After Losing Heroic Fiancé, Home In Maryland Fire, Community Steps Up For Family After Losing Heroic Fiancé, Home In Maryland Fire, Community Steps Up For Family
After Losing Heroic Fiancé, Home In Maryland Fire, Community Steps Up For Family A Navy veteran died trying to save his 10-year-old son from a burning Southern Maryland home, unaware the boy had already escaped safely. Now, a Maryland community is wrapping its arms around Lauren Copenhaver and her family after a devastating house fire in Hollywood claimed the life of her fiancé, Christopher Gierhart, destroyed their home, and left them with little more than each other. In just over a day, hundreds of people have donated more than $35,000 through an online fundraiser. Others have offered furniture, clothing, school supplies, kitchen supplies, and household essentials.&n…
100+ MPH Getaway Ends In Crash Moments After Virginia Teen Eludes Officer: Police 100+ MPH Getaway Ends In Crash Moments After Virginia Teen Eludes Officer: Police
100+ MPH Getaway Ends In Crash Moments After Virginia Teen Eludes Officer: Police Noubassem Namde did his best to avoid arrest in Northern Virginia on Tuesday morning. His best wasn't good enough. The 19-year-old topped 100 mph early on July 7 as he was attempting to elude a traffic stop for speeding, according to the Fredericksburg Police Department. Then he crashed in Spotsylvania. Investigators say an officer was clearing from a traffic stop on Emancipation Highway when he observed a vehicle speeding by him. He attempted to stop the driver, but Namde kept going, hitting speeds topping 100 mph in a 45 mph zone before the pursuit was called off. Namde did not g…
15 Dead, Nearly 900 Crashes Reported On Virginia Roads During Holiday Weekend: State Police 15 Dead, Nearly 900 Crashes Reported On Virginia Roads During Holiday Weekend: State Police
15 Dead, Nearly 900 Crashes Reported On Virginia Roads During Holiday Weekend: State Police Fifteen people never made it home over the holiday weekend. Virginia roads turned deadly over the Fourth of July weekend as 15 people were killed in 14 separate crashes between Thursday, July 2, and Sunday, July 5, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by Virginia State Police. The fatal crashes happened in Alleghany, Appomattox, Brunswick, Fauquier, Frederick, Nottoway, Pulaski, Roanoke, Shenandoah, Smyth, Spotsylvania, and Suffolk counties, as well as the City of Danville.  Frederick County recorded two deadly crashes during the four days. Among the deadliest incidents was…
Man Exposed Himself To Occupied Car Outside Virginia's SplashDown Waterpark: Police Man Exposed Himself To Occupied Car Outside Virginia's SplashDown Waterpark: Police
Man Exposed Himself To Occupied Car Outside Virginia's SplashDown Waterpark: Police Visitors to a busy Virginia water park got more than they bargained for. A summer trip to the park took an unexpected turn when police say a 30-year-old man walked up to an occupied vehicle, exposed himself, and made obscene gestures before strolling away. The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 6, outside SplashDown Waterpark in Manassas, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Investigators later identified the suspect as Manassas man Manuel De Jesus Alvaranga Espana. Police say Alvaranga Espana approached an occupied vehicle in the parking lot, whe…
Maryland Fireworks Celebration Ends In Chaos As Teen Is Stabbed Multiple Times: Sheriff Maryland Fireworks Celebration Ends In Chaos As Teen Is Stabbed Multiple Times: Sheriff
Maryland Fireworks Celebration Ends In Chaos As Teen Is Stabbed Multiple Times: Sheriff What was supposed to be a night of fireworks ended with a teenager fighting for their life. One person was hospitalized, and 23-year-old Lexington Park resident Devin Allen Miles is behind bars following an incident at the rescheduled fireworks event in Solomons, according to the Calvert County Sheriff's Office. Shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, deputies were called to the Solomons Island Gazebo, where there was a fight involving multiple people inside a large gathering at the event. While deputies were responding, the Calvert County Control Center received additional information…
Pregnant Virginia Veterinarian Loses Home In Overnight Fire Weeks Before Baby's Arrival Pregnant Virginia Veterinarian Loses Home In Overnight Fire Weeks Before Baby's Arrival
