Beyond MoCo Archives - Page 111 of 187

19-Year-Old Driver Who Intentionally Struck Police Officer on Highway to be Held Without Bond; Had Over 200 Previous Traffic Violations

Published October 19, 2023 at 3:45PM

At a bond hearing this afternoon at District Court in Rockville, Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, MD, was ordered to be held without bond for allegedly striking Montgomery County Police Officer Patrick Kepp with his vehicle on I-270 in Gaithersburg early Wednesday morning. Officer Kepp remains in critical condition and is said to have lost the use of both of his legs. Mayorga is being charged with attempted first-degree murder.

The incident occurred around 3:48 a.m. on October, 18 after Kepp got out of his vehicle to deploy “stop sticks” near the Watkins Mill Rd exit on northbound I-270 after a citizen was almost run off the road by Mayorga. Mayorga is believed to have been traveling over 100mph when he intentionally struck Kepp with his vehicle. A second officer successfully deployed stop sticks near Clarksburg Rd, eventually bringing the Mayorga’s vehicle to a stop. A second person who was in the vehicle with Mayorga has not been charged and is being treated as a witness.

Montgomery County Police Officer Indicted for Involvement in January 6 Insurrection; Recently Involved in Shooting Death of Suspect Armed With Butcher Knife

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2023 at 3:15PM

According to the United State’s District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County Police Officer Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, has been charged in a seven-count indictment that was unsealed today in the District of Columbia with offenses including assaulting a law enforcement officer and obstructing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. Lee is accused of “entering and remaining in the U.S. Capitol grounds while the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting without lawful authority to do so and engaging in disruptive conduct, physical violence, and disorderly conduct while on restricted grounds of the Capitol.” Montgomery County Police released the following statement announcing his supension:

“The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) announces the suspension of Officer Justin Lee without pay as a result of his involvement and subsequent indictment in connection with the events of the January 6 insurrection. In July of 2023, MCPD was informed that Officer Justin Lee was the subject of an FBI investigation. Prior to his suspension, Lee had been on administrative leave for his involvement in the shooting death of an armed suspect on July 22. The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division is currently overseeing the investigation into this incident to ensure a thorough and impartial examination of the facts.

Governor Wes Moore Shares Vision for Inclusive, Equitable, and Resilient Economy in Maryland During Bloomberg CityLab Plenary Session in DC

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2023 at 8:37AM

Governor Moore Shares Vision for Inclusive, Equitable, and Resilient Economy in Maryland During Bloomberg CityLab Plenary Session

“I want the people of Maryland to know that we care deeply about their communities,” said Gov. Moore. “I want to see issues first-hand and I want communities to be at the table when we talk about how we’re going to fix them—that is how we are going to make this Maryland’s decade.”

Governor Moore announced the relaunch of the Baltimore Red Line to significantly enhance east-west connectivity across the Baltimore region. Shaped by more than ten years of study, engineering, environmental analysis, and substantial community participation, the relaunch of the Red Line project will improve transit efficiency, increase access to work and activity centers, provide connections to existing transit and other transportation modes, offer more commuter choices, and support economic development and community revitalization.

Update: Officer in Critical Condition After Being Intentionally Struck by Driver on I-270

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2023 at 2:16PM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 2:44PM

Montgomery County Police held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to give an update on an incident that occurred early this morning on I-270 north that involved an officer being struck by a driver. The injured officer has been identified as Patrick Kepp, 36, who currently serves on the Alcohol Initiatives Unit. According to Police Chief Marcus Jones, Kepp has lost the use of both of his legs and remains in critical conditions.

The suspect has been identified as Frederick Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, MD. Mayorga is said to be well known to Montgomery County Police due to several prior incidents, and has a reputation for attempting to provoke officers into high speed chases. Prior to the incident, officers were monitoring Mayorga, who was seen driving a green Dodge Challenger recklessly at the Clarksburg Outlets and on I-270. Jones said officers did not pursue Mayorga.

Frederick County Public Schools Files Lawsuit Against Social Media Companies Over Youth Mental Health Concerns

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2023 at 10:36AM

Yesterday, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) filed a lawsuit against Meta, Google, ByteDance, and Snap Inc. contending that “excessive social media usage and addiction are exacerbating the mental health struggles of students. Students have faced a myriad of challenges, including heightened feelings of depression, anxiety, and body image issues, among others.” In June, Montgomery County announced it had joined over 500 school districts across the county in a lawsuit against social media companies.

Per FCPS (10.18.23): “As a result of this ongoing addiction crisis, FCPS is facing the challenge of providing adequate mental health resources and proactive social media education for their students. Through this lawsuit, FCPS aims to curtail the exploitation of young social media users and secure funds from those responsible to address the crisis.

