A 17-year-old Fredericksburg teen reported missing on May 19, has been found safe.
She and 39-year-old Ronnie Reel were found in Woodbridge on May 22 around 7:15 p.m. The teenager is being reunited with her family, and Reel is now in police custody.
Fredericksburg
“Autumn Van Zandt was last seen on May 19, 2026 at approximately 1:00 p.m. Autumn is a 17 year old female and is described as 5’7, 135 lbs., brown hair, and brown eyes,” Fredericksburg Police announced. “Autumn was last seen wearing a black top and jean shorts with a red purse and has a heart shaped tattoo on the left/right side of her hip.”
She is known to frequent the downtown area of Fredericksburg and Southpoint Shopping area in Spotsylvania County and was last seen traveling with Ronnie Reel (DOB 11/17/1986). Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by texting “FPDtip” and the information to 847-411 or via the FPD Tip app.
Spotsylvania Towne Centre has added a new restaurant. Elephant Nest Thai and Sushi Bar opened May 4 in The Village Towne Centre next to X-Golf.
The Square Vendor Marketplace will open in June near the interior entrance to Macy’s. The 2,600-square-foot space will feature vendors that sell jewelry, fashion, accessories, art, beauty products, home decor, and other items. It will be the third Virginia location for the marketplace.
Thousands of runners converged on Fredericksburg on Sunday, May 17, 2026, for the 19th annual Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, transforming the city into a vibrant hub of athletic achievement and community spirit.
The 13.1-mile race kicked off at 6 a.m. Sunday, May 17, with the traditional howitzer blast on Carl D. Silver Parkway. Participants tackled a scenic course featuring downtown streets, the Rappahannock River views, and the notorious Hospital Hill climb before finishing amid cheers from Marines, volunteers, and spectators.
Fredericksburg Police are searching for three masked suspects who assaulted victims at gunpoint Monday night in the 600 block of Kenmore Avenue.
Fredericksburg police are investigating suspicious activity reported on Thursday, May 14, 2026, around 4:30 p.m. in the Lafayette Boulevard corridor. A suspect wearing a pink costume was reportedly following children in the area.
The Fredericksburg Police Department has increased patrols in the neighborhood and is asking residents to stay vigilant. Anyone who saw or interacted with the person in the pink costume is urged to contact police at 540-373-3122. Anonymous tips can be sent by texting “FPDtip” followed by the information to 847-411 or through the free FPD Tip app.
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The Fredericksburg City Council approved the FY 2027 budget on May 12, 2026, including approximately 8% increases in water and sewer rates effective July 1, 2026, along with a new two-tier consumption structure designed to ensure high-volume users help fund major infrastructure upgrades.
The changes support more than $110 million in projects while keeping impacts manageable for most typical households.
A group of Fredericksburg women returned from Las Vegas $10,000 richer after winning the 2026 APA Ladies 8-Ball Championship. The team, known as the Viper Queens, defeated the competition at the Westgate Las Vegas late last month to earn the title and bragging rights back home.
Team members Joanna Powers, Heather Riley, Jean Walston and Imelda Samples play regularly in the American Poolplayers Association league at their local poolroom in Fredericksburg. They were one of 256 teams that qualified for the national event.