Pregnant Virginia Veterinarian Loses Home In Overnight Fire Weeks Before Baby's Arrival A veterinarian in Virginia should be preparing to welcome her second child in a matter of weeks. Instead, Dr. Kate Bedard is picking up the pieces and rebuilding after a fire destroyed her family's Fairfax County home.  Bedard, a veterinary ophthalmologist, escaped with her husband and young daughter after a fire broke out just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at their home in the 10800 block of Paynes Church Drive in Fairfax, according to officials. When firefighters arrived, flames were pouring from the home's attached carport and had already spread into the attic. Crews extingui…
Maryland Man Held Woman Against Her Will Before 11-Hour Armed Standoff: State Police Maryland Man Held Woman Against Her Will Before 11-Hour Armed Standoff: State Police
Maryland Man Held Woman Against Her Will Before 11-Hour Armed Standoff: State Police She got out. He refused to. The confrontation stretched from late Sunday night into Monday morning in Snow Hill, where Maryland State Police say Robert Keith Anderson, 49, barricaded himself inside a home after an alleged domestic assault that left troopers trying for nearly half a day to get him to surrender. It started just before 10:45 p.m. on July 5, when a woman managed to escape the home on W. Market Street and call 911. She told investigators Anderson had physically restrained her inside the residence. Before she got away, he allegedly pulled out a gun and threatened to harm her. B…
Wrong-Way Driver, Car Into Building Highlight Virginia City's Wild Fourth Of July DUIs (PHOTOS) Wrong-Way Driver, Car Into Building Highlight Virginia City's Wild Fourth Of July DUIs (PHOTOS)
Wrong-Way Driver, Car Into Building Highlight Virginia City's Wild Fourth Of July DUIs (Photos) One driver went the wrong way down a city street. Another slammed into a building. Those were just two of the dangerous DUI arrests Fredericksburg Police say they made during the Fourth of July holiday, with separate crashes ending in handcuffs just hours apart. The first happened on Saturday, July 4, when Officer McAfee spotted a Kia minivan traveling the wrong way on Princess Anne Street near Lafayette Boulevard. Police said the driver ignored the officer's attempt to stop and continued driving the wrong way before finally pulling over in the 800 block of Princess Anne Street. Following…
Fake Cop Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted Woman In Maryland, Sheriff Says Fake Cop Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted Woman In Maryland, Sheriff Says
Fake Cop Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted Woman In Maryland, Sheriff Says A Maryland man accused of sexually assaulting a woman after kidnapping her in Waldorf is facing similar charges in Anne Arundel County, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office. Silver Spring resident Bryan Neal Gordon, 27, is facing criminal charges in Southern Maryland following an investigation into a harrowing incident late last month. Investigators say that around 10:30 p.m. on June 28, a woman arranged to meet Gordon in the 2200 block of Old Washington Road in Waldorf. Once inside his vehicle, it is alleged that Gordon falsely claimed to be a police officer, handcuffed h…
Man Who Fled US After 2014 Hit-And-Run Arrested 12 Years Later At Dulles Airport, Police Say Man Who Fled US After 2014 Hit-And-Run Arrested 12 Years Later At Dulles Airport, Police Say
Man Who Fled US After 2014 Hit-And-Run Arrested 12 Years Later At Dulles Airport, Police Say He disappeared before he could face a judge. More than a decade after police say he struck a woman with his car, fled the scene, skipped court, and left the country, a Herndon man is finally back in custody after being arrested at Dulles International Airport. Enda Browne, 43, was arrested after the US Marshals Service located him at Dulles Airport, Fairfax County Police announced on Monday, July 6. The arrest closes a 12-year chapter that began on Nov. 16, 2014, when officers were called around 6:30 p.m. to the intersection of Reston Parkway and Spectrum Center Drive in Reston for reports…
Virginia Woman Walks Away From Crash, Refuses Blood Draw After Third DUI: Sheriff Virginia Woman Walks Away From Crash, Refuses Blood Draw After Third DUI: Sheriff
