Connecticut
Fierce thunderstorm shuts down Connecticut Avenue, topples trees in Chevy Chase
BETHESDA, Md. (FOX 5 DC) – A powerful thunderstorm swept through Chevy Chase, Maryland, Wednesday evening, causing significant damage and shutting down Connecticut Avenue in both directions.
On the 2600 block of Blaine Drive, heavy winds toppled a tree onto a brick house, causing thousands of dollars in damage and bringing down power lines.
The homeowner, who has lived in the family home with her sister for 62 years, described the frightening moment they rushed outside after hearing a loud boom.
Wind gusts also felled a tree on Underwood Street, pulling down power lines, snapping a pole like a toothpick, and leaving a light dangling above the sidewalk in the Village of Chevy Chase.
The storm caused Connecticut Avenue to close in both directions, halting Metro buses and prompting police to direct traffic away from the area.
PEPCO and a tree removal company are currently working to clear the debris and restore power. Residents described the storm as fierce but brief.
“It was a sudden amount of large rain and wind, not coming quite horizontally, pretty much a 45-degree angle, and it didn’t last very long. It was only about 10 to 15 minutes,” said Timothy Holtz, a Chevy Chase resident.
Despite the brief duration, the storm caused extensive damage in parts of Chevy Chase.
On the 3700 block of Thornapple Street, a tree broke in half and landed on a front lawn, damaging the roof of a home. The homeowner was too upset to speak on camera.
The two sisters on Blaine Drive have been told by an architect that their home is now unsafe to live in. Several residents expressed relief and gratitude that no one was injured during the storm.
Some homes remain without power, but PEPCO has assured homeowners that electricity will be restored after midnight.
Both directions of Connecticut Avenue at Underwood Street have since reopened.
A woman was arrested and charged with murdering a man whose body was found behind a condominium complex in Farmington in March, police said on Friday.
Cynthia Martinez, 27, was charged with murder, unlawful discharge of a firearm, tampering with evidence, and criminal use of a firearm in connection with the death of 29-year-old Derick William Mercado-Labonte of Bridgeport.
On March 19, officers responded to Talcott Forest Road around 10 a.m. for the report of an untimely death.
They found the body of Mercado-Labonte along the wood line behind a condominium complex. He appeared to have sustained multiple areas of trauma, according to police.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Mercado-Labonte’s death a homicide.
Martinez is being held on a $3,000,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Torrington Superior Court on Friday.
Police said no further information will be released at this time, as this remains an active and ongoing investigation.
New data is shedding light on the state of Connecticut’s economy and labor force.
On this episode of the CBIA BizCast, CBIA Foundation director Dustin Nord joins host Amanda Marlow to talk about new Connecticut Department of Labor data that highlights the mismatch between increased job openings and a shrinking labor force.
Connecticut job openings jumped 2.6% in May to 87,356—however, since May 2025, 37,700 people have left Connecticut’s labor force.
Nord breaks down some of the reasons for this mismatch and what needs to be done to address Connecticut’s economic challenges.
He also shares insights into a U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report showing Connecticut’s economy expanded 1.8% in the first quarter of 2026.
Episode Highlights:
- Job Openings vs. Workforce Shortage
- Unemployment Trends
- GDP Growth Amid Labor Challenges
- Affordability and Long-Term Competitiveness
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