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Frederick County, MD

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
Police & Fire
Shooter Who Targeted Pair At Maryland Park Arrested In DC, Police Say Shooter Who Targeted Pair At Maryland Park Arrested In DC, Police Say
Shooter Who Targeted Pair At Maryland Park Arrested In DC, Police Say The shooting suspect wanted for opening fire in the parking lot of a Montgomery County park has been apprehended in Washington, DC, police say. Gaithersburg resident Kenneth Oates, 38, is facing multiple charges following an incident reported at Welsh Park in Rockville over the weekend, though no injuries were initially reported. Gunshots rang out at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the park, when Oates allegedly fired several shots in the parking lot and fled in a black Honda Civic that was later recovered in Frederick County. During the investigators, police say that detectives det…

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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
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
Lifestyle
Winning $50K Scratcher Sold At Maryland Liquor Store To Persistent Player Winning $50K Scratcher Sold At Maryland Liquor Store To Persistent Player
Winning $50K Scratcher Sold At Maryland Liquor Store To Persistent Player Persistence paid off for a Maryland Lottery winner who continued buying tickets until ultimately cashing in on a $50,000 jackpot. After what now looks like a modest Keno win of $465, an enthusiastic Frederick County Lottery player decided to test his luck with a scratch-off ticket. Which led to the purchase another scratch-off ticket. Then another scratch-off. Then, what started as a $30 gamble led to the fateful purchase of a 200X The Cash scratcher that landed for a second-tier $50,000 prize at Paddock Wine & Spirits in Woodbine. According to Lottery officials, the Frederick C…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Football Standout Fighting For Life After Shooting At Maryland Gathering Maryland Football Standout Fighting For Life After Shooting At Maryland Gathering
Maryland Football Standout Fighting For Life After Shooting At Maryland Gathering While his teammates are getting ready to lace up their cleats for football season, Chase Lancaster will be in the recovery room after getting caught in the crossfire during a shooting at a neighborhood gathering. The road back to the field will be an arduous one for the 16-year-old from Frederick County, who was the victim of gun violence after being shot in the chest during an event at the Urban Green Apartments in Urbana on Friday, Aug. 9.  Police Activity in Urbana Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputies are on the scene of a shooting in the 3300 block of... Posted by Frederi…