Virginia Woman Walks Away From Crash, Refuses Blood Draw After Third DUI: Sheriff She tried to leave the crash behind. Instead, deputies say they found a Virginia woman walking down the road moments after wrecking her vehicle, only to discover she was allegedly impaired, carrying suspected drugs, and facing her third DUI offense. The crash happened around 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, in the 1600 block of Poplar Road in Stafford County, where deputies responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash involving a driver who had walked away from the scene. Deputies found 41-year-old Stafford resident Tameca Dorsey walking along nearby Donovan Lane and confirmed she had been…
Teen Identified As Victim In Fatal Virginia Shooting; Gunman At Large: Police (UPDATED) Teen Identified As Victim In Fatal Virginia Shooting; Gunman At Large: Police (UPDATED)
Teen Identified As Victim In Fatal Virginia Shooting; Gunman At Large: Police (Updated) It didn't end with the shooting. Prince William County police are searching for a suspect who fled on foot after a 16-year-old was gunned down in a Woodbridge parking lot late Sunday night, July 5. Officers were called around 10:12 p.m. to the 16700 block of Blackjack Oak Lane, where they found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body, police said. Officers immediately began lifesaving efforts before the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died. Investigators said a vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting was seen leaving the area moments after…
Fourth Of July Gathering Turns Fatal: Virginia Man Charged After Guest Shot Dead, Sheriff Says Fourth Of July Gathering Turns Fatal: Virginia Man Charged After Guest Shot Dead, Sheriff Says
Fourth Of July Gathering Turns Fatal: Virginia Man Charged After Guest Shot Dead, Sheriff Says What started as a Fourth of July celebration ended with a man dead inside a home. Loudoun County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a home in the 43000 block of Helmsdale Terrace in Chantilly around 1:52 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, after receiving reports of a shooting inside the residence. When they arrived, deputies found 33-year-old Brandon Fadden, of Centreville, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hours later, investigators announced the arrest of Joshua Soroko, 31, of Chantilly, in connection with the fatal shooting. According to the sheriff's of…
Windsor Mill Man Killed At 100-Person Maryland House Party Where Tickets Were Sold: Sheriff Windsor Mill Man Killed At 100-Person Maryland House Party Where Tickets Were Sold: Sheriff
Windsor Mill Man Killed At 100-Person Maryland House Party Where Tickets Were Sold: Sheriff What was supposed to be a ticketed house party with armed security ended in gunfire, a homicide investigation, and more than 100 stunned guests scrambling from a chaotic scene. The shooting unfolded shortly after midnight on Sunday, July 5, at a private home on the 2300 block of Willow Vale Drive in Fallston, where Harford County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to reports of shots fired during what investigators say was a large party attended by an estimated 100 people. When deputies arrived, they found Joseph Evans, 34, of Owings Mills, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies …
14 Killed In Maryland Traffic Crashes During Deadly Fourth Of July Holiday Week: State Police 14 Killed In Maryland Traffic Crashes During Deadly Fourth Of July Holiday Week: State Police
14 Killed In Maryland Traffic Crashes During Deadly Fourth Of July Holiday Week: State Police It was a deadly start to July on Maryland's roads. Fourteen people were killed in traffic crashes across the state between Monday, June 29, and Sunday, July 5, according to preliminary data released by the Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland State Police following the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend. The deadly stretch pushed Maryland's traffic death toll to 195 so far this year, though that's down from 235 fatalities reported at the same point in 2025, according to state data. Officials said eight of those deaths have already occurred in July. Among this year's victims…
Church Volunteer Charged With Sexually Abusing Teen In Virginia As Police Fear More Victims Church Volunteer Charged With Sexually Abusing Teen In Virginia As Police Fear More Victims
