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Germantown, MD

Police & Fire
Knife-Wielding Man In Paintball Mask, Makeshift Armor Taken Into Custody After Standoff: Police Knife-Wielding Man In Paintball Mask, Makeshift Armor Taken Into Custody After Standoff: Police
Knife-Wielding Man In Paintball Mask, Makeshift Armor Taken Into Custody After Standoff: Police A tense standoff in Germantown came to a peaceful conclusion Sunday morning as officers with the Montgomery County Police skillfully de-escalated a domestic situation involving a 49-year-old man donning improvised armor while wielding a butcher knife. It all started around 7:19 a.m. when officers from the 5th District responded to the 12300 block of Silvergate Way following a call to the Emergency Communications Center.  A woman told dispatchers her husband, identified as Marques Buford, wouldn’t let her leave their apartment and the situation escalated when Buford allegedly made threa…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Transit Center Assault Caught On Camera Lands Two Behind Bars In Maryland: Police (VIDEO) Transit Center Assault Caught On Camera Lands Two Behind Bars In Maryland: Police (VIDEO)
Transit Center Assault Caught On Camera Lands Two Behind Bars In Maryland: Police (Video) A violent assault caught on camera landed two men behind bars after they attacked their victim and robbed him in Montgomery County. Gaithersburg resident Davon Lopez, 30, and 25-year-old Anthony Tyrone Slater, Jr., of Germantown, are both facing multiple charges following an assault at the transit center earlier this week.  According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, shortly after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, officers from multiple agencies were called to the 9600 block of Lost Knife Road in Gaithersburg, where there was a reported robbery in progress. A witness desc…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Stores Evacuated At Maryland Shopping Center Due To Ruptured Gas Line (DEVELOPING) Stores Evacuated At Maryland Shopping Center Due To Ruptured Gas Line (DEVELOPING)
Stores Evacuated At Maryland Shopping Center Due To Ruptured Gas Line (Developing) Some businesses were evacuated on Friday morning in Montgomery County when gas leak was reported outside an area shopping center. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews were called before 11 a.m. on Nov. 15 to the 19700 block of Frederick Road in Germantown, when a two-inch gas line ruptured. First responders evacuated some businesses in the area and monitored the structures while Washington Gas responded to shut off the gas and make repairs. No injuries were reported as of noon on Friday. This is a developing story.  Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribu…

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by Zak Failla
News
Second Trial Seals Fate: Man Convicted Of Sexual Assault At Maryland Graduation Party Second Trial Seals Fate: Man Convicted Of Sexual Assault At Maryland Graduation Party
Second Trial Seals Fate: Man Convicted Of Sexual Assault At Maryland Graduation Party A 27-year-old man who marred the college graduation celebration at a friend's home in Germantown has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at a second trial, authorities announced on Thursday. Clarksburg resident Nelson Jones was found guilty by a jury of third-degree sex offense this week and will now face up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced next month, according to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office. In May 2021, prosecutors say that the graduation celebration continued into the early morning hours, and a woman at the party went to a bedroom alone to slee…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Woman Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Ex-Boyfriend, Police Say Maryland Woman Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Ex-Boyfriend, Police Say
Maryland Woman Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Ex-Boyfriend, Police Say Two are facing serious charges after a woman tried to enlist a former family member to help her kill her ex-boyfriend, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police. Germantown resident Adelaida Consuelo Zacarias Chacon, 53, and 40-year-old Philadelphia resident Reyna Gomez Lopez have both been charged with conspiring to commit murder for an alleged murder-for-hire plot. According to police, in June, detectives were contacted by a case worker at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Family Justice Center after being tipped off that Zacarias Chacon had attempted to …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teen Charged With Attempted Murder Facing New Charges For Second Maryland Shooting: Police Teen Charged With Attempted Murder Facing New Charges For Second Maryland Shooting: Police
Teen Charged With Attempted Murder Facing New Charges For Second Maryland Shooting: Police A 16-year-old already being charged as an adult for a shooting earlier this year involving a teen exiting a school bus in Montgomery County is facing new charges after being linked to a reported August shooting, police say. Clarksburg resident Jaiden Ochieng was first identified and charged following a shooting that was reported in March in the 19300 block of Archdale Road in Germantown. According to a spokesperson from the Montgomery County Police Department, at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, Ochieng arrived at a bus stop in a stolen Hyundai, and when his would-be 15-year-old v…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Single Mother Of Two Identified By Police As Pedestrian Killed Crossing Maryland Road Single Mother Of Two Identified By Police As Pedestrian Killed Crossing Maryland Road
Single Mother Of Two Identified By Police As Pedestrian Killed Crossing Maryland Road Dinora Aleman Amaya was on her way home from work in Montgomery County when she was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing the road in Gaithersburg, friends say. Investigators have identified the 30-year-old single mother of two from Germantown as the pedestrian who was fatally struck crossing Great Seneca Highway near Kentlands Boulevard on Monday night.  Police say that Amaya was walking shortly after 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 7 when she was struck by a Honda Civic not far from Orchard Ridge Road. She was pronounced dead at the scene, now the community is rallying around her family.&…