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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
Lifestyle
Dozens Of 'Zombie Deer' Test Positive For Disease In Maryland: Department Of Natural Resources Dozens Of 'Zombie Deer' Test Positive For Disease In Maryland: Department Of Natural Resources
Dozens Of 'Zombie Deer' Test Positive For Disease In Maryland: Department Of Natural Resources Dozens of white-tailed deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, a neurological disorder found in several species that results in death. According to a recent report from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 52 animals tested positive for the disease in 2023, including two in new parts of the state.  The deer were sampled in Allegany, Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery and Washington counties. Of the positive samples, 49 came from within the existing Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area (Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, and Washington counties), while one positive …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
MD Sex Assault Victim's Mom Leads Cops To Concerning Social Media Post, Officials Say MD Sex Assault Victim's Mom Leads Cops To Concerning Social Media Post, Officials Say
MD Sex Assault Victim's Mom Leads Cops To Concerning Social Media Post, Officials Say A man will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life following a near two-decade prison term for sexually assaulting a minor, the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office announced on Monday afternoon. Nicholas Wayne Summers has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, with all but 19 suspended, after admitting to two counts of second-degree rape following an investigation that was launched last year, officials say. In May 2023, investigators from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office received a report of a sexual assault of a minor that had previously taken place. Accordi…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Two Winning $1M Powerball Tickets Sold At Same Maryland 7-Eleven Two Winning $1M Powerball Tickets Sold At Same Maryland 7-Eleven
Two Winning $1M Powerball Tickets Sold At Same Maryland 7-Eleven No fooling. There were no shortage of big Powerball winners in Maryland for Monday's April Fool's Day drawing, including two million-dollar wins that were sold in the same 7-Eleven and five others that won $50,000 prizes on tickets sold across the state. The winning numbers for the Monday, April 1 Powerball drawing were: 19-24-40-42-56 with a "Powerball" of 23. Two winning tickets worth $1 million were sold at the same 7-Eleven on Bestgate Road in Annapolis, while four other $50,000 tickets were sold at:  High's on Telegraph Road in Elkton (Cecil County); High's on Telegraph Roa…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Convicted Murderer Released From Prison Busted On Drug Charges During Maryland Stop: Sheriff Convicted Murderer Released From Prison Busted On Drug Charges During Maryland Stop: Sheriff
Convicted Murderer Released From Prison Busted On Drug Charges During Maryland Stop: Sheriff A man convicted of murder who received a life sentence before later being released is facing fresh charges in Frederick County after being caught with a host of drugs, according to the sheriff's office. Baltimore resident Milton Jerome Stewart, 58, is back behind bars after a police K9 helped deputies seize fentanyl, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop.  Stewart - who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006 and received a life sentence in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City - was stopped by members of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office in the westbound lanes&…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Firefighter Released From Hospital After Suffering Leg Injury Battling Maryland House Fire Firefighter Released From Hospital After Suffering Leg Injury Battling Maryland House Fire
Firefighter Released From Hospital After Suffering Leg Injury Battling Maryland House Fire The firefighter who was taken to the hospital with a leg injury while battling a Maryland blaze over the weekend has been released and is recovering at home, responders have announced. The fire broke out at a home on the 1200 block of Long Corner Road in Mt. Airy around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 17, the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services said. Crews responded and found heavy flames inside a detached garage that had spread to the bushes behind it. An occupant evacuated the building prior to crews’ arrival and was taken to a local hospital to be treated for smoke inhalat…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Horses Killed, Trooper Hospitalized In Multi-Vehicle Maryland Crash On I-70: State Police Horses Killed, Trooper Hospitalized In Multi-Vehicle Maryland Crash On I-70: State Police
Horses Killed, Trooper Hospitalized In Multi-Vehicle Maryland Crash On I-70: State Police Two horses are dead and a Maryland State Police trooper was hospitalized when his cruiser was struck by a driver on I-70 during a strange scene in Frederick County on Friday morning. An investigation has been launched into a multi-vehicle crash involving horses and trooper shortly before 3 a.m. in New Market on March 15, officials say. Maryland State Police troopers responded to the westbound lanes of the interstate, near mile marker 62, where there were multiple reports of horses that had escaped from their enclosures and wandered onto I-70.  Police say that the horses were struck by…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Slain MD Athlete's Estranged Wife Found Dead By Suicide, Murder Suspect Jailed: Officials Slain MD Athlete's Estranged Wife Found Dead By Suicide, Murder Suspect Jailed: Officials
Slain MD Athlete's Estranged Wife Found Dead By Suicide, Murder Suspect Jailed: Officials Disturbing new details have been released by prosecutors amid the investigation of a grisly murder of a former area athlete whose body was found in a car in Maryland. Baltimore's Keon Wilson-Hawkins, 20, of Baltimore, is believed to have abducted 66-year-old Brice Wendell Boots from his Pikesville home, just before 4:40 a.m. Jan. 10, the Frederick County State's Attorney said. They drove together to Frederick County, where Wilson-Hawkins killed Boots and left his body in a mud- and blood-spattered 2003 Toyota Sequoia, nearly 650 feet in a field off of the roadway, as previously reported by D…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Home Invader Hit With Host Of Charges For Burglary In Maryland, Police Say Home Invader Hit With Host Of Charges For Burglary In Maryland, Police Say
Home Invader Hit With Host Of Charges For Burglary In Maryland, Police Say The investigation into a midday home burglary in Frederick County has led to the arrest of a Silver Spring man who is now facing a litany of criminal charges, authorities announced on Monday. Quentin Bassey, 18, has been arrested by members of the Frederick Police Department following the investigation into an early afternoon burglary inside a home in the 1400 block of Mobley Court. The incident was reported shortly before 1:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28. According to the department, responding officers called to the scene found Bassey in the area, and he was arrested without incident. Fu…