Church Volunteer Charged With Sexually Abusing Teen In Virginia As Police Fear More Victims A Virginia man who volunteered with youth at a church is facing charges after allegedly sexually abusing a teen girl in his care multiple times. Jeremy Mishler, 42, is in custody following an investigation into sex offenses as the Arlington County Police Department searches for possible additional victims, authorities announced on Monday, July 6. On June 5, detectives launched a criminal investigation after receiving a tip that Mishler had inappropriate contact with a teen he knew on several occasions in May 2026. According to officials, Mishler is known to have previously volunteered…
Virginia Man Secretly Filmed Women At Dollar Tree, Then Fought Family Member: Police Virginia Man Secretly Filmed Women At Dollar Tree, Then Fought Family Member: Police
Virginia Man Secretly Filmed Women At Dollar Tree, Then Fought Family Member: Police What started as a shopping trip inside a Virginia Dollar Tree ended with two women allegedly being secretly filmed, a confrontation in the aisle, and a man's arrest. The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, inside the Dollar Tree on Worth Avenue in Woodbridge, where Prince William County police say Pedro Alvarado, 58, was using his phone to secretly record two women, ages 19 and 21, as they shopped. According to investigators, one of the women alerted a family member, who immediately confronted the suspect. Police said the encounter quickly turned physical. The suspect al…
Pair On The Run After Man Gunned Down During Holiday Weekend In Maryland: Police Pair On The Run After Man Gunned Down During Holiday Weekend In Maryland: Police
Pair On The Run After Man Gunned Down During Holiday Weekend In Maryland: Police A deadly downtown shooting that shattered the early morning quiet in Maryland has now turned into a manhunt. Two Hagerstown residents are wanted on murder charges after police identified them as suspects in the fatal shooting of a 30-year-old man over the holiday weekend. Officers with the Hagerstown Police Department were called around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 5, to the first block of East Antietam Street, where they found Dalonte Dametrius Young suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Young, 30, of Hagerstown, was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives with the department's Crimina…
VIDEO: Roof Collapses On BJ's Shoppers In New Jersey VIDEO: Roof Collapses On BJ's Shoppers In New Jersey
Video: Roof Collapses On BJ's Shoppers In New Jersey Harrowing footage shows the moment the roof of a BJ's Wholesale Club collapsed on 27 people, including shoppers, in New Jersey on Monday, July 6 (scroll for footage). At 11:16 a.m., emergency responded to the roof collapse at the BJ's in Ocean Township at 1904 Route 35, Ocean Township Police Chief Michael Sorrentino and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said. There were 27 people inside the building when the collapse occurred, Sorrentino and Golden said. Two people were partially trapped but freed themselves and safely exited the building, authorities said. No injuries were rep…
NJ Skating Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl In 1990s, Prosecutor Says NJ Skating Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl In 1990s, Prosecutor Says
NJ Skating Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl In 1990s, Prosecutor Says A 75-year-old South Jersey skating coach was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a minor in the 1990s, authorities announced Monday, July 6. The victim, now in her late 40s, told the United States Center for SafeSport that Ralph Marinelli, of Ventnor, sexually assaulted her when she was 14 years old and he was 40 years old while he was her personal skating coach at Young's Skating Center in Mays Landing, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said. The woman said she was groomed and sexually abused by Marinelli from 1992 through 1995, authorities said. Evidence collected by polic…
Ex-Boyfriend Charged After Maryland Woman Found Shot Dead In Car On Fourth Of July: Police Ex-Boyfriend Charged After Maryland Woman Found Shot Dead In Car On Fourth Of July: Police
Ex-Boyfriend Charged After Maryland Woman Found Shot Dead In Car On Fourth Of July: Police A Maryland woman's Fourth of July ended in tragedy when she was found shot to death inside a vehicle, police say, and her former boyfriend is now charged with her murder. Prince George's County police were called shortly after 10:10 p.m. Friday, July 4, to the 1900 block of Brooks Drive in Capitol Heights for a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they found 31-year-old Dakota Keys suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide detectives identified the suspect as 31-year-old Terrence Penn Jr. of Temple Hills, who police say fled after …
