DATE: November 19, 2018
CONTACT:
Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658
On November 17 at 11 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Bland Drive in Indian Head for the report of a stabbing. When officers arrived, they learned two female suspects stabbed two women who were known to them and fled the scene in a white Dodge van. Officers canvassed the area and observed the van nearby; they initiated a traffic stop and arrested the suspects. The investigation revealed Melinda Ann Allen, 31, and Melissa Marie Russell, 32, drove to the victims’ house and forced their way inside. During a physical altercation, Russell stabbed a 55-year-old woman twice in the upper body and Allen stabbed a 26-year-old woman once in the torso. The suspects then rammed their van into one of the victims’ cars several times before fleeing. The incident is the result of a dispute that occurred earlier in the day. The victims were flown to a hospital where they were treated for injuries that were later determined to be non-life threatening. The suspects were charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, home invasion and other related charges. Detective J. Long is investigating.
Melinda Allen
Melissa Russell
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.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.