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by Zak Failla
News
ATM Thieves Used Van As Battering Ram To Break Into Maryland Gas Station: Police (VIDEO) ATM Thieves Used Van As Battering Ram To Break Into Maryland Gas Station: Police (VIDEO)
ATM Thieves Used Van As Battering Ram To Break Into Maryland Gas Station: Police (Video) A curiously coordinated smash-and-grab robbery using a 16-passenger van to break into a gas station and steal an ATM is under investigation in Montgomery County, police say. The group of robbers used the van as a battering ram to shatter the storefront of the Shell gas station in the 21000 block of Frederick Road in Germantown this week, before taking off with the ATM. In video released by the Montgomery County Department of Police, the group can be seen backing into the front of the gas station before several suspects got out, dragged the machine out of the store, and tossed it in the back…

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by Zak Failla
News
Burglars Botch Break-In Busting Through Front Of Maryland Store Before Smashing ATM: Police Burglars Botch Break-In Busting Through Front Of Maryland Store Before Smashing ATM: Police
Burglars Botch Break-In Busting Through Front Of Maryland Store Before Smashing ATM: Police The group of suspects went through extreme measures in an effort to break into an ATM inside a Giant Food Store in Montgomery County, but were ultimately thwarted and left without cash and a disabled stolen truck, police say. Shortly before 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning, police say that a Dodge pick-up rammed through the front of the Germantown business in the 18300 block of Leaman Farm Road, at which point several people popped out and attempted to target an ATM inside store. Montgomery County Department of Police The suspects initially attempted to open the ATM unsuccessfully, then t…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teen Charged As Adult For Shooting At Teen Leaving School Bus In Maryland: Police Teen Charged As Adult For Shooting At Teen Leaving School Bus In Maryland: Police
Teen Charged As Adult For Shooting At Teen Leaving School Bus In Maryland: Police A 16-year-old who chased down a teen exiting a school bus in Montgomery County and began shooting at him earlier this year will be charged as an adult on multiple charges, police say. Clarksburg resident Jaiden Ochieng has been identified and charged following a shooting that was reported in March in the 19300 block of Archdale Road in Germantown. According to a spokesperson from the Montgomery County Police Department, at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, Ochieng arrived at a bus stop in a stolen Hyundai, and when his would-be 15-year-old victim got off the bus, he got out of the …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Islamic Tutor Charged With Sexually Abusing Minor In Maryland: Police Islamic Tutor Charged With Sexually Abusing Minor In Maryland: Police
Islamic Tutor Charged With Sexually Abusing Minor In Maryland: Police A 65-year-old tutor from Montgomery County has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, police say. Adi Yousef Najjar was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor and fourth-degree sex offenses following an investigation into claims of assault. Police say that in June, the Montgomery County Child Welfare Services and the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division launched an investigation into the tutor following allegations of the abuse. The alleged assault happened September 2022 and June 2024, when Najjar was the victim’s Islam…

