Nakita Walker, 46, was sentenced Thursday in D.C. Superior Court on charges related to a head-on collision that killed Lyft driver Mohamed Kamara and his passengers, Olvin Torres Velasquez and Jonathan Cabrera Mendez.

While announcing the sentence, Judge Rainey Brandt also revoked Walker’s driving privileges and recommended that she continue mental health and substance abuse treatments while she’s in prison.

Walker was convicted in April of three counts of involuntary manslaughter, fleeing law enforcement and assault with a dangerous weapon. The same jury ruled that she was not guilty of听second-degree murder.

In the early hours of March 15, 2023, a U.S. Park Police officer stopped Walker’s vehicle near the Kennedy Center for speeding and running a red light.

Prosecutors said she complied with the officer at first, but then sped off, reaching 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway before crashing into Kamara’s vehicle, killing all three people inside.

During Walker’s trial, a key witness for the prosecution contradicted his testimony to the jury.

Walker鈥檚 ex-boyfriend, Donnell Thomas, initially told investigators that Walker had been drinking before the crash. But in court, he said Walker had not been drinking or smoking marijuana. He told the court that he’s had memory issues since the crash.

Walker also has multiple previous DUI convictions and in 2023, had unpaid traffic tickets totaling $14,300.

91欧美激情’s Thomas Robertson and Grace Newton contributed to this report.听

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One man, 20-year-old Edvin Agustin Leon, died from his wounds on Nov. 9, 2022. Another survived by pretending to be dead then crawled a quarter mile to get help, according to the Montgomery County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office.

Last week, a 22-year-old was convicted on charges stemming from the shootings, and a 32-year-old was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement.

Investigators believe five people were behind the shootings in Northwest Stream Valley Park, near the 9000 block of Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring.

The state’s attorney’s office said two high-ranking members of MS-13 provided guns to other members and told them to kill the two men.

In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Sender Godoy-Lemus, 22, of Silver Spring, was found guilty on June 18 on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy in Agustin Leon’s death.

He was also convicted of attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy in the shooting of the second man, as well as use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, and participation in a criminal organization resulting in death.

Godoy-Lemus’ conviction comes after his first trial ended in a hung jury in 2025. His sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled.

Carlo Yaque del Cid, 32, of Hyattsville, was sentenced on June 17 to two consecutive life sentences plus five years for Agustin Leon’s death and the shooting of the second man. He faced the same charges as Godoy-Lemus.

Where things stand with the other men accused in the shootings

Another member of MS-13 was sentenced last summer to life in prison plus 52 years; Edgard Castro-Contreras is believed to have fired the shots that killed Agustin Leon.

Brayan Bonilla-Andrade is awaiting a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. He faces two life sentences plus 20 years.

And Jonathan Videz Martinez is slated to go on trial on charges related to the shooting, including first-degree murder.

Their cases are all being prosecuted in Montgomery County.

One of the men who was shot told investigators that he and Agustin Leon were accosted by MS-13 gang members over an accusation, according to charging documents. He said the gang members separated him from Agustin Leon in the wooded area before they were shot.

Agustin Leon died at the scene. The other man, though he’d been shot multiple times, crawled through the park crying for help. Neighbors called 911.

Montgomery County police, the FBI, Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service investigated the shootings.

Source

Virginians are voting in an unusually timed August primary nominating candidates for congressional seats and local offices ahead of the high-stakes midterm election in November.

Early voting is underway ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, with nominations to the U.S. Senate and House as well as county and city board positions on the ballot.

Typically, Virginia鈥檚 summer primaries take place on the third Tuesday in June, but state lawmakers voted to delay the primary, amid a Democratic push to redraw Virginia鈥檚 congressional maps in favor of their party. It鈥檚 a battle that went before voters and the U.S. Supreme Court, and ultimately ended in a loss for Democratic redistricting.

Maps for August鈥檚 primary follow the boundaries approved in 2021, not the map proposed by Democrats.

The candidates who prevail in the summer primary will appear on the ballot in November鈥檚 midterm election, a contest that could shift the power of balance in Congress. Republicans hold a majority in both chambers.