Maryland Father Dies Trying To Save 10-Year-Old Son Who Had Already Escaped House Fire Maryland Father Dies Trying To Save 10-Year-Old Son Who Had Already Escaped House Fire
Maryland Father Dies Trying To Save 10-Year-Old Son Who Had Already Escaped House Fire A Maryland father died after running back into his burning home to rescue his 10-year-old son Sunday night, only for investigators to later determine the child had already made it out safely. Firefighters from the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding agencies were called around 9:40 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, to the 22800 block of Thornbury Drive, where there was a reported house fire with a child believed to be trapped inside. By the time crews arrived, heavy fire had ripped through the two-story house. Believing his son was still inside, the homeowner went back into the…
Woman Rushes Back For Cat As 3-Alarm Fire Destroys Maryland Home After Storm Outage (PHOTOS) Woman Rushes Back For Cat As 3-Alarm Fire Destroys Maryland Home After Storm Outage (PHOTOS)
Woman Rushes Back For Cat As 3-Alarm Fire Destroys Maryland Home After Storm Outage (Photos) She made it out. Then she went back for the cat. A Maryland woman narrowly escaped a fast-moving three-alarm house fire on Sunday after racing back inside her smoke-filled home to search for her pet, only to be forced back out as flames consumed the house. The fire broke out shortly after 4:20 p.m. on July 5, inside a home in the 3700 block of Hilltop Drive in Joppa, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal. The three-alarm fire in Harford County. Office Of The Maryland State Fire Marshal Investigators said the family's neighborhood had lost power during Saturday'…
Massive 4-Alarm Fire Erupts At Baltimore Sherwin-Williams Warehouse (VIDEO) Massive 4-Alarm Fire Erupts At Baltimore Sherwin-Williams Warehouse (VIDEO)
Massive 4-Alarm Fire Erupts At Baltimore Sherwin-Williams Warehouse (Video) The flames just kept growing. So did the response. A Baltimore warehouse fire exploded into a massive four-alarm battle Saturday night, sending firefighters from across the city into an hours-long fight against towering flames and thick smoke pouring from a Sherwin-Williams facility. The fire broke out around 8 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Sherwin-Williams warehouse in the 1600 block of Filbert Street in the city's Brooklyn neighborhood, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department. What began as a routine dispatch quickly escalated. Within minutes, the incident was upgraded to a work…
Fireworks Spark $1.2M House Fire, Damage 3 Homes On Fourth Of July In Virginia Fireworks Spark $1.2M House Fire, Damage 3 Homes On Fourth Of July In Virginia
Fireworks Spark $1.2M House Fire, Damage 3 Homes On Fourth Of July In Virginia A Virginia family's Fourth of July celebration ended in devastation after improperly discarded legal fireworks sparked a massive house fire that caused nearly $1.2 million in damage, destroyed much of one home, and spread to two neighboring houses, fire investigators said. The fire broke out just after 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, at a home in the 20900 block of Deer Run Way in Ashburn, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire in the garage that had already pushed through the roof of the single-family home. The fire in…
Two Women Die In Maryland House Fire As Firefighters Search Amid Roof Collapse (PHOTOS) Two Women Die In Maryland House Fire As Firefighters Search Amid Roof Collapse (PHOTOS)
Two Women Die In Maryland House Fire As Firefighters Search Amid Roof Collapse (Photos) A Maryland house fire turned deadly before dawn Sunday after firefighters rushed into a burning home, knowing there was a chance someone was still trapped inside. When crews arrived at a split-level home in the 2400 block of Harmon Road in Silver Spring shortly before 4:20 a.m. on July 5, flames were already tearing through the second floor and punching through the roof, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. With no occupants outside, firefighters immediately launched an aggressive search of the home despite rapidly deteriorating conditions. Inside, they found two women.&…
