Wheaton

Defendant Sentenced to 40 Years in Near-Decapitation Murder Case

By MCS Staff

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, Jose Lara-Chacon of Wheaton was sentenced on Friday to life in prison suspend all but 40 years and five years of supervised probation upon release. A jury convicted Lara-Chacon of first-degree murder in November for the death of 21-year-old Dimer Diaz Martinez.

This stems from an incident on January 22, 2021 in an apartment along the 12000 block of Viers Mill Rd. in Wheaton.  The defendant called 911 requesting emergency response to the scene, stating he and the victim had been drinking alcohol and that he injured the victim. During an interview with detectives, the defendant stated he hit the victim with a baseball bat twice in the head and “finished off” the victim by stabbing him in the neck.  The victim was nearly decapitated. The defendant stated after he stabbed the victim, he placed a knife in the victim’s hand and then called 911.

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Montgomery County to Sponsor Free Adult Electric Scooter Clinics in April, May and June

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Residents 18-and-older who are interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend free clinics in April, May and June sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Participants will be able to take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws.

Residents can stop in anytime during the two-hour clinics to take a test ride and learn about how to use electric scooters. Participants must have a valid driver’s license or ID. No registration is required to attend a clinic and walk-ups are welcome. Check tinyurl.com/cycleclss for cancelations due to inclement weather.

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MCPS Student-Run Café Edison Open for Breakfast and Lunch Through May 19

By MCS Staff

Café Edison, an in-school, student-run restaurant at Thomas Edison High School of Technology, is now open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays through Friday, May 19. The restaurant will be closed through spring break, but will reopen on Wednesday, April 12.

Breakfast is served at 8:40 and 9 a.m., and lunch at 12:05 p.m. and 12:20 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 240-740-2024 or emailing Hospitality and Tourism teacher Jason Potyk. Cash or check payments are acceptable. The menu is available on the flyer, available on the school website (via QR code). Café Edison gives students an opportunity to gain valuable, real-world skills in a working restaurant. Students greet and seat guests. They also cook and serve the meals, bus the tables and handle restaurant clean up. Edison High School is located at 12501 Dalewood Dr. in Silver Spring.

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Wheaton Apartment Building Sells for $64 Million

By MCS Staff

Solaire Wheaton, located at 10914 Georgia Ave., was completed by Washington Property Company (WPC) in April 2014. According to Biz Journals, it has been sold to Chicago’s 29th Street Capital for $64 million (according to records filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation).

Featured photo courtesy of WPC

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Six MoCo High Schools Make the “Sweet 16” in Hot 99.5’s “Best High School in the DMV” Contest

By Patrick Herron

Radio station Hot 99.5 (WIHT FM) is currently running it’s annual “Best High School in the DMV” contest on Instagram. The six Montgomery County high schools to make the “Sweet 16” are Montgomery Blair, Northwest, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Walter Johnson, and Wheaton.  The schools included in the tournament were selected after receiving the most nominations and the winning high school will be awarded with $1,000 (courtesy of Burn Bootcamp in Rockville.)   Wheaton High School lost to Osbourn Park High School (Manassas, VA) in the final round of the 2021 tournament. Voting takes place in Hot 99.5’s Instagram page’s stories.  Hot 99.5 (WIHT)  broadcasts out of the IHeartMedia studios at 1801 Rockville Pike in Rockville.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqB3fRVL8WA/

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Spring Cleaning of Montgomery County Public Parking Garages in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton to Begin on Monday, April 10

By Patrick Herron

Per MCDOT: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) on Monday, April 10, will begin its semi-annual interior washdown to degrease and clean 21 County-owned parking garages in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton on nights and weekends. The cleanings will start with the Bethesda garages and are scheduled to conclude with the Silver Spring garages on Saturday, June 3. Some garages will experience partial closures during the cleanings, including select entrance/exit areas and ramps. The full schedule of garage cleanings can be viewed here.

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Moe’s Closes in Wheaton Mall; One Montgomery County Location Remains (Montgomery Village)

By MCS Staff

Updated to reflect that the Montgomery Village location is the only Moe’s left in the county, rather than state.

Moe’s Southwest Grill made its triumphant return to MoCo when the fast-casual Mexican restaurant opened in the Wheaton Mall food court in late 2019. That restaurant has now closed permanently, a representative from the Montgomery Village location confirmed for us on Saturday morning.

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Police Investigating Assault and Robbery of Elderly Woman at Giant

By Patrick Herron

Montgomery County Police are investigating an assault and robbery that occurred Thursday, March 16 in the parking lot of the Wheaton Giant. According to police, “At approximately 1:40 p.m., MCP officers responded to the Giant Food store in the 2900 block of University Blvd. West in Wheaton for the report of a robbery that just occurred.

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Suspect Charged With Multiple Counts of Carjacking and Attempted Murder at Wheaton Mall

By Patrick Herron
Courtesy Google Maps

Per MCPD: A Washington, D.C. man is in custody following multiple carjackings and shootings in D.C. and Montgomery County. The suspect was apprehended by Montgomery County Police 4th District officers in Wheaton. Through the course of the investigation, Major Crimes detectives learned that earlier in the day, 43-year-old Monteray Horn had boarded a Metro train in Anacostia, and armed with a handgun on the train, Horn shot at an adult male. The bullet went through the victim’s clothing but did not strike the victim.

When the train stopped, Horn left the Metro and carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint in Washington, D.C. He abandoned that vehicle and boarded the Metro train, riding it to the Wheaton Metro stop where, at approximately 11:06 a.m., he attempted to carjack an Audi at the Westfield Wheaton Mall. Horn pointed the gun at an adult female with two young children and demanded the keys to the Audi. The woman was able to get her children out of the car and run away. Horn entered the Audi and although he had the key, he was not able to start the car.

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RespectFest to Take Place This April Discussing Dating Violence & Prevention, Healthy Relationships, and Consent

By MCS Staff

Choose Respect Montgomery’s annual event, RespectFest, will host a week of virtual activities, culminating in an in-person event from 1–4 p.m. on Sunday, April 16, at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center. Students aged 12–18 and their parents are invited to learn about dating violence and prevention, healthy relationships and consent. The virtual week runs from April 10–14. There will be workshops and activities for middle and high school students, parents and youth-service providers. Students can earn up to five Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for participating.

The in-person festival will include activities to learn about dating violence, consent, how to help a friend and warning signs of an abusive relationship. There will also be performances, yoga and self-defense demonstrations and a resource fair with community organizations. Students can earn up to three SSL hours by participating in the education activities. The Wheaton Community Recreation Center is located at 11701 Georgia Avenue. RespectFest

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