Dates at a glance

• Early in-person voting: June 18 to Aug. 1 (Some offices may be closed for Juneteenth holiday)
• Deadline to register or update voter registration: July 24
• Deadline to听: July 24
• Primary Election Day: Tuesday, Aug. 4

In-person voting听

Voters can cast ballots early from now through Aug. 1 at designated polling locations. Check in with your general registrar’s office to find an early voting location or ballot drop box.

Primary Election Day is Aug. 4; polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for in-person voting.

To find out where to vote on the day of the primary election, visit the .

Voters who are 65 or older, or those with disabilities, have the option of voting curbside.

Voters need to bring along a valid ID. If you leave it behind, you can sign an ID confirmation statement or vote with a provisional ballot.

For a provisional ballot to be counted, you have until noon on Aug. 7 to bring a copy of your ID to the local electoral board or sign a confirmation statement.

础听听is available online.

Vote by mail

Ballots have to be postmarked by Aug. 4 and received by noon on Aug. 7 to be counted.

Outside of mailing those absentee ballots, voters can also bring them to a drop-off location. Check in with your for information about drop boxes and their locations.

The deadline for voters to is July 24.

Who鈥檚 on the ballot

U.S. House

Congressional District 7

Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg

Most congressional districts in Northern Virginia are considered to lean in favor of Democrats, but District 7 could be competitive come November, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Virginia鈥檚 7th Congressional District includes part of Prince William County, as well as Stafford, Spotsylvania and Culpeper counties, and Fredericksburg City.

A handful of Republicans are running in the upcoming primary with hopes of challenging the incumbent Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman in the midterms.

Three Republicans are on the ballot in District 7: Ollivant Doug, Harding Philip and Rick Smithers.

Vindman was sworn in as District 7鈥檚 representative in the U.S. House in 2025, filling an open seat vacated by now Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who had left the Capitol to run for the governor鈥檚 office.

For much of the early 2000s and 2010s, District 7 was represented by Republicans 鈥� until Spanberger unseated Republican Rep. David Brad in 2018.

Congressional District 8

Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church

Three Democrats are challenging incumbent Rep. Don Beyer for his seat in Virginia鈥檚 8^th Congressional District.

Lorena Thorne Bruner, Michael Christian Duffin and Mo Seifeldein are all slated to run against the longtime Democratic congressman in the primary.

Beyer has spent a decade in Congress after first being elected to serve District 8 in 2014. His constituents live in Arlington and parts of Fairfax County, as well as the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church.

Congressional District 10

Loudoun, Prince William, Fauquier, Fairfax, Manassas City, Manassas Park City

Republicans will nominate a candidate to face off against Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who was sworn into the U.S House in 2025 after serving in the Virginia General Assembly.

The candidates in the Republican primary include Anthony L. Suttles, Dave T. Beckwith, Julie Anna Perry and M. Sam Wong.

Subramanyam succeeded Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton, who opted out of running for reelection in 2024 due to health issues. His district includes Fauquier and Loudoun counties, parts of Prince William and Fairfax counties as well as the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

There won鈥檛 be a Republican or Democratic primary in Virginia鈥檚 11th Congressional District. Rep. James Walkinshaw won a special election last September to replace the late Gerry Connolly, who died in May after serving in the U.S. House since 2009.

Walkinshaw, a Democrat, represents parts of Fairfax County and Fairfax City.

Senate

Longtime Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is up for reelection in the fall, and a few Republicans are competing for a chance to go up against him.

Kim Farington, Bert K Mizusawa and David Earl Williams are vying for the support of Republican voters in the primary.

Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Intel Committee, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, and prior to that served as Virginia鈥檚 governor.

Local offices

Arlington County Board

Two Democrats are challenging Matthew de Ferranti鈥檚 reelection bid to the Arlington County Board.

Ferranti is running against Julie E. Farnam and James A. DeVita for the Democratic nomination to the at-large board seat.

Source

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue launched several boats Monday morning to carry on the search for a swimmer who went missing at around 6:15 p.m. Sunday, according to the department’s spokesman Pete Piringer.

The man was trying to swim from Maryland to Virginia when he got separated from his group, Piringer said.