Armed & Dangerous Man Wanted In Multiple States Sentenced In MD, But Victims Seek To Be Heard Armed & Dangerous Man Wanted In Multiple States Sentenced In MD, But Victims Seek To Be Heard
Armed & Dangerous Man Wanted In Multiple States Sentenced In MD, But Victims Seek To Be Heard A heavily tattooed fugitive once captured in Texas after a four-state manhunt, who then went back on the run after being released from custody in Pennsylvania in May, has been recaptured and sentenced, according to information shared with Daily Voice and newly filed court records. Kevin James Kistler, 35, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, was released Monday, May 18, with the understanding that he would surrender himself to authorities in Cecil County, Maryland, according to information provided to Daily Voice by a person familiar with the ongoing cases. Instead,  fugitive warrants were iss…
9 Hurt, 4 Airlifted To Burn Centers After Fourth Of July Boat Explosion In Maryland (PHOTOS) 9 Hurt, 4 Airlifted To Burn Centers After Fourth Of July Boat Explosion In Maryland (PHOTOS)
9 Hurt, 4 Airlifted To Burn Centers After Fourth Of July Boat Explosion In Maryland (Photos) A Fourth of July afternoon on the water turned into chaos in Maryland when a boat suddenly exploded, sending nine people to the hospital and forcing four victims to be airlifted to regional burn centers. The explosion happened just after 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, at Schaefer's Canal House in Chesapeake City, where emergency crews rushed to the waterfront after multiple 911 callers reported that an approximately 32-foot-long boat had exploded while tied up at the dock. According to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, seven of the injured were aboard the vessel, while two others …
Maryland Family Loses Everything After Home Firebombed With Flaming Gasoline Container (PHOTOS) Maryland Family Loses Everything After Home Firebombed With Flaming Gasoline Container (PHOTOS)
Maryland Family Loses Everything After Home Firebombed With Flaming Gasoline Container (Photos) Everything they owned was gone before the sun came up. A Maryland family returned to unimaginable devastation after investigators say someone threw a flaming gasoline container onto the front porch of their home, turning it into a raging overnight fire that destroyed nearly everything inside. The attack was reported around 1:30 a.m. on the Fourth of July, at a home in the 4300 block of Cooper Road in Whiteford, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. Investigators say home surveillance cameras captured an unknown suspect approaching the house, throwing a flaming gasoline con…
Maryland EMT Removed As Child Exploitation Probe Expands Across Fire/EMS Stations (DEVELOPING) Maryland EMT Removed As Child Exploitation Probe Expands Across Fire/EMS Stations (DEVELOPING)
Maryland EMT Removed As Child Exploitation Probe Expands Across Fire/EMS Stations (Developing) The investigation didn't end with an arrest. A Maryland EMT has been removed from a Harford County fire company after his arrest in a child exploitation investigation that officials say involved multiple Fire/EMS stations across the county. Jurel Daquone Leo Bowman, 32, of Lusby, was arrested shortly before 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, by Maryland State Police and charged with six counts of sexual solicitation of a minor. State police said the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force launched the investigation in November 2025 into the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor. In…
Maryland Man Posed As Women To Steal Private Boudoir Photos, State Police Say Maryland Man Posed As Women To Steal Private Boudoir Photos, State Police Say
Maryland Man Posed As Women To Steal Private Boudoir Photos, State Police Say He wasn't looking for dates. Police say he was shopping for boudoir photos. Maryland investigators say an Allegany County man spent months posing as women online so he could sneak into strangers' private boudoir galleries, a bizarre identity theft scheme that ended with a conviction and 16 criminal charges across two separate cases. Mathew Mark Schartiger, 39, was sentenced this week after Maryland State Police said their investigation uncovered fake email accounts, stolen identities, and unauthorized copies of victims' intimate photographs. The investigation began in March after troopers …