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 WTOP 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.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein and Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.

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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, .

WTOP’s Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.

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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 WTOP 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.

WTOP’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.

WTOP’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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Cpl. Barry Foust died on Friday at the age of 64, after more than 30 years of service to the Arlington County Police Department in Virginia, according to his obituary.

Last June, Foust was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer believed to be related to his service at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Police said Foust was patrolling at the intersection of Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.

“I put my window down to see if I could hear an impact,” Foust told NBC Washington in an interview following the attacks. “From my location I could not, but I did see the plume of smoke come up over the tree line, at which time I grabbed a microphone and indicated that we did have a plane down east of where I was, and at that time I hit my emergency equipment and headed this way.”

At that time, Foust said he worked to clear the roadway so that helicopters could land. Police said he kept working at the Pentagon for a week after the plane crashed to collect evidence and remains of the victims.

鈥淗is response to the terrorist attack at the Pentagon is a testament to his bravery and unwavering commitment to being there for people in their time of need,” Arlington police Chief Andy Penn .

Three decades of service

Foust began working as a patrol officer in 1986 and served 32 years with the department. During his career in Arlington, he focused on transportation safety and overseeing special events as a motor officer.

He retired from Arlington in June 2019 but went back to work with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department from March 2020 to December 2022.

Foust then returned to Arlington to help mitigate the department’s staffing shortages after the pandemic

“He selflessly served others, including as a mentor to many younger officers, helping guide and shape these law enforcement professionals. His remarkable resilience and contributions to the Arlington community will never be forgotten and he leaves an enduring and lasting impact on our agency,” Penn wrote.

He continued working with Arlington police until his death,

Foust, whose parents were dairy farmers, was born on April 20, 1962, in Troy, Pennsylvania. He got his degree in Criminal Justice from Penn State University before joining Arlington police.

Officials haven’t shared information about funeral arrangements for the corporal. He’s survived by his wife, Kare, his daughter Natalie Shaffer, his granddaughter Eleanor as well as his sister Libby Foust.

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Heading into Memorial Day weekend, young people in D.C. are barred from gathering in large groups after 8 p.m. The curfew lasts through June 6.

The rules apply to groups of nine or more, and kids who are 17 years old or younger.

Bowser declared a public emergency to clear the way for the D.C. police chief to create curfew zones in certain zones and to impose earlier curfews on weekends.

There’s been some debate in D.C. over whether the curfews are an effective tool to curb youth gatherings in the long term.

An emergency order on curfews expired on May 1 as council members deliberated a measure to make curfews permanent.

The D.C. Council ultimately pulled the emergency legislation and passed the permanent curfew on May 5. Laws in D.C. require congressional review, so the nighttime restrictions听likely won’t go into effect until late summer.

Bowser has been critical of the council’s actions, arguing in favor of emergency legislation to allow for curfews immediately to rein in gatherings of youth that have turned violent in recent weeks.

While declaring the emergency order, the mayor’s office pointed to a brawl inside a restaurant last weekend when the chief didn’t have the authority to create a curfew zone.

Video shows teens fought inside of a Chipotle in Navy Yard, tossing chairs as customers tried to take cover. Police are working alongside the FBI to identify four people who were reportedly involved.

Before the restaurant brawl, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced last week she would prosecute parents whose children participate in the teen takeovers.

Even without Bowser’s emergency order, there’s a in place from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

That citywide curfew only applies to those who are under the age of 17 鈥� while the emergency order extends to 17-year-olds.

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D.C. police said 28-year-old Charles Joseph Ali was arrested and charged Thursday with felony destruction of property.

No one was physically hurt when Ali allegedly threw the gray keg through Georgetown Cupcake’s front window around midnight Monday.

But an employee was inside and told police she hid in the back of the store after hearing a loud noise and the sound of glass breaking.

Police said Ali ran away from the bakery after tossing the keg, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage to the storefront.

Earlier this week, D.C. police said they believed the same suspect who shattered the bakery’s window was last month. The suspect damaged property at a business in the 1900 block of M Street NW, just before 5 a.m. on April 24.

On Thursday, police said officers are that April incident. They asked anyone with information to contact the department at 202-727-9099.

Before the arrest, Georgetown Cupcake that showed the suspect apparently picking up a keg and using it to smash the window, in hopes of finding the person responsible.

The business’ co-owners, sisters Katherine Berman and Sophie LaMontagne, wrote about the arrest on social media.

