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Rain, flooding create ‘commute from hell’

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – It was a harrowing day for commuters in the D.C. area after a morning of wet weather, crashes, flooding and forced evacuations in one county.

The confluence of hazards created what one driver described as the morning “commute from hell.”

School bus routes were canceled in Prince William County Tuesday afternoon due to flooding on many of the area roads.

Phil Kavits, communications director for Prince William County schools, said while schools opened on time, buses had a hard time getting to some students in the Brentsville area because roads were flooded.

Lake Jackson flooding

A level 3 emergency was declared in the Lake Jackson community in Prince William County and two homes were evacuated. The move came after rising water levels reached 6 feet above the dam. Rising water set off alarms and caused concern about the dam’s stability.

The evacuations were a precautionary measure and no damage or injuries were reported. Around 2 p.m., fire officials said the water appeared to be receding.

The National Weather Service had issued a flood warning Tuesday morning for urban areas and small streams in the Prince William County area.

A flood warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported.

Numerous roads in Fauquier and Prince William counties remained closed Tuesday afternoon due to flooding after 4 inches of rain fell earlier in the day.

Fatal accidents on Interstate 95

Two people died in separate crashes during Tuesday morning’s commute.

Virginia State Police say Kevin L. Mullins, 36, of Stafford Va., died at the scene of a three-car crash on I-95 just south of the Dale City exit shortly before 8 a.m. At least one other person was taken to the hospital in that incident.

The northbound lanes were closed for nearly two hours following the accident.

Around 4:31 a.m., Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne N. Geller says one person died when the driver of a 2006 Ford E350 Econoline van lost control of the vehicle in the southbound lanes of I-95 in Prince William County.

The van ran off the left side of the highway, hit the guardrail and overturned at least two times, police say. The van came to rest on its side.

Marciso A. Campos, 43, of Alexandria, died at the scene of that wreck.

Police say there were nine passengers and one driver in the van, all adult men. Three passengers were ejected in the crash. Campos, who was killed, and two others who were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Five other passengers were injured in the wreck, none life-threatening. They were taken to a hospital for treatment.

One passenger was not injured and refused treatment.

The driver of the van, Job J. Diaz-Lemus, 29, of Gaithersburg, was wearing his seatbelt. He was charged with reckless driving after an investigation found he was driving too fast for the road conditions. It was raining heavily at the time of the crash.

WTOP listener Phuong Doan shot this video of the northbound I-95 crash scene:

In a separate incident, in the back-up to the southbound I-95 accident, a box truck struck a gas tanker near Dale City, spreading debris across the highway.

Additionally, a tree fell on Interstate 395 north near King Street in the Alexandria area, creating major traffic delays.

Trouble getting to VRE

Commuters trying to get to Virginia Railway Express’ Broad Run station Tuesday morning found they had to take another route after Broad Run overran its banks.

Piper Lane off Va. 28, the most popular route drivers take to get to VRE’sBroad Run station in Manassas, had to be shut down.

Before it closed, commuters found themselves stopping just short of the high water trouble spot that stretched nearly a mile.

A single traffic cone marked the trouble spot.

WTOP’s Hank Silverberg, who was on the scene near the VRE station, said drivers going 35 mph jammed on their brakes to avoid going into the water. There were near-misses Tuesday morning and one water rescue.

Kelly Weiser didn’t heed warnings people were giving not to drive through the water.

His pickup stalled out. A log also hit the truck totaling it. The water was so high the cab of the 4-by-4 truck got wet.

Prince William County Fire and Rescue helped Weiser out of the high water, who admits to WTOP he was “embarrassed” by what happened.

Weiser’s rescue wasn’t the first for Prince William County Fire and Rescue. Another driver was rescued from high standing water at Route 28 and Aden Road in Bristow.

Prince William County roads that are closed

While a flash flood warning for Prince William and other counties expired early Tuesday morning, the rains left a number of roads impassable. The following roads are still affected, according to the Prince William County Police:

  • Bristow Road from Lucasville Road to Windy Hill Drive
  • Rt. 624S (Prince William County) Little River Road
  • Rt. 649S (Prince William County) Old Church Road
  • Rt. 624N (Prince William County) Little River Road
  • Rt. 611N (Prince William County) Valley View Drive
  • Rt. 649N (Prince William County) Old Church Road
  • Rt. 611S (Prince William County) Valley View Drive

Police offer these tips during flooding:

  • Avoid underpasses, underground parking garages and basements during or after heavy rains.
  • Don’t try to cross flowing streams.
  • Don’t drive through flooded roadways. The road may be washed away and just 6 inches of water can stall a vehicle.
  • Move to higher ground, if your vehicle stalls.

Rainfall totals and forecast

Forecasters say Manassas saw 4 inches of rain and Bristow, 3.32 inches. Gaithersburg recorded 0.63 inches of rain and the District just 0.04 inches

The forecast Tuesday calls for more rain, with a few breaks of sun. Temperatures are expected to reach 77 to 82. Look for more showers overnight, with a low of 60.

Wednesday will bring a mix of clouds and sun, and more thunderstorms are anticipated. Wednesday’s high will be 82.

WTOP’s Hank Silverberg contributed to this story. Follow Hank and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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