(As part of our reporting on news in Montgomery County and surrounding communities we sometimes come across happenings, new restaurant brands, and other businesses entering or expanding the wider D.C. Metropolitan area or other areas nearby. While they may not be in Montgomery County, we believe some readers might find this kind of news interesting.)

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police are on the scene of a single engine plane crash in Anne Arundel County. The pilot and sole occupant is identified as Steve Couchman, 71, of Frederick, Maryland. He was transported by ambulance to Anne Arundel Medical Center where he is receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in the crash. The plane involved is a Piper Cherokee single engine plane.


Per Georgetown University: On Dec. 12, Syed began work as a program associate for the Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI), a Georgetown organization that addresses the root causes and consequences of mass incarceration and offers educational programs and training for incarcerated individuals and returning citizens. In his new role, Syed supports PJI programming, including Georgetown’s Making an Exoneree class, in which students reinvestigate decades-old wrongful convictions, create short documentaries about the cases and work to help bring innocent people home from prison.

Syed’s own story was reinvestigated and brought to the attention of millions of listeners after Serial, a podcast from the creators of This American Life, uncovered new details in his case in 2014. Syed had been arrested and wrongfully convicted of the murder of his high school classmate, Hae Min Lee, in 1999. This fall, a judge vacated his life sentence and a month later, prosecutors announced they were dismissing charges against Syed based on newly tested DNA evidence that excluded him. Syed was represented by Erica Suter (L’03), who directs the University of Baltimore’s Innocence Project Clinic, and he was later added to the National Registry of Exonerations.


In December 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office received information that Rueda Landeros was likely living in Guadalajara, Jalisco.


Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in which one person died Tuesday evening in Allegany County. Shortly before 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday, troopers from the Maryland State Police Cumberland Barrack responded to westbound Interstate-68 at Route 36 in Frostburg, Maryland for a report of a multi-vehicle crash with injuries. According to a preliminary investigation, a 2017 Ford Explorer was driving westbound on I-68 when the vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer.

The crash sent the Ford Explorer into the next lane, where it was struck on the driver’s side by a 2004 Ford F350 truck. The driver of the Ford Explorer, identified as Corey Douglas McElroy, 31, of Friendsville, Maryland, was flown by Maryland State Police Helicopter to Ruby Memorial Hospital, where he was declared deceased. Upon further investigation, it was learned that McElroy was a deputy sheriff for the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, and he was driving an unmarked departmental vehicle at the time of the crash.


With spending over the winter holidays projected to be between $943 billion and $960 billion this year, the highest amount ever, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s Best Places for Christmas Celebrations– with Washington D.C. coming in 10th out of the 100 biggest cities in the country.

In order to determine which cities will offer a holly jolly holiday even amid the stresses of high inflation, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on 32 key indicators of a safe and affordable Christmas. Our data set ranges from the availability of Christmas traditions to the percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to the city’s overall generosity.


Per the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office: The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General today released the body-worn camera footage from the fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on November 29, 2022, in Frederick, Maryland. The decedent was previously identified as 23-year-old Aaron Mensah, of Frederick, Maryland.

The Independent Investigations Division will generally release the name of the decedent and discharging officers within 48 hours of the incident, though that period may be extended if there is a specific reason to believe that an officer’s safety is at risk. The deputies who discharged their firearms were not equipped with body-worn cameras. Other officers on the scene were wearing body-worn cameras, which recorded portions of the incident. The Independent Investigations Division will generally release body camera footage within 14 days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 14 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.


Earlier on Sunday night Fairfax County Police confirmed that no shots were fired at Tysons Corner after rumors spread on various social media platforms following an evacuation of the mall. “We can confirm there were NO shots fired at Tysons Corner Center. We have numerous officers on the scene for a separate investigation.” tweeted Fairfax County Police.

Fairfax County Police later tweeted that “Tonight, our TUT officers located three suspects involved in a robbery in Arlington. No shots were fired. Two suspects taken into custody and a firearm was recovered. The investigation continues. One suspect outstanding. No outstanding threat to the mall or community.”


Per U.S. Customs and Border Protection: There’s nothing funny about the bones that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists recently discovered in the baggage of a Virginia woman at Washington Dulles International Airport. During a secondary baggage examination on November 10, CBP agriculture specialists discovered bones that the Fauquier County, Va., woman admitted were giraffe and zebra bones she found in Kenya and kept as souvenirs. CBP detained the bones and checked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) inspectors on admissibility.

On November 17, USFWS inspectors reported that the bones violated provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the Lacey Act. USFWS directed CBP to seize the bones.


When the Washington Commanders take the field on Sunday night against the New York Giants, fans will be able to cheer on the home team knowing Metro will stay open an extra hour late to get them home after the game. The extended service, announced today by Metro and the Commanders, is being funded by the team to cover the $100,000 cost to run more trains, keep all 97 stations open, and other operational expenses.

Under the agreement, the Commanders will provide free fare for all customers that want to stay until the end of the game and use Metro during the additional hour of service. Extra Blue and Silver line train service will operate during the one-hour extended service in the direction of Ashburn and Franconia-Springfield. Fans and workers leaving the game will be able to enter only at the Morgan Boulevard and Downtown Largo stations. All other stations will be exit only during this time. On Sunday, December 18, the last trains will now depart as follows:


Per the Metropolitan Police Department: On Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 44-year-old Anthony Williams, of Gaithersburg, MD, was arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed. Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announces an arrest has been made in reference to a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, in the 2700 block of Good Hope Road, Southeast.

At approximately 2:45 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the listed location for the report of a traffic accident and a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male victim, unconscious and unresponsive suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to an area hospital for treatment. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead.


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