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Washington County, MD

Police & Fire
Helicopter Hoists Injured Hiker 125 Feet Off Cliff In Maryland: State Police Helicopter Hoists Injured Hiker 125 Feet Off Cliff In Maryland: State Police
Helicopter Hoists Injured Hiker 125 Feet Off Cliff In Maryland: State Police An injured hiker had to be airlifted off a cliff in Washington County after a dramatic helicopter rescue, Maryland State Police said. Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, a Maryland State Police helicopter based in Frederick was dispatched to Maryland Heights Overlook for a hiker suffering a medical emergency, according to officials. Ground crews at the scene determined the hiker couldn’t be safely carried out due to the steep terrain and severity of the condition, so Washington County requested an aerial hoist. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter about 125 feet above the cliff, acc…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Tennessee Trucker Opens Fire On Pickup Driver During Maryland Road Rage Shooting: Sheriff Tennessee Trucker Opens Fire On Pickup Driver During Maryland Road Rage Shooting: Sheriff
Tennessee Trucker Opens Fire On Pickup Driver During Maryland Road Rage Shooting: Sheriff A Tennessee truck driver is accused of turning a Maryland highway confrontation into a near-deadly encounter after deputies say he opened fire on another driver during a road rage incident across several highways. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, when deputies responded to reports of shots fired at the AC&T Fuel Center on Hopewell Road in Hagerstown. Investigators said the confrontation started between a pickup truck and a tractor-trailer on I-70 eastbound near I-81, continued onto I-81, and escalated after both vehicle…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
4 Pounds Of Cocaine, 2 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized In Maryland Drug Raid: Two Arrested 4 Pounds Of Cocaine, 2 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized In Maryland Drug Raid: Two Arrested
4 Pounds Of Cocaine, 2 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized In Maryland Drug Raid: Two Arrested Maryland drug agents seized a staggering haul of cocaine and fentanyl during a massive Washington County raid that landed two people behind bars. Timothy Grimes, 57, and Heather Schnebly, 39, both of Hagerstown, were busted Friday, Sept. 5, after Washington County Narcotics Task Force agents executed warrants at apartments on South Locust Street and South Cannon Avenue, authorities announced. According to investigators, the raid capped off a July 2025 probe into large-scale drug distribution tied to both addresses.  When agents, backed by the Washington County Special Response Team an…

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by Zak Failla
News
No Charges For Officers After Maryland Man’s In-Custody Death Caught On Camera: AG (WATCH) No Charges For Officers After Maryland Man’s In-Custody Death Caught On Camera: AG (WATCH)
No Charges For Officers After Maryland Man’s In-Custody Death Caught On Camera: AG (Watch) No charges will be filed following the officer-involved in-custody death of a Maryland man whose final moments were caught on camera, authorities announced. Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that his office will not seek charges in connection with the death of Kelvin Lashawn Baker, who died in police custody last year. The 46-year-old was placed in handcuffs and into the back of a police vehicle in Washington County as officers planned to execute a search warrant at his Hagerstown home, officials said. According to investigators, at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2024, members…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
$1.5M Fire Erupts At Maryland Truck Shop After Gas Vapors Ignite: Officials $1.5M Fire Erupts At Maryland Truck Shop After Gas Vapors Ignite: Officials
$1.5M Fire Erupts At Maryland Truck Shop After Gas Vapors Ignite: Officials A fast-moving two-alarm fire that caused $1.5 million in damage ripped through a Hagerstown towing and repair business after a mechanic siphoning gasoline accidentally sparked an explosion, state fire investigators said. The blaze broke out around 4:23 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, at Main Truck Towing & Repair Inc. on Label Lane, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators said the fire started in a rear vehicle bay when flammable vapors ignited as the mechanic siphoned fuel from a diesel motor.  The mechanic suffered serious burns to his lower body and was airlifted…

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by Zak Failla
News
62 Infected Deer Detected In Maryland As Fatal Disease Spreads To New County 62 Infected Deer Detected In Maryland As Fatal Disease Spreads To New County
62 Infected Deer Detected In Maryland As Fatal Disease Spreads To New County Maryland wildlife officials say chronic wasting disease (CWD) is spreading again—this time into a new part of the state. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed 62 white-tailed deer tested positive for CWD in 2024, with one new case reported for the first time in Howard County, prompting state officials to expand the CWD management zone in 2025. “Unfortunately, chronic wasting disease continues to spread nationally, regionally, and within the state of Maryland,” said Karina Stonesifer, director of the DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service. Most infected deer came from known ho…