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by Zak Failla
News
Family Pleads For Public's Assistance In Locating Maryland Man Missing For Week Family Pleads For Public's Assistance In Locating Maryland Man Missing For Week
Family Pleads For Public's Assistance In Locating Maryland Man Missing For Week Concerns are mounting for the family of 42-year-old Crowley Wade Chambers, Jr., who has been missing out of Montgomery County for a week. An alert was issued this week by police as they seek the public's assistance in tracking down Chambers, who was last heard from on Sunday, Aug. 11, one day after his family got together for a church service to honor their late grandfather's life. “He had breakfast with our mother, helped with our grandmother, packed up a few snacks left over from the gathering from Saturday and left the house,” his sister Brenda Chambers De Paz said. “He was traveling by …

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by Zak Failla
News
DUI Driver Indicted For 2023 Maryland Crash That Left Two 19-Year-Old Women Dead: Police DUI Driver Indicted For 2023 Maryland Crash That Left Two 19-Year-Old Women Dead: Police
DUI Driver Indicted For 2023 Maryland Crash That Left Two 19-Year-Old Women Dead: Police The allegedly intoxicated driver who killed two 19-year-old women in an early morning crash last year in Montgomery County has been indicted by a grand jury, authorities announced. Elkridge resident Jean Pierre Velasco, 20, is facing nearly a dozen charges following an incident in March 2023 that resulted in the deaths of Leslie Kristin Ventura and Kailey Briana Vigil, officials say. The crash was reported shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, 2023 on Montrose Road near Hitching Post Lane in Rockville. The initial investigation determined that a black 2012 Infiniti G37 with possibly f…

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by Zak Failla
News
Dealer Who Sold Pill Leading To Fatal Overdose In Maryland Gets Prison Time: State's Attorney Dealer Who Sold Pill Leading To Fatal Overdose In Maryland Gets Prison Time: State's Attorney
Dealer Who Sold Pill Leading To Fatal Overdose In Maryland Gets Prison Time: State's Attorney The dealer who provided the fentanyl-laced pill that led to the death of a 20-year-old man in Montgomery County is heading to prison, according to the state's attorney's office. A judge sentenced Gaithersburg resident Eric Turner, 32, to 10 years in prison with all but six years to serve after pleading guilty to his role in the death of Shanon Cole, who overdosed in July 2022 after ingesting a pill he received from him. Shannon Cole Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office Turner pleaded guilty in June to involuntary manslaughter.  On the night of his death, court documents…