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by Zak Failla
News
State Police Seek Leads In Unsolved 'Heinous Crimes' Committed By Murderer Charged In Maryland State Police Seek Leads In Unsolved 'Heinous Crimes' Committed By Murderer Charged In Maryland
State Police Seek Leads In Unsolved 'Heinous Crimes' Committed By Murderer Charged In Maryland The truck driver arrested in connection to the 2006 murder of a woman found near a Frederick County rest stop may have been a serial killer, state police are cautioning. Maryland State Police investigators are seeking possible leads regarding White Springs, Florida resident Garry Artman, 64, who was on the run for nearly 20 years before being apprehended in September 2022 for his role in the murder of Dusty Shuck. On May 4, 2006, the 24-year-old's body was discovered near a Frederick County rest stop by a passing motorist, according to police. Shuck had last been seen at a New Mexico hotel …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Maryland School Closings: These Districts Have Announced Plans For Friday's Storm Maryland School Closings: These Districts Have Announced Plans For Friday's Storm
Maryland School Closings: These Districts Have Announced Plans For Friday's Storm With several inches of snow expected to coat the area, some schools in Maryland are already making preparations to ensure the safety of students and staff. The worst of the snow is expected to hit the area beginning at around 6 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, and lasting throughout the day, prompting schools to begin announcing closures and delays on Thursday night. As of 8 p.m. on Thursday, these public schools have announced their plans - which are subject to change depending on the weather conditions:  Anne Arundel County Schools: Previously planned off-day, decision on athletics and ex…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Body In 'Suspicious Vehicle' In Field Shuts Frederick County Roadway: Sheriff Body In 'Suspicious Vehicle' In Field Shuts Frederick County Roadway: Sheriff
Body In 'Suspicious Vehicle' In Field Shuts Frederick County Roadway: Sheriff A man's body found in a vehicle brought a heavy police presence to a Frederick County roadway on Wednesday, Jan. 10, the sheriff's office said. Authorities responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle in a field on the 8200 block of Crum Road around 1:30 p.m. in Walkersville, officials said. "The caller reported that the vehicle had its flashers on and had been there since 7 a.m.," reads a news release. "Upon responding, deputies found an adult male body inside the vehicle and immediately established a crime scene at the location." FCSO detectives worked into the night and will remain at …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Man With Stalking History Arrested After Estranged Wife Killed In Maryland: Sheriff (UPDATED) Man With Stalking History Arrested After Estranged Wife Killed In Maryland: Sheriff (UPDATED)
Man With Stalking History Arrested After Estranged Wife Killed In Maryland: Sheriff (Updated) A smiling suspect with a history of stalking has been accused of killing his estranged wife amid a contentious divorce in Frederick County, the sheriff's office announced. Walkersville resident Frederick Owusu Sakyi, 33, was tracked from the scene of a murder at Giant in Urbana and arrested without incident in connection to the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Tenisha Butler, according to authorities. At around 11:11 p.m. on Jan. 6, members of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office were called to the Urbana Giant in the 3500 block of Sugarloaf Parkway, where there was a report of a shootin…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Holiday Tradition Lands Maryland Man, Best Friend $30K Lottery Prize Holiday Tradition Lands Maryland Man, Best Friend $30K Lottery Prize
Holiday Tradition Lands Maryland Man, Best Friend $30K Lottery Prize One Maryland man got a heck of a stocking stuffer from his best buddy for Christmas. Frederick County native Grant Johnson is filled with holiday joy after winning $30,000 on an aptly-themed "Peppermint Payout Multiplier" ticket, the longtime Maryland Lottery player said. Johnson explained that exchanging scratchers has become a holiday tradition with his best friend, who have "been buying each other (tickets) as Christmas gifts for years. "We always get a winner or two, but nothing like this."  Each year, Johnson said that he and his friend pick out a handful of instant tickets as s…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Hiker Rescued By Maryland State Police Helicopter After Plummeting 40 Feet Off Cliff Hiker Rescued By Maryland State Police Helicopter After Plummeting 40 Feet Off Cliff
Hiker Rescued By Maryland State Police Helicopter After Plummeting 40 Feet Off Cliff A hiker who fell off a cliff in Frederick County suffered serious injuries before being rescued by a Maryland State Police helicopter and airlifted to the hospital. At around 10 p.m. on Thursday night, crews were called to assist with the extrication of a person who fell between 30 and 40 feet off a sheer cliff behind a home in Keymar.  While at the scene, deputies of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office first offered aid to the victim before crew members could navigate into a steep creekside area and onto a small landing on the base of the cliff.  Due to the circumstances of th…