“We’ve been commencing a search ever since, with boats in the water on the trail, using sonar equipment, of course, aerial observation from the U.S. Park Police helicopter visual,” Piringer said Sunday evening. “We have boats from Fairfax and Montgomery County in the water.”

Crews searched by land, boat and air in the area of Sandy Landing, where the man was last seen.

Altogether, eight boats and 45 fire department personnel from Montgomery County and Fairfax County came together to look for the man. But they weren’t able to find the swimmer, and search efforts were pulled back at around 9 p.m., resuming after sunrise Monday.

In addition to Montgomery County’s boats, one U.S. Park Police helicopter is also helping in the search Monday.

Piringer said he expects additional boats to be deployed in the afternoon.

Potomac River search continues 鈥� this morning involves several swift water boats & crew(s) and USPark Police Eagle 1 helicopter, to include several other swift water boat teams this afternoon. Search teams utilizing sonar & thermal imaging equipment to aid in the search.

鈥� Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO)

Source

Fast-moving storms made their way through the DMV from about 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. with some packing high winds, to cap off a day of record-breaking heat.

There are reports of trees and power lines down in Middleburg from wind gusts that went up to 60 mph there and other parts of Northern Virginia.

“We had a punch of severe weather, and there will be more to come on Sunday” said Veronica Johnson, 7 91欧美激情 First Alert chief meteorologist.

Meanwhile, on Saturday expect temperatures to hit about 90 degrees, but with low humidity, which will feel like a relief after Friday’s elevated heat index.

At 8:30 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Route 50 corridor, central Anne Arundel County and northeastern Prince Georges County until 9 p.m.

Wind gusts over 80 mph were recorded on the Bay Bridge at 9 p.m., the NWS announced.听

The NWS cancelled severe storm warnings in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland and in 23 counties in Virginia including Arlington, Stafford, Fauquier, Prince William and Fairfax counties.

The severe weather hit D.C. as the region was working to recover from Thursday’s damaging storms that knocked out power for tens of thousands of people and toppled trees, killing two women.

“Once the storms clear later this evening, we’ll see our temperatures drop to the 60s,” said 7 91欧美激情 First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin

2 dead from Thursday’s storms

Two women were killed by fallen trees in Maryland during Thursday night’s storms, according to officials.

One woman was trapped under a fallen tree near Matthew Henson Trail between Spruce Hill Road and Regina Drive in Aspen Hill at around 9 p.m., according to a spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.

She did not survive her injuries.

Around the same time, fire crews in Prince George’s County responded to North Marlton Avenue near Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro, where another woman was found with traumatic injuries after being hit by a fallen tree. She died at the scene.

Fire officials told 91欧美激情 that there appeared to have been several “microbursts” of thunderstorms in a short period of time Thursday. Those microbursts can produce damaging winds of over 100 mph and are often mistaken for tornadoes.

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Cleanup from Thursday evening’s storms carried into Friday morning, 91欧美激情’s Neal Augenstein reported.

In Silver Spring, Maryland, the storm sheared off the top of a utility pole located at the intersection of Silver Spring Avenue and Nolte Avenue. Downed utility wires were draped across bushes and driveways in the tightly-configured neighborhood.

Tree crews began work at sunrise to stand-up new utility poles that had been delivered overnight on a flatbed truck.

Nearby, the burned-out shell of a car that caught fire during the storm remained. The owner of the car walked from a nearby home to inspect the damage in the early morning sun.

Weekend weather

Saturday is projected to be a calmer weather day, with a mix of sunshine and a few passing clouds.

“Plenty of sunshine, lower humidity, so that stickiness factor won’t be there, 85 to 90 degrees,” Rudin said.

But severe weather is back in the forecast Sunday with a humid air mass and a cold front leading to possible scattered showers and thunderstorms. Those with outdoor plans should reconsider.

791欧美激情 First Alert Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT:
Gradual clearing
Lows: 63-68
Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph

SATURDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs: 85-90
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph

SUNDAY: WEATHER ALERT
PM strong storms
Highs: 88-93
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph

MONDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs: 80-85
Winds: Southwest 10-15 mph

CURRENT CONDITIONS

91欧美激情’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.听

Source

Part of the Pentagon is under a shelter-in-place as hazmat teams investigate an “air quality issue” detected Thursday, the chief Pentagon spokesman told 91欧美激情.

