The Prince William County Police Department, a nationally accredited law enforcement agency through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), has launched an online portal to gather community feedback as part of its accreditation process. The department is committed to maintaining the highest standards of service and professionalism, which includes actively engaging with residents, business owners, and visitors to ensure continuous improvement.
The online portal will allow community members to share their thoughts on the department’s adherence to CALEA standards, their engagement with the community, and the quality of public safety services. This portal is part of the department’s broader goal to foster a partnership with the community and uphold its pursuit of professional excellence.
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On September 13, a head-on collision occurred on Caton Hill Road in Lake Ridge when a 2017 Toyota Camry, traveling in the wrong direction, collided with a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The passenger in the Camry, 23-year-old Elvis Gabriel Alvarez of Alexandria, later died at the hospital. Both drivers, a 21-year-old woman from Springfield and a 67-year-old woman from Woodbridge, were seriously injured. Investigators are seeking witnesses to the crash or the Camry's driving behavior before the incident.
Press release:
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On September 14, police responded to a shooting at the Sonic Soft Car Wash in Woodbridge, where a verbal altercation between two men escalated into a deadly encounter. Police said 25-year-old suspect shot Earl Duwan Miller, 54, during a physical altercation after both parties briefly separated. A female accomplice also brandished a firearm, police said.
The suspects fled but were apprehended shortly afterward by Virginia State Police. Miller was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Both suspects face multiple charges.
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Prince William County Police has consistently received high marks from the public in annual customer satisfaction surveys.
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A fatal crash investigation is underway following an incident on September 5 at 3:27 p.m. in Woodbridge, near Old Bridge Road and Occoquan roads. A 2023 Kawasaki motorcycle, operated by 23-year-old Melanie Ruby Morales of Woodbridge, was traveling at high speed when she lost control and slid under a 2009 Roll-off Dumpster truck.
Morales, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck, a 56-year-old man from Triangle, remained on-site and was uninjured. Speed was determined to be a factor in the crash. Investigators are seeking witnesses as the investigation continues.
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A child was treated for severe burns at a local hospital, and now a 36-year-old woman faces charges.
Press release:
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A 45-year-old man sleeping inside a van was the victim of sexual assault and was treated at a hospital, police said.
The incident occurred across from a Walmart located near Dumfries.
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Manassas Park Police, with assistance from Prince William County Police and their Cadets, have closed Signal Hill Park on Signal View Drive in Manassas Park. The park, located approximately a mile and a half from the home of missing mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt, is closed immediately. Bhatt, a frequent visitor to the park, has been missing, triggering extensive searches.
Authorities have established a command post within the park's pavilion, which notably hosted a vigil for Kaffle Bhatt last Saturday, drawing 800 attendees.
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Chris Strong from the National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington office noted the unusual nature of the storm, highlighting that "one of the biggest things that was more uncommon about that event was just how little wind there was in the general atmosphere for these storms to move around." This lack of atmospheric movement allowed the storms to "evolve and develop in place," leading to prolonged periods of heavy rain and persistent lightning across several areas.
Despite the severity, the region did not experience any tornadic activity. Strong explained that tornadoes generally require wind shear—an increase in wind speed and a change in direction at different altitudes—which was absent during this event. This contributed to the storm's stationary behavior, causing extended weather disturbances over the same locations.