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by Zak Failla
Real Estate
DIVINE DEAL: Cemetery Included In Sale Of Shuttered Maryland Church DIVINE DEAL: Cemetery Included In Sale Of Shuttered Maryland Church
Divine Deal: Cemetery Included In Sale Of Shuttered Maryland Church Call it divine deal or a Christmas coincidence, a Maryland church is up for sale. By the way, it's got a wet bar. The former Hyattstown United Methodist Church, which held its last service in August, is on the market for $799,000 on Loopnet. The 4,000-square-foot specialty building near the Frederick County line on Route 355 in Clarksburg is divided by three land parcels which include a small church with a "simple" sanctuary and hall; a former parsonage with modular classrooms; and a cemetery, the listing says. Conveyed with the space are an organ and piano, a "wet bar" kitchen,…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Loaf Of Bread Leads To Load Of Cash For $100K Maryland Lottery Winner Loaf Of Bread Leads To Load Of Cash For $100K Maryland Lottery Winner
Loaf Of Bread Leads To Load Of Cash For $100K Maryland Lottery Winner A Frederick County grandfather went to the store for a loaf of bread, and he came home with a load of cash after taking his chances playing a Maryland Lottery scratcher. What started as a routine trip to the grocery store for the Frederick County man led to a six-figure windfall when he picked up a top-prize winning "Snow Globes 7s" ticket worth $100,000, Lottery officials announced.  The regular Lottery player was back in the Winner's Circle on Friday to claim what he described as the biggest prize of his life after turning the $10 ticket into a small fortune. According to the winner…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
I-270 Drag Racer Throws Stolen Charger In Reverse Before Arrest: Cops I-270 Drag Racer Throws Stolen Charger In Reverse Before Arrest: Cops
I-270 Drag Racer Throws Stolen Charger In Reverse Before Arrest: Cops A car reported stolen out of New Jersey was at the center of a drag racing scandal in Maryland that landed one man behind bars.  Capitol Heights resident Keith Andre Gorham, 25, pushed things to the limit and now faces more than a dozen charges after he was caught racing a Dodge Charger that had been taken from Highland Park, NJ, a spokesperson for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday. The arrest came following reported racing late on Veteran's Day in the area of I-270 and I-70 in Frederick County. According to the sheriff's office, deputies were called to the ar…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say
Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say DeWight Gilbert and Morgan Milligan did not go down quietly following an investigation into a fraud scheme that spanned several Maryland communities. The Hyattsville residents are facing a host of charges in Frederick County after allegedly assaulting an officer near an area bank on Saturday morning who tracked them down for a string of scams. At around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office responded to the Fulton Bank on Presidents Court in Frederick, where Gilbert - who was known to them for several fraudulent transactions - was spotted. Res…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former Town Commissioner Accused Of Assaulting Teen Son In Maryland: Sheriff Former Town Commissioner Accused Of Assaulting Teen Son In Maryland: Sheriff
Former Town Commissioner Accused Of Assaulting Teen Son In Maryland: Sheriff A former elected official in Maryland has found himself on the wrong side of the law in Frederick County. Joseph Anthony Ritz III, 47, a former town commissioner in Emmitsburg, is facing multiple assault charges for allegedly striking his teen son, a spokesperson for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday. On Friday night, deputies were called to the 200 block of North Seton Avenue in Emmitsburg, where there was a reported domestic incident in progress. During the investigation, officials say that Ritz, a former Emmittsburg Town Commissioner allegedly assaulted his 13-…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Winning $500K 'Multi-Match' Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station Winning $500K 'Multi-Match' Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station
Winning $500K 'Multi-Match' Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station Maryland Lottery players should check their tickets after a $500,000 winning "Multi-Match" ticket was sold at an area gas station. "Multi-Match" has been the game to play, as the game saw its third jackpot winner in its last four drawings, this time on a ticket sold at the BP gas station on Lanham Severn Road in Seabrook. The winning numbers for the Monday, Oct. 23 drawing were: 08-15-21-27-33-39.  This latest winner comes on the heels of a $510,000 winning "Multi-Match" ticket that was sold in Hagerstown last week, and a $630,000 winner that was picked up in Chesapeake City earlier t…

