Moore today announced a historic $10.2 billion investment in Maryland’s K-12 education as part of his Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal. The announcement, made at Frederick High School, reinforces the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to building a world-class education system that eliminates achievement gaps and prepares every student for the jobs of the...
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Kelly Helen Woozley, 24, of Leonardtown, has been formally charged following an incident at a Charlotte Hall rehabilitation center on December 25, 2025. According to court documents, Woozley is facing four misdemeanor charges: trespassing on private property, resisting/interfering with arrest, disorderly conduct, and failure to obey a lawful order. The incident occurred at approximately...
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1/8/2026: Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson has announced the indictment of suspended Prince George’s County Police Officer, Corporal Anthony Coleman, in connection with the fatal motor vehicle collision on Route 301 that killed Carlton Herndon, a Prince George’s County District Court Bailiff. Coleman was off duty at the time of the crash....
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On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at approximately 4:00 p.m., police responded to Patuxent Beach Road and Oak Drive in California, for the reported motor vehicle collision with no injuries. Deputies arrived on the scene to find a two vehicle collision with one vehicle overturned and all occupants out of the vehicles. Firefighters and emergency...
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On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at approximately 8:15 a.m., firefighters from Hollywood, Leonardtown, Solomons, and NAS Patuxent River were dispatched to the Hollywood Used Auto Parts located at 43900 Commerce Avenue in Hollywood, for the reported commercial structure fire. 911 callers reported smoke showing from the shop with all occupants accounted for. Firefighters from Hollywood...
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Maryland Park Service’s new day-use reservation system is working as designed to stop the frequent capacity closures that took place at popular state parks before the system was implemented in 2025. In the spring and summer of 2025, the Maryland Park Service launched the new system that requires visitors to make advance reservations on weekends and...
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On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at approximately 12:47 p.m., police and firefighters responded to the St. Mary’s County Board of Education building located at 23160 Moakley Street in Leonardtown, for the reported vehicle on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find a Ford SUV fully engulfed in flames with all occupants out and...
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