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by Zak Failla
News
Felon Held Woman, Child Hostage Before Being Disarmed By Officers In Montgomery County: Police Felon Held Woman, Child Hostage Before Being Disarmed By Officers In Montgomery County: Police
Felon Held Woman, Child Hostage Before Being Disarmed By Officers In Montgomery County: Police A 50-year-old felon in Maryland is facing charges after a scary scene played out in Montgomery County, police say. Germantown resident Albeniz Victor Bonilla is behind bars following a domestic incident involving a woman and child earlier this week where he repeatedly threatened to shoot them if they left. According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, shortly after 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, a caller made contact with the agency's Emergency Commutations Center stating that her sister was being held against her will by her boyfriend, who was believed to be armed. Officers resp…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
'Life Had Its Own Plans:' Man Chasing American Dream Dies In Fatal Maryland Crash 'Life Had Its Own Plans:' Man Chasing American Dream Dies In Fatal Maryland Crash
'Life Had Its Own Plans:' Man Chasing American Dream Dies In Fatal Maryland Crash Isaac Akomanyi came to Maryland, leaving his wife and young son behind in Ghana, in search of the American dream. That dream was shattered in July when the Germantown man was involved in a fatal crash in Montgomery County, leaving 3-year-old Aden, wife Mavis, and other loved ones reeling in Africa. On the evening of Saturday, July 20, Akomanyi was driving a Nissan when he was involved in a crash with a Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up that ended with his car wrapped around a tree and the truck smashing through the back of his vehicle.  Now, the community is coming to the aid of the fa…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Two Injured After Crashing Through Guardrail, Hanging Off Wall In Montgomery County Two Injured After Crashing Through Guardrail, Hanging Off Wall In Montgomery County
Two Injured After Crashing Through Guardrail, Hanging Off Wall In Montgomery County Two people were injured near the Germantown Library when a Mazda crashed through a fence and came to rest hanging off a wall on Thursday morning. Shortly before 8 a.m., first responders in Montgomery County were called to the 19800 block of Century Boulevard near Commons Drive in Germantown, when a vehicle hopped a curb, went through a guardrail and was "suspended off (an) elevated area wall," according to officials. The car wound up dangling over the eight-foot retaining wall, and two people had to be assisted. Twitter/@mcfrsPIO According to officials, the pair was were treated before b…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Home Torched By Fatal Fire Housed Four Generations Of Mourning Maryland Family Home Torched By Fatal Fire Housed Four Generations Of Mourning Maryland Family
Home Torched By Fatal Fire Housed Four Generations Of Mourning Maryland Family A family is coming to grips days after a fatal Maryland fire claimed the life of a beloved patriarch and left their childhood home with extensive damage. Early in the morning of Friday, July 19, first responders were called to the 11400 block of Neelsville Church Road near Shakespeare Boulevard in Germantown, where there was a reported house fire with a person trapped inside. Firefighters were able to rescue an 80-year-old man from a burning bedroom, while several others inside the home were able to escape safely. The man later died from his injuries after being airlifted to MedSTAR i…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Killed In Head-On Crash With Harvester Identified By Police In Maryland Motorcyclist Killed In Head-On Crash With Harvester Identified By Police In Maryland
Motorcyclist Killed In Head-On Crash With Harvester Identified By Police In Maryland New details have been released by the Montgomery County Department of Police after a 45-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash with a harvester over the weekend. First responders were called to the area of Old Hundred Road and Thurston Road in Dickerson on Saturday afternoon, where there was a reported crash involving a motorcyclist and a tractor. TRAFFIC ADVISORY - Old Hundred Road is closed between Thurston Road and Comus Road due to a traffic collision. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. Expect significant delays. #mcpnwes pic.twitter.com/k0mrv4onzG — Montgomery Coun…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Motorized Hospital Bed To Blame For Fatal Montgomery County House Fire, Investigators Say Motorized Hospital Bed To Blame For Fatal Montgomery County House Fire, Investigators Say
Motorized Hospital Bed To Blame For Fatal Montgomery County House Fire, Investigators Say A person who had to be rescued from a burning home on Friday morning in Montgomery County died after a fire broke out inside a bedroom, officials say. First responders were called at around 10:15 a.m. on July 19 to the 11400 block of Neelsville Church Road near Shakespeare Boulevard in Germantown, where there was a reported house fire with a person trapped inside. Part 2 of 2 - Aerial video at 11400 Neelsville Church Rd. near Shakespeare Boulevard, Germantown, housefire, report of person trapped. @mcfrsPIO @TheMoCoShow @ModeratelyMoco @CordellTraffic @HHFireProds @ArmisteadIsaac @mc…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Resident Rescued From Montgomery County House Fire Critically Injured, Officials Say Resident Rescued From Montgomery County House Fire Critically Injured, Officials Say
