Southern Maryland News Net

No Injuries Reported After Large House Fire in Mechanicsville

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, at approximately 11:46 p.m., firefighters from Mechanicsville, Hollywood, Leonardtown, Newburg, Dentsville, Hughesville, Bay District, Seventh District and Solomons were dispatched to 25955 Timothy Court in Mechanicsville, for the reported house on fire. 911 callers reported the home was struck by lightning, with the occupants evacuating. Crews arrived on the scene and confirmed fire showing through the roof of the two-story residence and requested the working fire dispatch and working incident taskforce, which brought additional firefighters...
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No Injuries Reported After Discarded Fireworks Causes Fourth of July House Fire in Lexington Park

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, at approximately 8:40 p.m., firefighters from Bay District, NAS Patuxent River, Hollywood, Leonardtown, Second District, and Ridge were dispatched to 48798 Wentworth Court in Lexington Park, for the reported structure on fire. Dispatchers advised they were receiving multiple 911 calls advising the houses garage was on fire, with all occupants out of the home. Firefighters arrived on scene within minutes to confirm fire showing from the attached 1-story garage with extensions into the two-story...
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Calvert County Man Arrested In Harford County for Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

Investigators from the Maryland State Police Child Exploitation Unit charged a Calvert County man with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. The accused is identified as Jurel Daquone Leo Bowman, 32, of Lusby, Maryland. He is charged with six counts of sexual solicitation of a minor. He was arrested by Maryland State Police shortly before 9:00 p.m. yesterday without incident and transported to the Harford County Detention Center where he is currently held without bond. Beginning in...
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UPDATE: Attorney General Brown Secures $8.7 Million Judgment Against Lead Paint Inspector for Fraud

UPDATE 7/3/2026: Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that a Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge has ordered a lead paint inspector to pay $8.7 million and permanently banned him from the industry for fraud. The ruling against Green Environmental, LLC and its principal operator, Rodney Bryan Barkley, follows Barkley’s criminal conviction and sentencing earlier this year for falsifying lead paint certificates and related environmental violations. The civil action, filed by Attorney General Brown on behalf of the Maryland Department...
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Indecent Exposure Arrest for Mechanicsville Woman After Welfare Check in California

Amber Louise Prusha, 38, of Mechanicsville, is facing multiple misdemeanor charges in St. Mary’s County after three separate incidents in June 2026, including two trespassing allegations, theft of lodging services, and indecent exposure. The earliest incident happened June 17, 2026, at a home on Woodridge Drive in Mechanicsville. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:39 a.m. for a reported domestic disturbance. According to the allegations, an adult male property owner told deputies Prusha had shown up unexpectedly...
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Southern Maryland Fireworks Displays Set for Fourth of July Weekend 2026

Southern Maryland residents will have several opportunities to celebrate Independence Day weekend with fireworks displays, community events, live entertainment, food vendors and family activities across the region. Several displays are scheduled for Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, 2026, with events planned in St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties, along with nearby Colonial Beach, Virginia. Friday, July 3 St. Mary’s Freedom Fest will be held at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Leonardtown. The event begins at 5...
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GoFundMe Started for Family of Ricardo Arias, Manager of Plaza Azteca, After Passing Away from Medical Emergency

On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at approximately 7:45 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the Plaza Azteca located at 22201 Three Notch Road in Lexington Park, for the reported CPR in progress. Crews arrived on the scene and confirmed CPR was in progress. Arias was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. In memory of Ricardo Arias, manager of Plaza Azteca. In support of his repatriation and final resting place. A GoFundMe...
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One Flown to Trauma Center With Life-Threatening Injuries After Crash in California

On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at approximately 5:13 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Three Notch Road and Patuxent Beach Road in California, for the reported motor vehicle collision with injuries. Multiple 911 callers reported a serious crash with at least 3 vehicles involved. Crews arrived on the scene to find multiple vehicles involved with one adult patient unresponsive and requested a helicopter. Maryland State Police Aviation Command Trooper 7 transported the adult...
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Juvenile Offender Who Raped Two 6-Year Old Girls Released on Probation

On June 29, 2026, a 13-year old juvenile was released on probation with electronic monitoring after having been found involved in the rape of two 6-year old girls. The Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, who prosecuted the case, recommended that the juvenile be placed in a secure “out-of-home” facility where he could receive treatment and counselling. Instead, the juvenile was returned to the home where some of the abuse allegedly occurred. Although the victims no longer live in the...
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27-Year-Old Chaptico Man Killed in Single Vehicle Crash in Mechanicsville – Police Investigating

