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:
Fatal Crash Investigation – On September 13 at 6:07AM, crash investigators responded to the area of Caton Hill Rd near Killarney Dr in Woodbridge (22192) to investigate a crash. The investigation revealed the driver of a black 4-door 2017 Toyota Camry was traveling the opposite direction northbound in the southbound lanes when the vehicle collided head-on with a 2015 Toyota Corolla that was traveling southbound. Both occupants in the Camry were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The passenger in the Camry was transported to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries sustained in the collision. Both drivers were also transported to area hospitals with serious injuries. Crash investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash, or the driving behavior of the driver in the black 4-door 2017 Toyota Camry involved in the collision, to contact police. The investigation continues.
Identified:
The deceased passenger in the 2017 Toyota Camry was identified as Elvis Gabriel ALVAREZ, 23, of Alexandria
The driver of the 2017 Toyota Camry was identified as a 21-year-old woman of Springfield
The driver of the 2015 Toyota Corolla was identified as 67-year-old woman of Woodbridge
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.
Press release:
Murder Investigation – On September 14 at 3:52PM, officers responded to the Sonic Soft Car Wash located at 14109 Richmond Hwy. in Woodbridge (22191) to investigate a shooting. The investigation revealed the victim, a 54-year-old man, and an unknown man, later identified as the accused, were involved in a verbal altercation outside the car wash. The parties separated briefly before another altercation turned physical. During the encounter, a firearm was brandished by the accused and the victim was shot to the upper body. A female acquaintance who was with the accused also brandished a firearm. After the shooting, the suspects fled in their vehicle and were apprehended by Virginia State Police along I-95 in Fairfax County a short time later. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he died as a result of the injuries. One exterior wall of a building was struck by gunfire. No additional injuries or property damage were reported. Following the investigation, both suspects, identified as Jermaine Antwoine LEWIS and Vinisha Lanisa NEVILLE, were arrested. The investigation continues.
Arrested on September 14: [No Photos Available]
Jermaine Antwoine LEWIS, 25, of 6383 Stagg Ct. in Springfield
Charged with second degree murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and shooting from an occupied vehicle
Court Date: Pending | Bond: Held WITHOUT Bond
Vinisha Lanisa NEVILLE, 29, of 13685 Kitty Hawk Way in Woodbridge
Charged with brandishing of a firearm
Court Date: Pending | Bond: Unavailable
Identified:
The deceased was identified as Earl Duwan MILLER, 54, of Woodbridge
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Prince William County police at 703-792-6500 or submit a tip online at pwcva.gov/policetip.
Prince William County Police has consistently received high marks from the public in annual customer satisfaction surveys.
[Photo: Alan Gloss]
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.
Press release:
Fatal Crash Investigation – On September 5 at 3:27PM, officers responded to the area of Old Bridge Rd. near Occoquan Rd. in Woodbridge (22192) to investigate a crash involving a motorcycle. The investigation revealed the operator of a 2023 Kawasaki motorcycle was traveling westbound on Old Bridge Rd. approaching Occoquan Rd. at a high rate of speed when the operator lost control and separated from the motorcycle before sliding under and being run over by a 2009 Roll-off Dumpster truck. The motorcycle operator was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Mack truck remained at the scene and was not injured. Investigators determined speed was a factor in the collision. Crash investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash to contact police. The investigation continues.
Identified:
The deceased operator was identified as Melanie Ruby MORALES, 23, of Woodbridge
The driver of the Roll-off Dumpster truck was identified as a 56-year-old man of Triangle
A child was treated for severe burns at a local hospital, and now a 36-year-old woman faces charges.
Press release:
Felony Child Neglect – On August 30, detectives concluded an investigation into a child neglect that was reported to have occurred at the Woodbridge Station Apartments located in the 1300 block of Eisenhower Cl. in Woodbridge (22191) on August 17. The investigation
revealed hot water was spilled onto the victim, a 5-year-old girl, while in the care of her mother, identified as the accused. The child was treated at an area hospital with severe burns. Further investigation revealed the victim was burned in a similar manner previously and appropriate safety precautions had not been taken. Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Julia Joyce WILLIAMS, was arrested.Arrested on August 30: [No Photo Available]
Julia Joyce WILLIAMS, 36, of the 1300 block of Eisenhower Cl. in Woodbridge
Charged with felony child neglect
Court Date: Pending | Bond: Unavailable
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.