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s hazmat team is leading the response to the “hazardous materials incident” with the help Arlington County Fire and EMS’ hazardous materials team, according to a from the fire department.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told 91欧美激情 the Pentagon is taking precautionary measures after a system flagged an unspecified problem with the air quality.

“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” Parnell wrote in an email to 91欧美激情.

“Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance. The Department is executing standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area. Response teams are in place and ready to support building occupants,” he said.

91欧美激情 National Security Correspondent J.J. Green reported that people in other parts of the Pentagon have been asked to avoid the floors that are sheltering in place.

This is a developing story. Stay with 91欧美激情 for the latest.

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The bus was about a quarter mile from Davidsonville Elementary when the crash happened near Cottage Farm Way and Maryland Route 214 just before 7:45 a.m., according to school officials and county police.

MD-214 was briefly closed, which caused delays while police investigated. It has since reopened.

A total of 28 students were on board and all of their families have been notified, a spokesman for the school system told 91欧美激情.

Two students were taken to the hospital in an ambulance with injuries believed to be minor. A spokesman said nine other students were taken to a medical center to be evaluated as a precaution.

And 17 students were picked up from the scene by their parents.

Police said they’re investigating the crash, and they’ve asked drivers to avoid the area.

A map of the area where the crash happened is below.

This is a developing story. Stay with 91欧美激情 for the latest.

Source

Jing Sheng Dong, of Staten Island, New York, was charged with five counts of involuntary manslaughter and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving in the May 29 collision near Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Police said 44 people were taken to the hospital, three with critical injuries.听Dong听was arrested at the hospital on June 1, while recovering from his injuries.

Authorities told 91欧美激情 he was released from the hospital and moved to the Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford Monday night.

Police said Dong didn’t slow down the bus in time when approaching a work zone in the southbound lanes as his bus struck a Chevrolet Suburban, which led to a chain reaction. The crash involved seven vehicles in total, counting Dong’s coach bus, which was carrying 34 passengers from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

He’s expected to make his first appearances in Stafford County General District Court and Stafford Circuit Court Wednesday morning, according to Stafford County commonwealth’s attorney and police. A judge is set to schedule Dong’s arraignment, where the driver would enter a plea.

All of the people who were killed were from Massachusetts. Four people were inside an Acura that caught fire: Dmitri Doncev, 45, a nurse who worked at Holyoke Medical Center; Ecaterina Doncev, 44; and their children, Emily and Mark.

Priscilla Mafalda, 25, was also killed when the bus struck her Suburban.听

The bus driven by Dong is operated by a E&P Travel, a company based in Kings Mountain, about 30 miles west of Charlotte. Records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration show one crash involving an injury with an E&P vehicle in the past two years.

Dong is also facing charges of speeding while driving a coach bus in Annapolis, Maryland, for another incident that allegedly happened on March 9. Police said he was driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone on Route 3.

91欧美激情’s Neal Augenstein and Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.

Source

Cristian Alvarenga, 25, of Herndon, Virginia, was taken into custody after police received tips from community members who saw him. He was arrested near the intersection of Elden Street and Alabama Drive, according to an update from Herndon police Tuesday morning.

His arrest comes after a car chase that stretched from Virginia, through D.C. and Maryland 鈥� where the stolen vehicle was left behind.

Police said they were initially called to the 1000 block of Knight Lane for a “domestic situation” Saturday night at 9:30 p.m.

But before police arrived to the house, Alvarenga allegedly abducted someone he knew and used the person’s car to leave the neighborhood.

Police from multiple jurisdictions chased the stolen car and Alvarenga left the vehicle, and its owner, in Prince George’s County. The person who was abducted is safe, police said.

Before his arrest, Herndon police shared a photo of Alvarenga online Monday and said he was considered “armed and dangerous.”

He’s been charged with abduction, assault, carjacking, driving without a valid license as well as two counts of robbery and preventing a call to 911, .

91欧美激情’s Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.

Source

At least three workers were seriously injured in an “electrical mishap” near the Medical Center Metro station Monday morning, according to a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.