Resident Rescued From Montgomery County House Fire Critically Injured, Officials Say One person had to be rescued from a burning home on Friday morning in Montgomery County when a fire broke out inside a bedroom, officials say. First responders were called at around 10:15 a.m. on July 19 to the 11400 block of Neelsville Church Road near Shakespeare Boulevard in Germantown, where there was a reported house fire with a person trapped inside. Part 2 of 2 - Aerial video at 11400 Neelsville Church Rd. near Shakespeare Boulevard, Germantown, housefire, report of person trapped. @mcfrsPIO @TheMoCoShow @ModeratelyMoco @CordellTraffic @HHFireProds @ArmisteadIsaac @mcfrs @DCNewsLi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Teen Heading To Prison For Role In Maryland Murder Of Rival Gang Member Teen Heading To Prison For Role In Maryland Murder Of Rival Gang Member
Teen Heading To Prison For Role In Maryland Murder Of Rival Gang Member A 19-year-old is heading to prison in Montgomery County for his role in the death of a Frederick man who was in a rival gang two years ago, the state's attorney announced. Germantown resident Dayton Miller was sentenced to 25 years in prison with all but 15 suspended in connection to the death of 20-year-old Taon Cline in April 2022. According to court documents, shortly before 11 p.m. on April 22, 2022, first responders were called to the 19000 block of Gunners Branch Road in Germantown to investigate a reported shooting, where they found Cline suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He w…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Father Of Five Killed In 'Tragic' Maryland Motorcycle Crash Father Of Five Killed In 'Tragic' Maryland Motorcycle Crash
Father Of Five Killed In 'Tragic' Maryland Motorcycle Crash Support is swelling for the family of a father of five who was killed in a motorcycle accident in Maryland over the weekend. On Saturday, July 13, Germantown resident Rolando "Roly" Balcazar, Jr. was killed in what was described as "a tragic accident" while riding his motorcycle, leaving behind his loving family and children. Following his death, the community has rallied around his loved ones as they continue to grip with his unexpected passing. "Dripz, you're 1 of a kind my brother," a friend posted on social media. "I will NEVER forget you (and) your beautiful soul. Love you forever.&nb…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Suspects Caught In Carjacked Camry Facing Weapons Charges In Maryland, Police Say Suspects Caught In Carjacked Camry Facing Weapons Charges In Maryland, Police Say
Suspects Caught In Carjacked Camry Facing Weapons Charges In Maryland, Police Say Two men who were caught red-handed in a carjacked vehicle following a robbery in Montgomery County are behind bars, police say. Ruben Ramirez, 19, of Laurel, and 20-year-old Germantown resident Darrell Alvin Brown have both been arrested and charged following an alleged armed carjacking and robbery earlier this week. The incident was reported at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25 in the 1900 block of East West Highway. According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, a man had just parked and was walking to his apartment building when three people accosted him, one of whom pulled ou…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Driver, Passenger In Stolen Vehicle Tried To Pull Fast Ones On Deputies In Virginia: Sheriff Driver, Passenger In Stolen Vehicle Tried To Pull Fast Ones On Deputies In Virginia: Sheriff
Driver, Passenger In Stolen Vehicle Tried To Pull Fast Ones On Deputies In Virginia: Sheriff A pair in a stolen vehicle tried their best - which was not good enough - to dupe members of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office during a strange traffic stop on Monday morning, officials say. Devonte Griffin, 28, of Germantown in Maryland, and 32-year-old Stafford native Justin Hunter  are both facing charges following what was described as a "game of hide-and-seek" that was ultimately won by a police K9.  Shortly after 1 a.m. on June 24, a deputy on patrol spotted a stolen vehicle in the area of Garrison Road and Dunn Drive, leading to a traffic stop in Garrison Woods, at which…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Tornado Touches Down In Maryland (DEVELOPING) Tornado Touches Down In Maryland (DEVELOPING)
Tornado Touches Down In Maryland (Developing) A dangerous tornado touched down in Montgomery County on Wednesday night, officials confirmed. At approximately 7:15 p.m. on June 5, the National Weather Service advised that a tornado was located in Poolsville moving east at approximately 20 mph in the area. National Weather Service It was also expected to impact Germantown, Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, North Potomac, Boyds, and other surrounding communities. Poolesville, Dawsonville, Germantown pic.twitter.com/tx7JlsKwxK — Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) June 5, 2024 "You are in a life-threatening situation," officials warned. "Fly…

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by Zak Failla