Press release:
Sexual Assault Investigation – On September 1 at 2:17AM, officers responded to the 17000 block of Richmond Hwy. in Dumfries (22026) to
investigate a sexual assault. The investigation revealed the victim, a 45-year-old man was asleep inside a van parked in the above area when
he woke to an unknown man entering his vehicle without permission.While inside the vehicle, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim before leaving the area in a dark-colored sedan. The victim contacted
police and was treated at an area hospital. Attached is a composite sketch of the suspect. The investigation continues.Suspect Description: [Composite sketch provided]
A tall black male, 35-40 years of age with a shaved head, goatee, and tattoo on his forearm
Last seen wearing khaki pants, no shirt, and flip-flops
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.
Officials have not disclosed the duration of the park closure. However, the closure will affect tonight’s and possibly tomorrow’s soccer activities by the Northern Virginia Soccer Club at the park’s fields.
It’s the first search for Kaffle Bhatt conducted by police. Volunteer residents organized previous searches.
We’ll bring you more updates as we have them.
Meanwhile, during a recent hearing in Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Thursday, August 29, Judge Katherine C. McCollam dealt directly with Naresh Bhatt, a 37-year-old man accused in his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance, related to the charge of concealing a dead body. Bhatt, who communicated through an interpreter, waived his right to a preliminary hearing, a move that accelerates the case’s progression directly to a grand jury, Insidenova.com reported.
The defense, led by Senior Assistant Public Defender Shalev Ben-Avraham, is pushing for a swift trial, suggesting that the evidence against Bhatt is weak and that a quick trial would prevent the commonwealth from solidifying their case. This sentiment was echoed by Holly Wirth, a former coworker of Mamta Bhatt at Inova Health System, during a news conference, indicating that while the current charge is serious, more severe charges are likely forthcoming.
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.
The storms resembled tropical-like conditions often seen in places like Florida, not Virginia. “It was much more tropical both in the soupy tropical air that’s the fuel for these storms to get going and the stagnant air around,” said Strong.
According to storm reports on file with the National Weather Service, emergency services in Prince William County were stretched as they responded to multiple calls related to the storm. At 6:32 p.m., a 911 call center reported approximately half a dozen trees down in the Buckland Mills area near Haymarket, causing obstructions and damage.
Flooding also became a significant concern, with the ramp from Route 29 onto Interstate 66 in Gainesville closed due to high water levels at 7:32 p.m. Further disruptions were reported in Dumfries at 8:31 p.m., where flooding across Route 1 impeded traffic flow.
Quantico Marine Corps Base recorded several high winds, with a peak 49 mph gust recorded on a Potomac River buoy at 8:35 p.m., illustrating the storm’s power as it moved over the area. Additionally, by 9:12 p.m., police closed Aden Road in Prince William County due to flooding.
More flooding was reported at 9:15 p.m. on Piper Lane near the railroad crossing near Manassas Regional Airport. There were several power outages, as well, with nearly 5,000 NOVEC customers out in Stafford County and more than 400 in Prince William.
Looking ahead, the region is now at the peak of hurricane season. Strong advised that while the current forecast suggests tropical disturbances will likely remain south of the mid-Atlantic, residents should remain vigilant through early October.
As Northern Virginia moves toward fall, Strong anticipates “more roller coasters of temperature swings,” providing some relief from one of the hottest summers on record.
A 63-year-old Nokesville man died after his 2003 Lexus GX was struck head-on by a 2021 Toyota Tundra that crossed the center line on Bristow Rd. Near Windy Hill Dr., the investigation continues, with speed ruled out as a factor for the Toyota driver.
From Prince William police:
Fatal Crash Investigation – On August 28 at 6:24PM, officers responded to the area of Bristow Rd. near Windy Hill Dr. in Nokesville (20181) to investigate a crash. The investigation revealed the driver of a 2021 Toyota Tundra was traveling eastbound on Bristow Rd. when the vehicle crossed over the center line and into the westbound lane of travel striking a 2003 Lexus GX in a head-on collision. The impact of the crash caused the Lexus to spin off of the roadway and come to a rest in the ditch while the Tundra remained on the roadway. The driver and sole occupant of the Lexus was transported to an area hospital where he died from injuries sustained in the collision. The driver and sole occupant of the Tundra was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries. Investigators determined that speed, was not a factor for the driver of the Tundra. The investigation continues.
Identified:
The deceased driver of the 2003 Lexus GX was identified as Thomas Spencer STARK, 63, of NokesvilleThe driver of the 2021 Toyota Tundra was identified as a 61-year-old man of Woodbridge