Spokesman Pete Piringer said his department was alerted about a “possible electrical explosion” involving those working outside the Maryland Metro station at around 7:45 a.m.

All of the contractors have been removed from the electrical shaft, which Piringer described as a “fairly confined space.”

“Paramedics are treating and transporting several people, at least three fairly serious injuries as a result of electrical shock,” Piringer said in a .

Their injuries include serious electrical burns, Piringer said.

The station is located near the National Institutes of Health campus.

After initially stating that there would be no impact to service, Metro said that trains were temporarily not running between Medical Center and Bethesda as authorities investigated a report of smoke.

Just before 12:30 p.m., Metro said trains were no longer single tracking. Transit officials haven’t said whether听the closure was related to the electrical incident.

This is a developing story. Stay with 91欧美激情 for the latest.听

Courtesy Pete Piringer

Courtesy Pete Piringer

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A judge in Fairfax County, Virginia, has sentenced Brendan Banfield to life in prison with no chance of parole in the 2023 鈥渁u pair affair鈥� murders of his wife and another man.

Prosecutors said Banfield was romantically involved with the family’s au pair and the two plotted to murder Christine Banfield and blame her death on a stranger, Joseph Ryan, who they lured to the family鈥檚 home.

“One would hope that some day you will become tortured by what you have done to Christine, Joe, Christine’s daughter, and their families, but nothing I have seen suggests that you will,” said Fairfax County Circuit Court Chief Judge Penney Azcarate. “The level of cruelty, calculation, and inhumanity in this case reflects something far deeper than anger or impulse. It reflects evil, which is why I carry no burden and find no hesitation in sentencing you to life.”

Brendan Banfield was convicted in February of two counts of aggravated murder. He has maintained his innocence throughout the legal process, including during the sentencing hearing Friday.

In Banfield’s testimony, he claimed to have shot Ryan to stop him from attacking his wife with a knife 鈥� a version of events the jury didn’t buy.

“Christine cared very much for her family and friends, I’m not trying to, I’m not trying to diminish in any way what, what her life, what her life was. She truly was a caring, a caring mother, a caring wife, a loving nurse,” Banfield said. “But I am not responsible for her death. This is not a knife that I ever held in my hand, and I never stabbed her.”

Azcarate, who also presided over his trial, appointed Banfield an appellate attorney after imposing his sentence Friday. Banfield would have 30 days to file an appeal.

Aggravated murder became after former Gov. Ralph Northam abolished the death penalty in 2021. It carries a mandatory life sentence.

Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer,听was also found guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and child endangerment, as his 4-year-old child was home during the killings.

Speaking of Christine’s daughter, Azcarate said, “You did not just take her mother from her, you placed her in the middle of the horror you created. She is young now, but one day she will understand your true self, and she will understand what you took from her, which is everything.”

Before sentencing, prosecutors called three witnesses who provided victim impact statements: Christine鈥檚 sister, Ryan鈥檚 mother and his aunt. All three witnesses shared memories of their loved ones, and gave a window into the grief they’ve experience since their murders.

“Joe wasn’t the disposable caricature he was made out to be,” his mother, Deirdre Fisher, testified. “He had a face, he had a name, he had a life, but Brendan Banfield shot his face, soiled his name, and treated his life as disposable.”

The ‘au pair affair’

According to the prosecution and Magalh茫es, who testified against Banfield after taking a plea deal, Banfield and the au pair created an account on a fetish website impersonating Christine and drew Ryan to the home with promises of rough sex.

During her two days of testimony, Magalh茫es detailed her sexual relationship with Banfield, his desire to 鈥済et rid of his wife鈥� and the plan he developed to do so.

Magalh茫es was initially charged with murder in October 2023, eight months after the killings and nearly a year before Banfield himself was charged.

With her trial date nearing, Magalh茫es accepted a plea deal, in which her charge was downgraded to manslaughter. In February, after testifying against her former lover, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the double murder.

On Friday, Banfield and his attorney argued that DNA evidence at the crime scene and digital forensic evidence were not properly weighed by the jury.

Both pointed to blood stain pattern analysis that suggested Christine’s blood was found on Ryan.

They referenced instances where Christine’s laptop was accessed when Brendan Banfield wasn’t home, as Magalh茫es had claimed he was the one to login to the device to message Ryan, not her.