“This week, our community showed up for us in the most extraordinary way. Thank you to Detective Leiva and the DC Metropolitan Police Department for all of their work in this investigation,” .

Thank you to everyone for your help this week

鈥� Georgetown Cupcake (@GTownCupcake)

The sisters and their bakery were highlighted on a TLC reality show from 2010 to 2013. Its flagship store, located in the 3300 block of on M Street, has been in business for 17 years.

WTOP’s LaDawn Black contributed to this report.

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It’s believed the same Woodbridge teen was behind the string of assaults in the Powells Creek area of Woodbridge in March and April, Prince William County police said Wednesday.

He was arrested Tuesday and charged with six counts of sexual battery. Police didn’t share his name.

Most of the reported assaults took place over the past couple of months.

One woman who spoke with police said she was assaulted on three different occasions; the first time was a year ago in May 2025.

The 26-year-old woman was jogging near the intersection of River Ridge Boulevard and Powells Creek Boulevard just before 7 p.m. on March 10 when the suspect rode up and touched her inappropriately.

After the assault, he left the scene and the woman reached out to police.

Police said the suspect did the same thing to two other women earlier that same day: a 41-year-old and a 53-year-old.

Police shared images of the suspect last month in hopes someone might recognize him and contact their department.

None of the women were physically injured.

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Spotty thunderstorms are sweeping through parts of the D.C. area, with the highest chance for rainfall near and south of D.C., according to the National Weather Service.

“Be mindful of a downpour that has some gusty winds and the potential for some small hail,” 7太子探花 First Alert Meteorologist Mark Pe帽a said. “Otherwise a lot of us are dry, although these spotty showers are in the forecast for the rest of the evening until sunset, after that we’re partly cloudy.”

Earlier severe thunderstorm warnings have expired in parts of Culpeper, Loudoun, Fairfax, Fauquier and Prince William counties. The National Weather Service had warned about the potential for storms, possibly bringing wind gusts up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail

Tuesday afternoon gave the D.C. region a taste of summer weather ahead of Memorial Day weekend with highs in the 90s and manageable humidity. It marked the second day of a three-day heat wave that began Monday.

Tuesday’s high temperature broke a record at Reagan National Airport, reaching 97 and breaking the record of 96 degrees set in 1911, according to WTOP Meteorologist Mike Stinneford.

Dulles International Airport reached 96 degrees, beating the record of 92 degrees set in 1997, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service.

Conditions should stay warm overnight, with lows in the upper 60s to mid-70s. Some spots may not fall below 70.

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Wednesday brings more heat and late-day storms ahead of a strong cold front. A few storms could turn strong to severe, with the main threats being damaging winds and hail, National Weather Service Meteorologist Erik Taylor said.

Taylor advised people to stay hydrated if spending extended time outdoors during the heat wave.

A sharp cooldown follows the storms, with highs only reaching the 60s or barely 70 by Thursday and Friday. Some spots may even struggle to reach 60 by the end of the week, marking a significant and rapid change from the heat now blanketing the D.C. area.

With “about 97% percent of the region 鈥� in severe drought,” Taylor said some much needed rain is forecast to fall later this week.

Looking ahead at Memorial Day weekend, you may want to have a backup for any outdoor plans. Saturday is expected to be rainy and some showers could linger into Sunday. There’s a chance for stray showers Monday as well.

“We’re looking at anywhere between 1 and 3 inches, and some locations could even pick up 4 inches by the time we get toward the end of the weekend, and that will help us try to improve the drought conditions across the area,” Taylor said.

FULL FORECAST

TUESDAY EVENING: Stray storms possible
Temperatures: 90s to 80s
Winds: Southwest 5-15 mph

TUESDAY NIGHT: Scattered clouds and haze
Lows: 68-75
Winds: Southwest 5-15 mph

WEDNESDAY: WEATHER ALERT
Partly cloudy with afternoon rain and storms
Highs: 92-97
Winds: Southwest 5-15 mph

THURSDAY: Cloudy with scattered showers
Highs: 64-70
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph

FRIDAY: Scattered showers
Highs: Near 60
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy, showers
Highs: 60s
Winds: East 5-10 mph

SUNDAY: Lingering showers
Highs: 68-75
Winds: East 3-8 mph

MEMORIAL DAY: Mostly cloudy with stray showers
Highs: 70-75
Winds: Southeast 5-10 mph

CURRENT CONDITIONS

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“I’m done running for office, but I’m still very interested in continuing to stay involved and trying to make a difference,” Hogan told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli.