UPDATE 6/30/2026 @ 2:40 p.m.: On Tuesday, June 30, at approximately 7:40 a.m., emergency personnel responded to the 27500 block of Thompson Corner Road in Mechanicsville for a reported single-vehicle crash. Upon arrival, first responders located a green pickup truck that had left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver was trapped inside the vehicle. The driver, identified as Malik Javonn Somerville, 27, of Chaptico, was pronounced dead at the scene. Due to the severity of the crash,...
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Callaway Teen Charged in Two Gun-Related Cases Involving Stolen Glock Report, Unserialized Handgun Arrest

Malik Desean Norris, 18, of Callaway, has been charged in two separate St. Mary’s County cases involving allegations of stolen firearm property, possession of firearms as a minor, illegal ammunition possession, carrying a handgun, possession of a firearm without a serial number, and possession with intent to distribute cannabis. In one case, Maryland State Police allege Norris stole a gray Glock G48 firearm, a loaded magazine containing 10 rounds, and an unloaded magazine from an adult female victim at...
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UPDATE: Clover Hill Dairy Consumer Advisory Expanded Due to Health Risk; One Dead and 8 Victims Hospitalized

UPDATE 6/28/2026: The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission is sharing an expanded consumer advisory from the Food and Drug Administration regarding a total recall of all Clover Hill Dairy brand cheeses due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. To date, nine illnesses, eight hospitalizations and one death have been linked to the soft cheese products. Officials urge consumers, producers and regional agricultural communities to check their refrigerators immediately. Do not eat, sell or serve the recalled cheese. The recall involves all...
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36 Dogs and Puppies Seized as Mechanicsville Mother, Daughter Face Over 100 Animal Cruelty Charges After Kennel Investigation

Magdalina H. Fisher, 61, and her daughter Sarah H. Fisher, 20, both of Mechanicsville, face more than 100 combined animal-related charges after authorities investigated a dog-breeding property on Woodburn Hill Road in Mechanicsville. Magdalina Fisher faces 51 misdemeanor counts of failing to provide animals with proper care and nine misdemeanor counts of unlawful surgery on a dog, while Sarah Fisher faces 44 misdemeanor counts of failing to provide animals with proper care. The charges stem from allegations that dogs...
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Assault at Calvert County Courthouse by Prince Frederick Man Leaves Woman With Broken Nose and Wrist

Jason Andrew Wills, 44, of Prince Frederick, has been charged with first-degree assault and second-degree assault after authorities say he attacked an adult female victim outside the Calvert District Courthouse in Prince Frederick early June 20, 2026. Wills was ordered held without bond following his initial appearance, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 20, 2026. According to allegations filed in District Court, the Calvert County Control Center dispatched deputies around 1:16 a.m. for a reported assault at the...
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UPDATE: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officer Arrested for Stealing a Gun in La Plata

On Wednesday, June 24, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the La Plata Police Department of an investigation into the theft of a firearm from a residence in La Plata in which Dayvon Maurice West, 35, of Lexington Park, was identified as the suspect. Through investigative means, it was determined that, following the theft, West traveled to Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s County. An extensive search of the park was initiated, involving members of...
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Charles County Detention Center Inmate Transported to Trauma Center After Assault

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, at approximately 9:09 p.m., emergency medical services were dispatched to the Charles County Detention Center located at 6905 Crain Highway in La Plata, for the reported injuries after an assault. The correction officers advised an adult inmate was assaulted with confirmed loss of consciousness. EMS arrived on the scene and...
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Woman Flown to Trauma Center After Crash With Entrapment in La Plata

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, at approximately 3:40 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Marshalls Corner Road and Middletown Road in La Plata, for the serious motor vehicle collision with entrapment. Crews arrived on the scene to find a two-vehicle T-bone style collision with one adult female trapped....
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Board of Public Works Approves $1.18 Million for Sports Fields, Recreational Courts, and Playgrounds in Six Maryland Counties

The Board of Public Works approved more than $1.18 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments for sports fields and courts and playgrounds in Allegany, Calvert, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. About $455,000 in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for projects in Dorchester and Frederick Counties....
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Lexington Park Woman Arrested After Valley Estates Drive Disturbance; Previously Charged in Wawa Fight

Shaniya Curshawn Mason, 25, of Lexington Park, has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting/interfering with arrest following a June 17, 2026, incident in Lexington Park, according to charging documents. She was released on her own recognizance following an initial appearance and is scheduled for trial in St. Mary’s County District Court on July...
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Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Arrests of Lusby Woman and Wanted Valley Lee Man in St. Mary’s County

Rose A. Jones, 44, of Lusby, is facing misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance other than cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop in St. Mary’s County on June 23, 2026. According to charging documents, a deputy with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling near Norris...
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UPDATE: Prince Frederick Man Gets 12 Months to Serve After Guilty Plea in ‘Ghost Gun’ Case

