Stafford

A ribbon-cutting event will be held Monday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. to mark the completion of the Staffordboro Boulevard Sidewalk Project at the entrance of the Park and Ride lot near the Route 610 intersection, Stafford County reported. The $2.1 million project built approximately 1,200 linear feet of sidewalk between the Juggins Road Connector and Pike Place, along with new crosswalks at road crossings.

The work, finished on schedule this spring with paving completed this summer, is the first of four locally administered road projects under Stafford County’s $70 million investment to improve roads, safety, accessibility and congestion. The new sidewalk connects several communities to existing paths and park-and-ride lots, with ADA-accessible ramps and detectable warning surfaces to better serve pedestrians.

Automated speed enforcement cameras are now active in select Stafford County school zones as students return for the first full day of the 2026-27 school year on Wednesday, August 12.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, working with BlueLine Solutions, has installed cameras at six schools: Edward E. Drew Middle School, Colonial Forge High School, Stafford Middle School, Stafford Elementary School, North Stafford High School, and Brooke Point High School.

A two-story single-family home in the 100 block of Indian Point Road sustained significant fire damage early Saturday after flames involved the attached garage and rapidly extended into the residence, attic and roof, Stafford County Fire Rescue reported. Units were dispatched around 1:45 a.m., ensured occupants were safely out, and brought the fire under control in approximately 45 minutes with assistance from City of Fredericksburg personnel. No injuries were reported, and working smoke alarms were present in the home.

Two occupants were displaced and are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross. The fire remains under routine investigation by the Stafford Fire Marshal’s Office.

Sgt. Jeremy Hurt of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office was indicted Monday in Prince William County on a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter from a deadly August 2025 crash on Interstate 95 near the Quantico exit, 7News reported. A source told the outlet the crash followed a chase that began in the Fredericksburg area in which Hurt allegedly rammed the suspect’s vehicle, killing Josue Enoc Martinez of Spotsylvania; Hurt also faces a misdemeanor reckless driving charge.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said it stands strongly behind Hurt, who has been placed on administrative assignment, while Virginia State Police investigated and the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is handling the case. Hurt was arrested Tuesday, released on bail, and has a hearing set for Aug. 14.

“Stafford County is pleased to announce the hiring of Thomas “Tom” Ellsworth as the County’s new Planning and Zoning Director,” Stafford County reported. Ellsworth joins from Maricopa County, Arizona, where he served as Director of Planning and Development in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions and a major data center hub, bringing more than 25 years of experience in development review, zoning policy and organizational leadership.

In Stafford, Ellsworth will oversee development review, the Planning Commission, long-range planning, zoning, land conservation and data centers. County Administrator Bill Ashton said his background will allow him to contribute immediately to strengthening processes and guiding growth in the Northern Virginia locality.

A federal affidavit unsealed in the Eastern District of Virginia details how a then-Stafford County Sheriff’s Office patrol sergeant allegedly ordered and paid for child sexual abuse material through Telegram, including files that agents reviewed depicting a girl as young as 8 years old and a male infant under 1 year old.

Justin Thomas Lee Forman, 37, of Fredericksburg, is charged with knowingly receiving a visual depiction involving the use of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). The complaint asserts probable cause that the offense occurred at least on or about July 6, 2023, while Forman was employed as a patrol sergeant.

Stafford Utilities is continuing to monitor Accokeek Creek (near Crows Nest Natural Preserve) after a July 22 sewer line break released untreated wastewater near the waterway, Stafford Utilities reported. As of a July 30 update, localized impacts have improved but water quality across the watershed has not yet returned to normal due to recent weather and other factors, and the agency still recommends limiting recreational contact with the water, including swimming, and advises against consuming fish from the creek until conditions improve.

The original advisory, issued after the break near Accokeek Creek, called for limited recreational use of the creek down to Crow’s Nest for people and pets. Residents with questions can contact Stafford Utilities at 540-658-8616.