The defense has repeatedly claimed that the catfishing theory was forced onto detectives and that members of the police department who disagreed with the theory were moved off the case.

‘I climbed in her crib’: Families share memories, anger over murders

Christine鈥檚 big sister, Danielle Hocker, gave a window into their memories from childhood, times of catching lightning bugs, backyard haircuts from their barber grandfather and staying up late to watch Saturday Night Live.

“We were each other’s first friends, sleeping in each other’s bedrooms, in sleeping bags, on the floor, or in tents in the den,鈥� Hocker said. 鈥淚 climbed in her crib several times and attempted a solo diaper change unsuccessfully.鈥�

Hocker is four years older than Christine and as children, the sisters were at times mistaken for twins, she said.

鈥淲e both had curly hair, but otherwise I didn’t understand what other people saw,鈥� Hocker said. 鈥淲hen I look into a mirror, I sometimes see her first, my face replaced by hers, and in a flash she’s gone, and I’m left confused by my own reflection. She was her own person, never trying to be me, but always wanted to be by my side, and I hers.鈥�

Hocker also referenced Brendan Banfield’s testimony, during which he said both he and his wife had affairs throughout their 20-year relationship.

“As Christine’s sister, I didn’t just lose her, I had to sit and listen to a version of her that did not exist,” Hocker said. “I knew her in a way that he never could. I knew her honesty, her compassion, her refusal to live with secrets.”

‘I won’t forget you, Joe’

Speaking remotely, Ryan’s mother also described the hurt caused by the way her son was characterized as part of the scheme, as “the intruder, the fetish guy into rough sex, the rapist and the murderer.”

“Over these more than three years since Joe’s murder, my life has been filled with continued loss and with emotional and medical and financial trauma, I have not been able to function normally at home,” Fisher said.

In the time since Ryan’s death, Fisher said she has developed ulcers, a heart condition and had a toe removed.

“Would I have experienced such severe trauma without the brutal loss of Joe? Certainly not,” she said. “When Joe was alive, he would fly or drive to care for me, when I needed, and it included cancer twice.”

Fisher pushed back on accusations against Ryan’s character, saying he was a feminist who cared about women’s rights.

“Although he was chosen as a scapegoat from a website that is considered fetish, he was on that site to find a consenting partner because he believed in a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and in her control over her romantic and sexual life,” she said.

Ryan lived with his grandmother, who he cared for, and had previously moved to Florida to look after his grandfather before he died.

“Joe was a guy who believed in fighting for the underdog, and even actual neglected dogs,” Fisher said. “He would walk into an animal shelter and ask for the oldest, ugliest dogs, bring them home and love them for years. When Joe was murdered, he left behind a dog named ‘Kitty,’ who waited for him at the top of the stairs.”

Fisher said she gave birth to Ryan when she was 16 years old and, without financial or physical ability to raise her son, the two were separated.

When Ryan was 14, he pursued a closer relationship with his mom. Fisher said the two spent holidays and vacations together, and they would speak on the phone often.

Their last phone call was the night before his murder.

“I will choose to live in his fighting spirit and with his voice in my head, ‘Be kind to yourself, Mom. Take better care of yourself, Mom. Love you, Mom.’ I won’t forget you, Joe. I hear you now,” Fisher said.

91欧美激情’s Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.听

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Multiple agencies described the planned security for Freedom 250 events Tuesday morning and emphasized the importance of attendees reporting any suspicious activity or drones 鈥� which aren’t allowed to fly in D.C.

The FBI is not tracking any credible threats, Darren Cox, assistant director in charge for the FBI’s Washington Filed Office told reporters at a news conference at the D.C. Armory.

“With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C., on a normal day, is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats, and we will work with our partners to address those,” Cox said.

Among the agencies working with the FBI on securing this summer’s events are U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

“Although D.C. is no stranger to visitors, these summer celebrations are collectively expected to draw massive crowds in the hundreds of thousands,” Cox said. “Preparing for these events is a cooperative effort.”

Several members of law enforcement also stressed that D.C. is a no-fly zone for drones. If you spot one in D.C. that seems to be breaking the rules, Cox said to report it to law enforcement by alerting a nearby officer or calling 911.

