Read more Project: Election 2016 candidate profiles.

Find your polling place

Read more Project: Election 2016 candidate profiles.

Press release: 

“Make a Difference,”that is what the 138 dedicated volunteers did at the FOTO River cleanup on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at five sites along the Occoquan Watershed.

Together with Boy Scout Troop 1369, Girl Scout Troops 718 and 1054, Southside Little League, students from Woodbridge HS’s JROTC, South County and Colgan High schools and members of the Rotary & Optimist Clubs, American Water Company and Sev1Tec and many families with their children, they removed 120 large bags of debris and 28 bags of recycled material. Foam and plastic pieces, garden hoses, lumbar, a baby carriage, shoes, balls, fishing gear, cigarette lighters, and lots of glass and plastic bottles and beverage cans were removed and properly disposed of.

At the Lake Ridge Park and Marina, Helga Perrin gave a demonstration of FOTO’s water conservation program.

FOTO’s commitment to a trash-free Occoquan river and reservoir is an ongoing effort which we could not achieve without the support of our sponsors and volunteers. Please see our webpage www.friendsoftheOccoquan.org.

A gun was found in the backpack of a 17-year-old Colonial Forge High School student.

From Stafford sheriff’s spokeswoman MC Moncure:  

Suspicious activities surrounding a juvenile caused a 17-year-old Colonial Forge High School student to be searched today. The search revealed a .40 caliber handgun which was concealed in the student’s backpack. The juvenile was charged with Possession of a Concealed Weapon and Possession of a Firearm on School Property. The investigation as to how the student came to possess the firearm is ongoing.

The juvenile is currently being held at the Rappahannock Juvenile Center.

A school bus that left Rockledge Elementary School in Lake Ridge carrying children caught fire under the hood.

The children were evacuated and fire and rescue crews were called to meet the bus near the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Harbor Drive.

More from Prince William County Public Schools spokeswoman Irene Cromer:

Rockledge Bus 232 had a mechanical issue and another bus, #76, transported the children home. There was minimal delay in the normal bus schedule.

The children that were off-loaded from bus 233 were loaded onto bus 76 by 4:30 p.m., according to initial reports.

Another Prince William County school bus broke down Thursday afternoon in the area of Hoadly Road and Galveston Court near Dale City. Fire crews were called for what was reported to be a fire under the hood, but they found a broken belt and no fire. 

On Wednesday, another county school bus hit a parked police car in Woodbridge. 

A man showed at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday suffering from a gunshot in the leg. 

Police were called to the hospital to interview the man and found inconsistencies in the victim’s story, according to a police statement released today: 

Malicious Wounding – On October 13 at 4:07PM, officers responded to investigate a shooting which was reported to have occurred in the area of Georgetown Rd and Wren Ct in Woodbridge (22191). The investigation revealed that the victim, a 38-year-old man of Woodbridge, was walking in the above area when he heard gunshots. The victim continued walking when he realized he had been shot in the leg.

The victim ran to a nearby home of an acquaintance who then drove him to an area hospital where police were contacted. The victim’s injury was non-life threatening.

Detectives noted some inconsistences in the victim’s story. The victim did not see the shooter and no witnesses immediately came forward.

This incident does not appear to be random.

Updated 

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office just released the names of two men charged in the overnight shots fired call turned police standoff in North Stafford: 

Kevin Wayne Smith, Jr., age 23 of Salem Way Drive in Woodbridge was charged with Attempted 2nd Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.

Brandon Christopher Baker, age 24 of Westminster Lane in Stafford was charged with Assault by Mob.

Authorities are withholding photos of the suspects as they are expected to appear in a witness line-up in the coming days, Moncure said. 

Original post

A fight in the parking of the Buffalo Mos restaurant in North Stafford led to shots fired, and then to a nearly four-hour standoff outside the home a suspect. 

More from Stafford sheriff’s spokeswoman MC Moncure: 

On October 14, 2016 at approximately 2:00 a.m. Stafford Sheriff’s Office responded to a fight in progress at Buffalo Mo’s in northern Stafford County. The caller reported four or five males were outside fighting with a single male.