Fairfax County Man Struck By Crossbow Arrow While Walking on The Sidewalk

By MCS Staff

Published October 17, 2023 at 6:13PM

Detectives continue to investigate after a man was struck with a crossbow arrow in Bailey’s Crossroads, Fairfax County police stated in a press release.

According to police, “Around 12:05 a.m., on October 15, officers were called to the 3400 block of Carlin Springs Road in Bailey’s Crossroads for an adult man who was struck by an arrow. The man was walking on the sidewalk when his backpack was struck by the arrow which continued into his back. He was transported to the hospital due to injuries that were deemed non-life-threatening, and after receiving treatment, he was released.

10 New Restaurants Added To The MICHELIN Guide Washington DC 2023

By MCS Staff

Published October 16, 2023 at 1:31PM

MICHELIN Guide Inspectors spend all year on the road uncovering the best restaurants to recommend. In a sneak peek of the 2023 MICHELIN Guide Washington D.C.— the inspectors have added 10 new restaurants to the guide, spread across the nation’s capital. The previous 24 DC/DC Area Michelin Star restaurants can be seen here.

Per the MICHELIN Guide: “From Three Star and Green Star The Inn at Little Washington (one of only 14 American eateries with Three MICHELIN stars) to One MICHELIN Star Bresca and Two MICHELIN Star Jônt (home to one of Washington’s buzziest hospitality directors), Washington, D.C is home to some of the most fabulous MICHELIN Guide restaurants. But with our Inspectors, fabulous isn’t enough. That’s why in spite of the delicious flavors within the nation’s capital, check out these 10 tasty additions.” The 10 additions can be seen below:

Two $1 Million Dollar Winning Powerball Tickets Sold in Maryland Remain Unclaimed

By Patrick Herron

Published October 15, 2023 at 8:34PM

According to the Maryland Lottery, two $1 million winning Powerball tickets that were sold recently in Maryland remain unclaimed. The first ticket was purchased in Snow Hill, MD at the Duck In II Convenience for the Sept. 27 drawing and the second was purchased at Golden Ring Liquors in Rosedale, MD for the Sept. 30 drawing. Lottery winners have 182 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes.

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

Teens Threaten to Throw “Acid” on Victim During Tysons Corner Carjacking, Liquid Revealed to Be Candy; Arrest Made in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published October 13, 2023 at 12:23PM

Detectives from the Fairfax County Police Major Crimes Bureau charged a 14-year-old juvenile from Maryland in connection with a carjacking in Tysons Corner Center yesterday evening.

Per Fairfax County Police: “At 6:23 p.m., detectives from our Tysons Urban Team responded to a parking garage in the 7900 block of Tysons Corner Center in McLean for a carjacking. Two juvenile suspects approached the victim, an adult man, who was sitting in his car, and knocked on his window. When the victim exited his car, the juveniles threatened to throw “acid” on the victim. One of the juvenile suspects entered the victim’s car while the other suspect threw green liquid, which was later determined to be liquid sour candy, on the victim. The suspects fled the area in the victim’s BMW X5.

Governor Wes Moore Joins U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at Prince George’s Community College in Support of Job Opportunity Expansion Funding Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

By Patrick Herron

Published October 12, 2023 at 5:22PM

Prince George’s Community College

Per the State of Maryland (10.12.23): Today, Governor Wes Moore joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at Prince George’s Community College to announce funding for the Commercial Driver’s License program, highlighting President Joseph R. Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s job opportunity expansion. Governor Moore and Secretary Buttigieg were joined by former United States Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Prince George’s Community College External Affairs, Communications, and Advancement Vice President Dr. Sherrie A. Johnson to highlight investments in the future of the trucking industry in Maryland and across the country.

“Our administration is committed to investing in community colleges because our community colleges open new avenues for success for all, not just for some,” said Gov. Moore. “Today, we celebrate the important investment of the Prince George’s Community College Commercial Driver’s License program and we celebrate an economy that offers on-ramps to success and opportunity.”

Governor Moore Announces New Conair Distribution Center to Bring 700 New Jobs to Hagerstown

By Patrick Herron

Published October 11, 2023 at 12:18PM

Per the State of Maryland (10.10.23): Governor Wes Moore today announced that Conair LLC—a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of health and beauty products and kitchen appliances—is planning to establish a distribution center in Washington County. The company will lease approximately 2.1 million square feet at a soon to be constructed facility at 10440 Downsville Pike and 17250 Sterling Road in Hagerstown, which is believed to become the largest single distribution center in the state.

“After meeting with Governor Moore, I am delighted to find a shared commitment to creating prosperity and fostering a thriving business environment,” said Conair LLC Chief Executive Officer and President Ronald T. Diamond.