“Drones are both illegal in D.C. and they are dangerous, and the consequences for flying drones in D.C. are very serious,” Cox said. “Unauthorized drone flights can result in the seizure of your drones, your arrest and civil penalties up to $100,000.”

What to know about security

Anyone attending the Freedom 250 events 鈥� which include a UFC match, a July Fourth fireworks show and a state fair 鈥� should be aware of security measures in place.

There will be security checkpoints for all of those events, and some of the others planned by Freedom 250 鈥� such as the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone on the National Mall.

Visitors can carry in one plastic bag or a small clutch, families with young children can bring in a diaper bag. .

All of the patriotic celebrations mean your go-to viewing spot for the fireworks may be unavailable this year.

The fan zone and the Great American State Fair will be happening on the National Mall on the Fourth of July, too.

“As a result, the Fourth of July celebration will look and feel very different in Washington, D.C.,” said Tara McLeese, special agent in charge with the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. “Many of the areas previously used by those with blankets and lawn chairs will be occupied by large events.”

The main viewing area for the fireworks is at the base of the National Mall.

Besides space constraints, police were asked during the news conference about staffing the simultaneous events on the Mall. U.S. Park Police Chief Scott Brecht said there are “no staffing concerns” and that the needs will be met.

“We work daily with all of our local partners, state and federal, to address each of these individual events on a case-by-case basis,” Brecht said. “But we communicate daily to听ensure that staffing at the community events in and around D.C. is just as important to us as the听Freedom 250 events.”

Editor鈥檚 note: 鈥溾�� is separate from the congressionally chartered commission 鈥溾��

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Virginia State Police said a coach bus crashed at 2:35 a.m. at the 146-mile marker, near Marine Corps Base Quantico, where traffic was slowing through a work zone.

All five of the people who died were from Massachusetts, though they were inside two different vehicles. Police said 44 people were transported to hospitals, three with critical injuries.

The bus failed to slow down while approaching the zone and struck a Chevrolet Suburban, causing a chain-reaction where the SUV crashed into an Acura and other vehicles.

The bus then hit additional vehicles. Police said that coach bus, operated by E&P Travel, was carrying around 34 occupants from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Four of the people who were killed were inside the Acura: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. They were from Greenfield, Massachusetts.

A 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, was inside the Suburban struck by the bus and died in the collision.

The driver of the bus is among those who were injured, a 48-year-old man from Staten Island, New York. Police said they’re investigating what he was doing in the moments leading up to the crash, and they plan to file charges.

Nineteen of the patients have been treated at Mary Washington Healthcare; 12 were released from a hospital in Stafford and one from a Fredericksburg hospital, according to a from the hospital group.

Six adults are hospitalized at the hospital in Fredericksburg 鈥� one in critical condition, two in serious condition and three in fair condition, as of 3 p.m., Mary Washington Healthcare said.

Crash investigation underway

All southbound lanes of the interstate were blocked for hours as police investigated the crash and the highway fully reopened shortly before noon.

The National Transportation Safety Board posted online Friday that it was sending a 鈥済o-team鈥� to conduct a safety investigation into the crash.

When firefighters arrived, they worked to put out the vehicle fires and figure out how many patients were in each vehicle, several of which were extricated. The Acura was among the vehicles that caught on fire, police said.

“We had 13 transport units, two heavy rescue squads, multiple suppression pieces,” said Katie Brady, a spokeswoman for Stafford County Fire and Rescue. “Then multiple support resources like SUVs.”

Brady said the department declared a mass casualty incident Friday morning to open up mutual aid and additional resources.

“This is going to stick with some people for a while, and we’ll continue to check on those responders in the days and weeks to come,” Brady said. “Thankfully not something that we have to handle very often, but certainly glad that we trained for it.”

In a post on social media, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger thanked first responders, including police and Stafford County Fire and Rescue, for their rescue efforts.

“My office and our state agencies have been working to respond to the deadly crash on I-95 that occurred early this morning. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I am praying for a quick recovery for those injured,” Spanberger wrote.

Bus company

The bus is operated by a company based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, about 30 miles west of Charlotte.