During the college’s commencement ceremony Sunday, the longtime Republican politician announced the launch of , a nonpartisan initiative aimed at leadership development, civil discourse and problem solving.

The initiative will be influenced by Hogan’s work across party lines and his “pragmatic, common-sense leadership,” according to the college’s website. The programming is centered around George Washington’s philosophies on democracy that have guided the nation since its founding 250 years go.

“I’m going to focus on the things I’ve spent a lot of my public life working on: strengthening democracy, restoring decency and I want to kind of prove that the bonds that hold us together are stronger than the forces that seek to tear us apart,” Hogan said.

Hogan’s decision to step away from running for political office comes after his loss to Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, who won the U.S. Senate seat in 2024. Meanwhile, the Republican Party continues to be led by President Donald Trump, whom Hogan has spoken out against repeatedly. At times, it’s been difficult for Republicans who oppose Trump to win political office.

When asked whether he expects the party to move back toward his political views, Hogan said “time will tell.”

“I have thought that we would have moved beyond that already at this point, but we have not,” he continued. “It depends on, I think, how bad the losses are this November, and whether or not we lose the White House in two years or not.”

The hope is that the Hogan Institute will help prepare the next generation of leaders for public service through workshops, seminars and public forums.

“I think the vast majority of Americans are frustrated. They believe our political system is broken. They believe that Washington is dysfunctional,” Hogan said. “And they can either give up on it or they can continue to try to make a difference. And that’s what we’re going to try to teach some of these young people to do.”

The institute will kick off programming in the fall, according to the college.

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Data from the vehicle that crashed shows it was traveling at 116 mph five seconds before the crash on Chain Bridge Road over Interstate 66, just after midnight Sunday. Police said three of the people in the car did not have seat belts on.

A 2-year-old remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to Fairfax County police. The child’s parents were both killed in the crash: Xiomara Herrera, 30, of Falls Church; and Alejandro Rodriguez Castillo, 27, of Sterling.

“We have now two fatalities. We’re probably going to have three, and we are maintaining close contact with the family,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said during a news conference Monday.

An 8-year-old child who was in the backseat was also taken to the hospital after the crash. The child is a family friend and the injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.

What happened

Davis said Herrera was driving a Mercedes GLA 250 eastbound in the I-66 express lanes when she took an exit to Chain Bridge Road, struck a median on Route 123 and came to a stop when the car “collided very violently with the bridge wall.”

“We know speed was an absolute factor in this fatal crash,” Davis said. “We suspect there may be more than one factor.”

Herrera died at the scene and Castillo, who was in the passenger seat, later died at the hospital.

The 8-year-old was the only person in the car properly buckled in, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information about Sunday’s crash to contact the department at 866-411-TIP.

Safety reminders

The crash comes before more drivers are expected to hit the roads for the Memorial Day weekend. And it’s highlighting a troubling trend officers say they鈥檙e seeing more of this year.

“Here we are in 2026, and we’re talking about unrestrained children and unrestrained drivers and selfishly, I thought we were past that. We’re not past that,” Chief Davis said.

While Davis said most drivers and passengers are buckling up, he said the county has seen an uptick in deaths where the person wasn’t properly restrained during a crash. Since 2023, 12 people have died in crashes without seat belts on 鈥� four of those people were killed in the first half of 2026.

“A great deal of these collisions are actually survivable, but they’re not survivable if you’re not restrained,” Davis said. “We’re seeing a disproportionate amount of our fatal motor vehicle collisions this year alone, and we’re not even halfway through 2026, involving unrestrained drivers and unrestrained passengers.”

Children ages 2 or under should be in a rear-facing car seat with a harness. Kids over the age of 2 should be placed in the appropriate car seat or booster seat for their height and weight, according to the. Officers say children are safest when they鈥檙e properly buckled in the back seat.

“We didn’t want this tragedy, this preventable moment, to go unnoticed, and that’s why we think it’s important to share with the community responsibilities associated with better driving habits,” Davis said.

The Fairfax County Sheriff鈥檚 Office is also offering Saturday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Fairfax County Courthouse.

With more people traveling this Memorial Day weekend, police say making sure everyone is properly bucked up before you drive off could save a life.

WTOP’s Matt Small contributed to this report.听

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