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by Zak Failla
News
Sex Trafficker In Maryland Instructed Victim To Abuse 4-Year-Old From Behind Bars Sex Trafficker In Maryland Instructed Victim To Abuse 4-Year-Old From Behind Bars
Sex Trafficker In Maryland Instructed Victim To Abuse 4-Year-Old From Behind Bars A Maryland man will spend decades behind bars after grooming and sex trafficking a woman, then advising his victim to sexually abuse a child from jail, authorities announced. Arcelius Dunbar Lyle, 57, of Hagerstown, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex abuse of a minor and sex trafficking in Frederick. According to the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office, an investigation into sex trafficking determined that Lyle met his victim at work and began grooming her shortly after that. Prosecutors said that he trafficked her for approximately seven months&n…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal
Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal That’s one way to send a message. A juvenile in Maryland is accused of torching a car in Washington County using a flaming stack of mail, state fire investigators said. It happened around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, outside a home on the 4200 block of Mills Road in Sharpsburg, according to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators say the juvenile ignited several pieces of mail and tossed them into the passenger compartment of a parked vehicle, triggering a blaze that scorched the inside of the car. Damage was estimated at $500. No one was hurt. It took five firef…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Scooter Rider Killed In Early Morning Crash With Jeep In Maryland: Sheriff (DEVELOPING) Scooter Rider Killed In Early Morning Crash With Jeep In Maryland: Sheriff (DEVELOPING)
Scooter Rider Killed In Early Morning Crash With Jeep In Maryland: Sheriff (Developing) A man riding an electric scooter died after a crash with a Jeep in Hagerstown early Tuesday morning, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to the area of Longmeadow Road near Cambridge Drive around 6:45 a.m. on March 25 for a reported collision involving a motor vehicle and an electric scooter. Investigators said both the blue Jeep Compass and the electric scooter were traveling westbound on Longmeadow Road when they collided. The driver of the Jeep was not injured. The scooter rider was rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later died, officials said…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal Two Maryland high schoolers are facing charges after police say they triggered a full-blown bomb scare with a fake device that forced students to evacuate and drew in the state’s bomb squad. Two 17-year-olds from Boonsboro High School in Washington County were hit with juvenile charges following the March 19 incident, the Office of the State Fire Marshal announced on Monday, March 24. According to investigators, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office requested bomb squad assistance around 11:15 a.m. after a suspicious device was discovered inside a student’s backpack. The school was immedia…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials
Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials A bomb squad rushed to a Maryland high school after reports of a possible explosive device inside a student’s backpack, authorities announced. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said its Bomb Squad personnel responded to Boonsboro High School in Washington County after receiving information about a possible improvised explosive device on Wednesday, March 19. With assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the bomb squad arrived within 20 minutes of the initial report and determined that the suspected item was a hoax device.  The device was rendered safe, and explosi…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials 10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials
10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials A fire sparked by a burning backhoe in Washington County tore through more than 10 acres of woodland, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage before firefighters could bring it under control, authorities said. Firefighters responded to the 11400 block of National Pike in Clear Spring around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, after flames spread from a backhoe to a nearby shed and then into the surrounding woods, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. The property owner had started his 1982 Case 580 K Backhoe to let it warm up and left it idling while he went inside his ho…

