On January 10 at approximately 7:15 a.m., a Charles County Sheriff’s patrol officer was traveling on Smallwood Drive West near St. Patrick’s Drive in Waldorf when he observed a body in the road on the eastbound side of the roadway. The officer arrived simultaneously as a citizen was calling 9-1-1. The officer stopped, approached the individual, and determined she was unconscious and not breathing. The officer initiated CPR until EMS arrived. Once on the scene, EMS pronounced the victim deceased.
Officers assigned to the Traffic Operations Unit responded and are investigating this as a hit-and-run; however, detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division also responded. The victim sustained injuries that appear to be consistent with being struck by a car but there are no known witnesses and there were no calls to 9-1-1 before the citizen’s call and officer’s arrival. Based on additional information, officers believe the victim was struck sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:40 a.m. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy.
Investigators identified the victim as Zarria Courtney McDade, 21, of Waldorf. Anyone who has knowledge of this incident or who may know someone who travels the roadway and has fresh damage to their vehicle is asked to call PFC Skodzinski at 301-609-3282. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app. Additional details will be released when they become available.
CONTACT: Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
301-609-6557 or 240-682-1658
The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in 2001 and has since earned the highest rating of Excellence. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.
Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple Store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com.