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by Zak Failla
News
Sheriff IDs NJ Woman Found Dead In Tractor-Trailer Outside MD Costco Distribution Center Sheriff IDs NJ Woman Found Dead In Tractor-Trailer Outside MD Costco Distribution Center
Sheriff IDs NJ Woman Found Dead In Tractor-Trailer Outside MD Costco Distribution Center New details have been released by the Frederick County Sheriff's Office after a woman's body was found dead inside the cab of a tractor-trailer over the weekend. Investigators say that Candice Thompson, 46, has been identified as the victim who was found inside Matthew Sidney Watley's truck after he was busted for allegedly getting behind the wheel while he was intoxicated. Both the driver and victim are from Sicklerville, New Jersey. Watley was charged with multiple counts of murder on Sunday after a curious case outside the Costco Distribution Center on Intercostal Drive in Monrovia. Th…

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by Zak Failla
News
Woman's Body Found In Cab Of Tractor-Trailer After Slow Speed Pursuit In Maryland: Sheriff Woman's Body Found In Cab Of Tractor-Trailer After Slow Speed Pursuit In Maryland: Sheriff
Woman's Body Found In Cab Of Tractor-Trailer After Slow Speed Pursuit In Maryland: Sheriff A woman's dead body was found in the cab of an allegedly intoxicated tractor-trailer driver who took police on a slow speed pursuit on Sunday morning in Frederick County, Officials say that a scene stranger than fiction played out at the Costco Distribution Center on Intercostal Drive in Monrovia shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24, where there were calls of an allegedly drunk driver who smashed out the window of his own truck. Upon arrival at Costco, deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office found the driver in the front seat of his truck with it running in the parking lo…

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by Zak Failla
News
Retired Naval Officer Faces Long Recovery After Breaking Bones During Maryland Bike Race Retired Naval Officer Faces Long Recovery After Breaking Bones During Maryland Bike Race
Retired Naval Officer Faces Long Recovery After Breaking Bones During Maryland Bike Race It’s going to be a long road ahead for a Maryland biker and retired Naval officer who was struck by a car during a popular race in Frederick County and suffered grievous injuries. Community support is swelling for 34-year-old Matthew Pierson who had to be airlifted to the UMMC Shock Trauma in Baltimore with severe injuries that included a host of broken bones that he will be recovering from for months after being hit during the Gran Fondo event early on Sunday, Sept. 17. The crash was reported at around 10:20 a.m. on Sunday on Foxville Road near Stottlemeyer Road. A second victim was also a…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Retired Trucker Wins $1K Per Week For Life On Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station Retired Trucker Wins $1K Per Week For Life On Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station
Retired Trucker Wins $1K Per Week For Life On Lottery Ticket Sold At Maryland Gas Station A lifelong Maryland Lottery player from Pennsylvania will now be set for life after winning big on a ticket sold in Frederick County. What started as a leisurely drive across state lines for "Pap Paw," to the Silo Hill Sunoco in Emmitsburg led to the biggest win of the retired trucker's Lottery career, as he cashed in a $1,000-a-week-for-life prize, easily topping the hundreds of dollars he's claimed over the years. The Maryland native who now lives in Pennsylvania said that he would get on the road each day for work and drive across the Maryland State line for more than a decade to play se…

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by Zak Failla