UPDATE 7/4/2026: Zamahri Lydell Talley, 22, of Prince Frederick, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026, in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County to one count of loaded handgun in a vehicle before Judge Amy Lorenzini. As part of the disposition, Talley was sentenced to five years in prison, with all but 12 months...
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From Robbery Conviction to Resisting Arrest: Lexington Park Man Sentenced to Nine Months, All But 34 Days Suspended

Victor John-Lee Scotland, 37, of Lexington Park, has accumulated multiple criminal convictions in St. Mary’s County over the past several years, including a felony robbery conviction, a second-degree escape conviction, and, most recently, a conviction for resisting arrest. His latest conviction stems from a March 19, 2026, encounter with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s...
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Attorney General Brown and Multistate Coalition Secure More Than 50 Million Eggs and $3.3 Million After Uncovering Unlawful Scheme to Manipulate Egg Prices

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a multistate coalition secured 53 million eggs for consumers nationwide and $3.3 million from some of the nation’s largest egg producers for colluding behind the scenes to raise prices. A bipartisan multistate investigation with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that Cal-Maine Foods (Cal-Maine), Versova/Centrum (Versova), and...
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Governor Moore Announces Energy Assistance Programs to Lower Utility Bills for 200,000 Maryland Households

Governor Wes Moore today announced approximately 200,000 Maryland households will receive increased help with their energy bills this year under a major expansion of the state’s energy assistance programs administered by the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS). “In our region and across the country, the rising cost of energy has gotten out of...
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Waldorf Retiree Wins $110,000 On The Big Spin Scratch Off Ticket

“Mr. Fat Pockets,” a retiree from Charles County, lived up to his nickname June 30 when he took a spin on The Big Spin Wheel and won a $110,000 prize on the $5 THE BIG SPIN scratch-off game. The retired D.C. metro worker is a regular Lottery player who enjoys draw games and likes...
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Living Fossils and Symbols of Resilience: DNR Scientists Monitor Horseshoe Crabs After Population Recovery in the Region

Under the vibrant lights of the Ocean City boardwalk Ferris wheel and Slingshot ride, prehistoric animals scuttled onto the shore of a quiet beach by the thousands. While the setting has changed, horseshoe crabs and their close relatives have been making this same journey to the world’s coastlines for hundreds of millions of years,...
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UPDATE: Lexington Park Felon Indicted in Connection With Sales of Firearms and Fentanyl

UPDATE 7/2/2026: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a grand jury issued a 13-count indictment against a Lexington Park drug trafficker, stemming from a federal drug-and-firearms investigation. Paul Dewayne Dorsey, 46, is charged with distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in...
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Wanted Mechanicsville Woman Faces Cocaine Possession, Paraphernalia Charges After Lexington Park Traffic Stop

Whitney Anne Arnold, 39, of Mechanicsville, is facing misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance other than cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in Lexington Park on July 1, 2026. According to allegations filed in District Court for St. Mary’s County, a deputy with the St. Mary’s County...
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5-Year-Old Flown to Children’s Center After Copperhead Bite in Calvert County

On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 7:27 p.m., emergency medical services responded to the Patriot Urgent Care located at 14090 H G Trueman Rd Suite 1300 in Solomons, for the reported snake bite. 911 callers reported a 5-year-old male was bit by a copperhead snake on the left hand. Upon arrival, crews consulted with the...
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Leonardtown Business Association Invites Community to Participate in the 8th Annual Scarecrow Stroll and 2nd Annual Gingerbread Lane

The Leonardtown Business Association is excited to announce that registrations are now open for the 8th Annual Scarecrow Stroll and the 2nd Annual Gingerbread Lane. These popular community events invite businesses, community groups, sports teams, organizations, families, and individuals to showcase their creativity while helping make Leonardtown a fun and festive destination for residents and visitors. The Scarecrow...
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Probation Violation Reopens 2020 Armed Robbery Case Against Leonardtown Man

Cody Dustin Combs, 28, of Leonardtown, is back in custody after a violation of probation warrant was issued in connection with a 2020 armed robbery case in St. Mary’s County. The case was reopened on June 26, 2026, after a probation report was reviewed and an arrest warrant for violation of probation was issued...
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Two Face Theft Scheme Charges After Dollar General Incidents in Hollywood and Mechanicsville

Celsie Chanee Edwards, 33, of Washington, D.C., and Patrick Joseph Young Jr., 31, of Clinton, have been charged with misdemeanor theft of property valued at $100 to under $1,500 and theft scheme involving property valued at $100 to under $1,500 after police said they took merchandise from Dollar General stores in Hollywood and Mechanicsville...
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