Records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration show involving an injury with an听E&P Travel vehicle in the past two years. The company’s compliance rating is listed as 鈥渟atisfactory.鈥�

According to the safety administration, E&P Travel operates four vehicles and has 11 drivers.

91欧美激情’s Kyle Cooper and The Associated Press contributed to this report.听

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Alger is leaving the presidency to become the first America 250 Fellow, an appointed role with two higher education associations.

His last day as president is June 30.

The AU Board of Trustees has appointed David Marchick, dean of the Kogod School of Business, as interim president, a role he will assume July 1, .

In a letter addressed to the AU Community, Alger emphasized his passion for higher education and “its role in supporting and sustaining a vibrant, pluralistic democracy.”

“Two years ago when I joined AU, we could not have predicted the challenges that emerged to that vital mission,” Alger continued. “As I contemplated how best to contribute in this pivotal moment, I was drawn to the opportunity to engage across the entire ecosystem. Building on my decades of frontline leadership, I am excited that my next chapter will help shape the national dialogue on the future of higher education.”

The fellowship is part of a partnership between the American Council on Education and the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

Alger described his new role as a “fellowship created to advance the role of colleges and universities in strengthening democratic institutions, civic learning, and informed citizenship as our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary while looking toward the future and the ongoing work of pursuing a ‘more perfect union.'”

According to a from the groups, “the fellowship will strengthen civic learning and democratic engagement across higher education,” through meetings, programming and collaborative initiatives.

鈥淛onathan Alger is an exceptional leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to democratic values, civil rights, and the civic purpose of higher education,鈥� Ted Mitchell, president of ACE, wrote in the news release. 鈥淟aunching this fellowship together with AAC&U is a historic step for our organizations, and Jon鈥檚 vision will be instrumental in helping campuses strengthen citizenship education at a moment when the nation needs it most.鈥�

Before coming to American University in 2024, Alger spent 12 years as president of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

During his time at both JMU and AU, Alger has prioritized civic engagement. He founded the at American.

“We are incorporating civic learning and civic skills across the curriculum and are part of national efforts to model how all students can learn to engage constructively across differences,” Alger wrote.

Alger said he plans to stay on AU’s roster as a senior fellow for civic leadership.

Marchick, who is stepping in as interim president, has helped grow the business school, which has been ranked among the top schools nationally by . He will serve as interim president until a replacement is picked.

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Hitmakers slated to perform include Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, The Commodores and Bret Michaels. Freedom 250, the group organizing the state fair, made the announcement Wednesday, saying more artists would be announced in the coming weeks.

The performances are happening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights during the Great American State Fair, which runs from June 25 to July 10.

Tickets are free but you need to register ahead of time for each of the performances.

When it comes to the state fair in general, organizers encourage attendees to online, but walk-ups are allowed.

Who’s playing?

The first artist in the lineup is Martina McBride, a country artist known for her hit 鈥淚ndependence Day.” She’s expected to perform June 25, .

One night of music is dedicated to the sounds of the ’90s: June 26. .

C+C Music Factory, of 鈥淕onna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)鈥�, gets things moving and Vanilla Ice lights up the stage June 26. The multiplatinum rapper is known for his chart topping hit from 1990, 鈥淚ce Ice Baby.鈥�

More ’90s hip-hop performances include Milli Vanilli, of 鈥淕irl You Know It鈥檚 True,” and Young MC, who will surely bust a move.

The Commodores are bringing their funk and soul tunes to the state fair on June 27. The group is known for its hits 鈥淏rick House鈥� and 鈥淓asy.” .

And Flo Rida gets low on the National Mall on July 2. The rapper and singer is known for his debut single “Low,” and other club hits, such as 鈥淩ight Round,鈥� and 鈥淕ood Feeling.鈥� .

Ahead of Independence Day, Bret Michaels heads to the state fair July 3. The rocker is the front man for Poison, known for 鈥淓very Rose Has Its Thorn.”

Outside those headliners, the state fair will also have performances by military groups, including the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble and Army Downrange Rock.

Editor鈥檚 note: 鈥淔reedom 250鈥� is separate from the congressionally chartered commission 鈥�.鈥�

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