During the fight, one of the males from the group brandished a semi-automatic handgun and fired several rounds. After the gunfire, the group of men fled the scene in a vehicle. When Patrol Units arrived they were able to confirm that no one was injured in the shooting. Witnessed were able to provide the names of two of the suspects in the group, a vehicle description and tag number. Deputies began to search for the vehicle which was found unoccupied at the Staffordboro Commuter Lot.

DMV records showed that the vehicle was registered to a residence at 105 Westminster Lane. Patrol units conducted surveillance at the residence and were able to confirm that the two, previously identified suspects were inside.

The Special Weapons and Tactics Team responded to the scene at approximately 7:30 a.m. and established a perimeter around the residence. Negotiators attempted to make contact with the suspects for several hours by home phone, cell phone and a public address system.

Both suspects finally emerged from the townhome and surrendered to authorities at approximately 11:50 a.m. without further incident. At the present time, the names of the suspects are being withheld as the investigation continues.

Arrest warrants were obtained for one of the suspects for Attempted Murder and Reckless Handling of a Firearm. The second suspect has a warrant for Assault by Mob. The Sheriff’s Office would like to advise that all suspects are now in custody and there is no danger to the public involving this incident.

Moncure did not release the names of the suspects.

Calling all horror fans: if you’re in for a good scare, then The 2016 Death Trail “Asylum” is the next on your Halloween to-do.

The Death Trail is an attraction just outside Dumfries that incorporates a good scare for horror fanatics, but the last five minutes of the trail is the real hook of the entire attraction.

As walkers near the end of the horror, there’s a special religious twist.

“If it wasn’t for the final five minutes of the trail, we wouldn’t do the rest of it because it’s a tremendous amount of work, it takes a lot of manpower and a lot of energy to do this. But we feel like, our goal is to reach people that normally wouldn’t go to a church and hear a message,” said Executive Pastor Brad Lewis, of Montclair Tabernacle Church Church of God.

While spooky Halloween haunted walks are a staple on farms in Fairfax, Fauquier, and Spotsylvania counties, The Death Trail has emerged as the only haunted trail in Prince William County.

Even though the trail is connected to a church, the attraction is marketed as a secular attraction, not a religious event. “We try and market it as a secular style event, so we try to rival things like Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion, other prominent — total secular haunts,” said Lewis.

“We’ve been surprised. We knew we didn’t have a lot of competition, but we basically geared it to a secular audience and not a church audience. And over the years since we started in 2009, we have just been outstanded at the response from people,” said Lewis.

In fact, the trail attracts people all the way from Baltimore, Richmond, and even the Shenandoah Valley. Lewis notes that whenever most first visit the property, they don’t really understand how it’s connected to a church. In fact, he commonly hears the question ““Hey, how does a church allow you guys to do a haunted trail on their property?”

The Death Trail website describes itself as “a balance between a haunted trail and a house of death.” Despite its name, the Death Trail is indeed safe, well equipped with security personnel and fire/insurance codes. Depending on individual pace, the trail takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Those who dare to embark on the trail can encounter an array of a nightmare. “They encounter all kinds of things. Demented clowns, a cannibalistic family, a crazy toy store terror is what we’re calling it this year where the toys literally come to life.”

This year’s theme is the Asylum. Tickets for the attraction are $15 per person, but visitors may upgrade to $30 to travel to the front of the line, receive 25% off all merchandise, and access the Death Trail’s special escape room.

The trail is the deep, dark, spooky woods next to Montclair Tabernacle Church of God, located at 16120 Dumfries Road.

The engine compartment of a Chevrolet Impala parked outside a Costco caught fire. 

Fire and rescue crews were called to the big-box store at Potomac Mills mall about 12:15 p.m. 

Initial reports indicate the front of the car had caught fire, and no one was inside the car when fire crews arrived. 

Crews worked to douse the blaze as soon as they arrived.