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by Zak Failla
News
Watch Events Leading Up To Police-Involved In-Custody Death In Maryland (VIDEO) Watch Events Leading Up To Police-Involved In-Custody Death In Maryland (VIDEO)
Watch Events Leading Up To Police-Involved In-Custody Death In Maryland (Video) New bodycam footage has been released by the Maryland Attorney General's Office that shows the final moments of Kelvin Lashawn Baker's life before he died in police custody. The 46-year-old was placed in handcuffs and into the back of a police vehicle in Washington County as officers planned to executive a search warrant at his Hagerstown home. According to investigators, at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2024, members of the Hagerstown Police Department executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of East Washington Street, where they found Baker outside with another woman. …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges
Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges A broken phone in Washington County led to federal charges for a 75-year-old Hagerstown man accused of child exploitation, authorities announced. In November 2024, the Hagerstown Police Department were tipped off by employees at Boost Mobile on Maryland Avenue after William Foster Alger came to the store to repair his cellphone. During the repair, police say that employees discovered nude photos of underage girls, and detectives found that Alger had foreign connections, and believed the photos were taken in Ecuador.  Detectives contacted the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) from…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say 'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say
'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say A Maryland woman is behind bars after a joint investigation revealed she made alarming online threats against multiple churches and their pastors in Washington County. On Sunday, Jan. 26, investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Hagerstown Fire Marshal's Office arrested Salamah Bassem Audi, 35, following a week-long investigation into threatening messages posted on an online blog. The threats targeted Gateway Experience Church in Williamsport, The City of God in Hagerstown, and their pastors.  In one post, Audi threatened to blow up a pastor “into itty bitty pie…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Dunkin’ Debuts High-Tech 'Next-Generation Restaurant' In Maryland Dunkin’ Debuts High-Tech 'Next-Generation Restaurant' In Maryland
Dunkin’ Debuts High-Tech 'Next-Generation Restaurant' In Maryland Coffee and donut lovers in Northern Maryland have a new reason to "run on Dunkin’" with the grand opening of its Next Generation restaurant in Washington County. The new business opened during the holiday season at 19405 Emerald Square in Hagerstown, officially opening on Dec. 25 last month  "This cutting-edge location brings faster service, sustainability, and exciting new features to the community," a spokesperson for the company said. The 2,200-square-foot restaurant now employs 15 crew members and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be operated by franchisee Neil Patel, w…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released Montgomery County is the place to be for parents with young children according to a new Niche report listing Maryland's top elementary schools. It was a clean sweep in the top five for Montgomery County, which led the latest rankings recently released by the organization following lists for the top middle and high schools in the country.  To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche use…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
April McClain Delaney Declares Victory In Maryland's 6th District Congressional Race April McClain Delaney Declares Victory In Maryland's 6th District Congressional Race
April McClain Delaney Declares Victory In Maryland's 6th District Congressional Race Democrat April McClain Delaney has declared victory in the hotly contested race against Republican Neil Parrott in Maryland's 6th Congressional District. In her first time running for office, using a strong mail-in vote, Delaney was able to narrowly edge out Parrott, with 51.18 percent of the vote (174,514 in total) versus 48.61 percent (165,750) for her opponent, according to the Maryland Board of Elections on Friday, Nov. 8.  "I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of Maryland's 6th District have placed in me," Delaney said in a statement declaring her victory.&…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats
Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has implemented a statewide ban on open-air burning amid the "extremely dry conditions" that have plagued the region recently. According to officials, "extremely dry conditions persist across the state and have led to an above average number of wildfires statewide, and conditions are not expected to change in the near future." It was enacted on Friday, Nov. 1.  The ban will remain in effect until the Maryland Forest Service determines the state has received enough precipitation to reduce the threat of wildfires statewide, they added. …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released Several middle schools in Montgomery and Howard counties are among the best in Maryland, according to a new Niche report. Cabin John Middle School in Potomac topped the list, followed by three in Howard County: Clarksville, Mount View, and Folly Quarter middle schools. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users."  The results are similar to the top public high schools in the st…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell
PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell A robber — who was caught by US Marshals in Northern Maryland in July 2023 — has died in prison while serving time for raping a child, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.  Anthony James Raimo, 35 at the time of his arrest, of the 700 block of Harrisburg Pike, Dillsburg, was arrested on July 7, 2023, by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Washington County, MD Sheriff's Office, as Daily Voice previously reported. Raimo, now 37, was found unresponsive in his cell at State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale, PA, on October 8, 2024, accord…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released A pair of Montgomery County public high schools were ranked the best in Maryland, followed by some in Howard County, according to a new Niche report. Poolesville High School took the top spot in Maryland - and 32nd overall in the nation - followed by Walt Whitman High School, River Hill High School, Winston Church Hill High School, and Marriotts Ridge High School. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff
Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff A Peeping Tom who was caught holding a phone under the door at a changing room in Washington County was also busted with child pornography, according to the sheriff's office. In June, the sheriff's office was advised about a suspicious suspect who targeted an underage girl who was trying on clothing at Target on Cole Road in Hagerstown. According to investigators, the minor spotted a black cellphone being held under the door by an unknown man who was later identified as 48-year-old Hancock resident Terry Lee Smith. During the investigation, a search and seizure warrant was served at S…

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by Zak Failla
News
Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal
Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal The man who made several bomb threats targeting a retirement home on different occasions has been arrested, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal. Hagerstown resident John Calvin Walls, 60, is facing charges following an investigation into voicemails that were left at the Williamsport Retirement Village in Washington County. According to investigators, Walls allegedly "threatened to blow up the tranquil home offering assisted living, rehabilitation, long-term care, and respite care."  On Monday, investigators from the fire marshal's office responded to the retirement home when an emp…

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by Zak Failla
News
Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG
Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG A Baltimore woman has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury in a 135-count indictment stemming from a years-long investigation by the Maryland Attorney General's Office into a human and sex trafficking ring, authorities announced. Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, has been charged following a two-year multi-agency investigation, which helped the AG's Organized Crime Unit to identify nearly a dozen women from Hagerstown who were allegedly trafficked by her and her organization at hotels and motels throughout Maryland. According to the AG, in December 2021, the Baltimore Police Department …

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by Zak Failla