Latest news with #MontgomeryCountyPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
MCPD's Summer Traffic Task Force targets impaired drivers
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — On Saturday, May 31, there was a fatal collision at the intersection of Sam Eig Highway and Fields Road. Officials with the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) say it was caused by a suspected drunk driver. Ten days before the deadly accident, police launched a Summer Traffic Task Force initiative to try to prevent tragedies like this from happening this summer. 'We're in graduation season,' Captain Warren Jensen, leader of MCPD's Traffic Operations Division, said, 'Memorial Day, Fourth of July, summer parties, post-prom, things like that; so we decided it was a good idea to go ahead and step up our enforcement.' PHOTOS: Black bear travels to Herndon after traversing Maryland Jensen said last year's alarming impaired driving fatal collision numbers led them to implement this traffic enforcement initiative. 'Fifty-five percent of all of our fatal collisions involved some sort of substance, and obviously, that's a completely unacceptable number,' he said. Jensen says this is the department's first time doing a traffic enforcement initiative in the summer. 'We've ended up with about 15 officers on average,' he said. 'Sometimes it's 20, depending on staffing.' That number includes officers from other agencies — including the Gaithersburg Police Department, Park Police, Maryland Transportation Authority, Rockville Police and Maryland State Police, Jensen said. MCPD says the two-car collision on May 31 at the intersection of Sam Eig Highway and Fields Road left an 88-year-old woman seriously injured. She later died. Police say the 18-year-old who ran into her is believed to have been impaired at the time. 'The case is still in its infancy,' Jensen said, 'so they're not ready to speak about exactly all the details yet. It's obviously a tragic situation, and alcohol is absolutely suspected.' Losing a loved one in a fatal collision is a pain Richard Leotta knows all too well. His son, Noah, was an MCPD officer who worked in the traffic division until 2015 when he was struck and killed by an impaired driver. 'Hopefully with the enhanced enforcement,' Leotta said, 'people will recognize to think twice and plan ahead, so they can get a safe and sober ride home.' Jensen says the Summer Traffic Task Force Enforcement initiative will go until the end of July. So far, they've made 33 DUI arrests and issued nearly 300 citations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police: No one hurt in Montgomery County shooting
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Police are investigating after a Thursday night shooting in Montgomery County. 'Just stunned': Montgomery County leaders react to deadly shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers in DC According to the Montgomery County Police Department, officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 9000 block of Walkers Choice Road. Police say no one was hurt and the scene is secure. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Primary election is May 20. Learn about who is running for mayor of Waynesboro
Pennsylvania's primary election is May 20 and one of the positions on the ballot is mayor of Waynesboro. Douglas Carranza and Dade Royer are running in the primary for the opportunity to be the Republican candidate in the November general election. No Democrats are running for mayor. We asked the GOP candidates in the mayoral race to respond to a few questions via email. Below are their responses, listed in the order their names appear on the ballot. Their responses have been lightly edited for clarity. Douglas Carranza Douglas Carranza Age: 59 Town: Waynesboro Education: high school, some college Professional Experience: In my high school approximately 1984 I began volunteering in the fire Department of Kensington, until after high school graduation. Jan. 3, 1989, I started working in Montgomery County Department of Corrections then I began to volunteer at Sandy Springs fire house, as a firefighter. In 1996 I attended the Montgomery County Police Department academy and graduated. After 25 years of service I decided to retire. I joined the Knights of Columbus, and have done several volunteer activities. What inspired you to seek this office? What has inspired me to run for Mayor, is our police Department is in badly need of equipment and man power. This also includes Fire/police. There should be promotion within the department. Our pay firefighters and volunteers went through a devastating separation with the previous fire chief, and current council. I am committed to supporting you, whether it involves assisting with a fire emergency or collaborating to build a safer community with the nearby police department. I believe we can drive positive change. Let us empower each other to become a stronger, more resilient community. If we work together hopefully we can improve our town. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to the Borough of Waynesboro? The water system is in need of an upgrade. The water tastes bad and smells like metal. Lead levels are too high. We need desperately upgrades for our fire department. I would work towards getting our volunteer firefighters back. As well as improving our police department. We need to support all local businesses. Also try to bring in more businesses. Why should someone vote for you? As Mayor, I don't want to walk into a room to get a job just because of who I am. I want to walk into a room and get a job because I'm qualified, educated, and have hard work, grit, and determination. As someone who has walked the walk in law enforcement and volunteer firefighting, I believe in making Waynesboro a better place to live. I will support businesses that need our support and try to get the equipment that our borough police and firefighters desperately need. I will make sure cameras work inside council meetings. As Mayor, I would keep the community updated on social media and news media about upcoming agendas. I will create programs for kids, such as outreach programs and after-school activities, to teach them skills for working in today's society. Dade Royer Dade Royer Age: 68 Town: Waynesboro Education: Waynesboro Area Senior High School, Penn State University Professional Experience: I spent most of my career as a business owner. I owned and operated a healthcare recruitment company specializing in hospital staffing. I was executive director of Renfrew Museum and Park, which was probably my favorite job. Many consider it the gem of Waynesboro, and the farm is part of my Royer family heritage. I also served as the Central Pennsylvania Area Director for FCA, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. For the past six years, I have been a Borough Councilman, serving as Vice President, Chair of the Personnel Committee, Property and Public Safety Committee, and as liaison to the Recreation Board. I have also served on the boards of Renfrew Museum and Park, Rotary Club of Waynesboro, Waynesboro YMCA, Camp Joy El, and Otterbein Church. What inspired you to seek this office? I have always believed in serving my community. Since my retirement, I am able to devote more time to public service. My time on Borough Council has provided the knowledge, experience, and understanding to prepare me to serve as mayor of Waynesboro. I have developed a strong relationship with the police department, which the mayor has the responsibility to oversee. Our new Police Chief, Ryan Ramsey, is an excellent chief. If elected, I will work closely with him to continue to make Waynesboro a safe place to live, work, play, and raise a family. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to the Borough of Waynesboro? 1. Drugs and mental health. As in most cities and towns across America, drugs continue to be a major problem for our town. Drug abuse can tear families apart, and has a negative impact on our children. Approximately 70% of Waynesboro's police calls involve mental health, which ties closely to the drug problem. I am very proud that during my tenure as Borough councilman, we added a full-time community liaison to address both mental health and drug issues. 2. Police staffing. Finding qualified candidates to serve as police officers continues to be a struggle across our country. We are fortunate to have a great police staff, but it is an ongoing challenge to fill vacancies. If elected mayor, we will focus on finding more local candidates to fill these positions. 3. Economic Development. Waynesboro has made great strides revitalizing the downtown area over the past two decades. We need to continue that evolution, but also reach into other areas. Our town has many older buildings, both residential and commercial, that have fallen into disrepair. I will strive to bring new businesses to the area to build our economic base. Why should someone vote for you? I have the leadership qualities and experience to be successful as Waynesboro's next mayor. My focus on building relationships will make Waynesboro stronger. To do this, I will continue to work diligently with county, state, and federally elected representatives, and agencies. My goal is to bring more tax dollars into our community. I am endorsed by the Waynesboro Police Association. They believe I 'have a commitment to providing Borough Law Enforcement and other Borough Emergency Services with the assets necessary to strengthen public safety.' I also have the endorsement of Franklin County District Attorney Ian Brink. In his endorsement, District Attorney Brink states 'Dade will prioritize the safety of families and business owners by maintaining a strong police force.' It is important for the mayor of Waynesboro to have strong relationships with all facets of law enforcement. Finally, I am totally invested in this community. I have lived in Waynesboro for the majority of my life, raised my children here, and am now raising my grandson. If elected mayor, I will continue to invest in our community. To find out more about me and my campaign, go to More about the primary election Polls will be open for in-person voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 20. Mail-in and absentee ballots must be returned to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office by 8 p.m. on May 20. Ballots must physically be in the office by that time, a May 20 postmark is not sufficient. Only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in the primary election. Additional information, including sample ballots, can be found on the Franklin County website. This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Republicans Douglas Carranza, Dade Royer running for Waynesboro mayor
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Neighbors shocked after Montgomery County woman accused of driving car into crowd
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A woman is facing charges after allegedly trying to drive through a Montgomery County 10K race, putting hundreds of lives in danger. What we know The suspect is Karen Gangloff, police say. Her Derwood neighborhood was shocked, wondering why she allegedly did this. An aerial video from "MyDronePro" captured hundreds of runners at "the pikes peek race" Sunday morning. Montgomery County Police say Gangloff was trying to breach the closed race route, driving towards a crowd of runners, through a closed intersection. Police say she led the officers on a short chase in her Jeep, which ended when an officer got her to rear-end them. Police say Gangloff refused to get out of the Jeep. Officers to broke the driver's side window to remove her from the Jeep. Dig deeper According to court documents, Gangloff displayed belligerent behavior and defined police authority throughout the encounter. She was transported to Shady Grove Hospital for evaluation. While at the hospital, Gangloff was repeatedly instructed to stop yelling by officers, doctors, and nurses. She remains in jail without bond. Gangloff is charged with assault and disorderly conduct. Montgomery County police say they found 9mm rounds, but no gun in her Jeep. People in this community say they are thankful, applaud, the Montgomery County police officer who prevented a tragedy at the race. The Source Montgomery County Police Department
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested for Bethesda kidnapping
BETHESDA, Md. (DC News Now) — A 31-year-old man has been arrested for the Friday kidnapping of a woman in Bethesda, according to the Montgomery County Police Department. Police say Robert Deeter, of Bethesda, faces kidnapping, first-degree assault, stalking, harassment, and multiple handgun charges. Woman kidnapped in Bethesda, police say According to police, officers received reports of a kidnapping at 2:33 p.m. Friday. Officers located Deeter's red Toyota RAV4 in the 7000 block of Democracy Boulevard, with a woman in the passenger seat, and began following him. According to police, the woman jumped out of the car as they approached Rockledge Drive and I-270, where she confirmed with officers that Deeter had kidnapped her at gunpoint. The woman added that she knew him before the kidnapping. Officers continued to follow the car to the area of Old Georgetown Road and Beech Avenue, resulting in Deeter refusing to exit the car and barricading himself inside. Police say the Emergency Response Team (ERT) negotiators began speaking with the suspect, and the man eventually surrendered. The man was arrested, and a firearm was seized from the car. Deeter remains in custody without bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
