Author: ARLnow.com

Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

Suspect in stolen ambulance chase had a recent Arlington arrest

By ARLnow.com
Stolen ambulance chase in Pentagon City (photo via Dave Statter/YouTube)

(Updated on 8/16/23) The man accused of damaging upwards of 20 vehicles after stealing two trucks and an Arlington County ambulance over the weekend was previously arrested in Arlington in May.

Darell Caldwell, a 30-year-old Maryland man, is facing both federal and local charges in the wild Saturday afternoon incident, in which he led police on a winding chase of the stolen ambulance across parts of Arlington and into D.C. before his arrest, according to Virginia State Police.

New video from local public safety watcher Dave Statter gives an extended look at the chase.

Traffic camera video posted by Statter also shows how the series of crashes started: with the stolen truck sideswiping a vehicle in the Rosslyn tunnel along I-66. Prior to that, a truck was reported stolen from a construction site in the City of Falls Church.

Caldwell has a criminal record in Arlington, Fairfax County, D.C. and Prince George’s County, according to court records. He was out on bond from a recent Arlington case but became a fugitive after not showing up to a July court hearing, records show. The bond, for a drug possession charge, was approved by a magistrate judge.

“At no point before trial was the Commonwealth in a position to argue for or against Mr. Caldwell’s release,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti noted to ARLnow.

He was due in court after an incident just before midnight on May 25 along N. Glebe Road, a few blocks north of Ballston. According to Arlington County police, Caldwell was tried to run from police after he was seen walking in the middle of Glebe Road.

From ACPD:

NARCOTICS VIOLATION, 2023-05250307, N. Glebe Road and 14th Street N. At approximately 11:43 p.m. on May 25, 2023, a patrol officer observed two intoxicated males walking in lanes of traffic on N. Glebe Road and detained them. While conducting the investigation, Suspect One attempted to run from the scene while Suspect Two resisted arrest. With the assistance of an additional arriving officer, both suspects were taken into custody. Suspect One was transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation and during a search of his property, officers recovered narcotics. Darell Caldwell, 30, of Brandywine, MD was arrested and charged with Drunk in Public, Disorderly Conduct, and Possession of Controlled Substance I/ II. Suspect Two was evaluated by medics on scene and, during the course of the investigation, officers determined he was in possession of two concealed knives. Anthony Jeffers, 38, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Drunk in Public, Disorderly Conduct, and Possession and Concealing a Weapon by a Convicted Felon (x2).

The advanced life support ambulance Caldwell is accused of stealing and crashing into a dozen or so vehicles on I-395 and in Southwest D.C., meanwhile, is set to be repaired. The Arlington County Fire Department will utilize a spare unit until the ambulance, dubbed Medic 110, is back in service.

“The damage is repairable and depending on parts availability, should only take one to two months,” fire department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner tells ARLnow. “We do have a reserve medic unit to use, as we have five spare ambulances in our fleet.”

Stolen ambulance damaged in chase (photo via Virginia State Police/Facebook)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Eagle perched on a utility pole in Arlington View (photo courtesy Sean Hackbarth)

Pentagon City TSA Site Proposal — “Two apartment towers would go on the site’s western half, along South Hayes Street. The site’s southeastern corner, at the intersection of 12th Street South and South Fern Street, would become home to either an office or another apartment tower. The site’s northeastern corner, along South Fern Street, would become home to either a condo tower or a hotel.” [Washington Business Journal]

Road Closures for County Fair — “The Arlington County Fair will take place from August 16 – 20, 2023, at Thomas Jefferson Community Center located at 3501 2nd Street S. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closure to accommodate the event: 2nd Street S., between S. Jackson Street and S. Irving Street, will be closed from 8:00 AM on August 16 until 11:00 PM on August 20.” [Arlington County]

Survey About Arlington Traffic — “Another reader said they believe Arlington’s efforts to improve traffic flow over the past few years have paid off. ‘There are still a few places with ‘blind’ intersections — mostly due to heavy vegetation at the corners — but, in general, I feel safer driving in Arlington than I did five years ago,’ the reader said.” [Patch]

Teen Team Near Top in Tourneys — “In a four-week stretch, the Arlington Senior Babe Ruth age 15 All-Stars finished first, second and third in postseason Babe Ruth baseball tournaments, compiling a 9-4 overall record with two shutouts in those competitions. Arlington won the District 4 tourney with a 2-0 record, finished third in the state event in Williamsburg with a 3-2 mark, then concluded play with a runner-up in the seven-team Southeast Region tournament at 4-2.” [Gazette Leader]

YIMBYs Reflect on Missing Middle Fight — “They workshopped public comments, helping residents hone in on what they wanted to say. They worked to make testifying easier day-of by monitoring the speaker list and contacting people when it was almost their turn at the mic… Hogan, Green and other advocates believe the unity of the coalition was what ultimately led to its success. In March, the Arlington County Board passed a version of the policy — with some compromises — unanimously, making Arlington one of the first localities in the country to end single-family zoning.” [DCist]

WaPo Editorial: Keep RCV — “But after ranked-choice tabulation, one winner supported the [Missing Middle] plan and the other opposed it. This choice was more representative of how the community felt than the one voters would have faced if the county had used the traditional first-past-the-post system… Arlington should continue experimenting with ranked-choice voting despite complaints from a small number of people.” [Washington Post]

It’s Monday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with otherwise partly sunny skies and a high near 89°F. Calm winds will shift to a southern direction at 5-8 mph. Monday night sees a 60% chance of precipitation, with intermittent showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy skies, and a low around 73°F. Southeast winds at 6-10 mph will become southwest after midnight. Rainfall amounts may range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts in thunderstorms. [Weather.gov]

Portion of Columbia Pike blocked after rental truck runs over curb and up embankment

By ARLnow.com
U-Haul crash on Columbia Pike

The westbound lanes of Columbia Pike are blocked near Arlington’s western border after a crash involving a U-Haul truck.

The crash happened around 5:20 p.m. near the intersection of the Pike and S. Jefferson Street. That’s about three blocks from a U-Haul rental location.

Initial reports suggest that the rental truck collided with two vehicles and then mounted a curb, went over a sidewalk, and ran partially up a steep grassy hill. One or two minor injuries were reported.

A tow crew is on scene cleaning up debris from the roadway and trying to figure out how to get the box truck safely down from the embankment.

BREAKING: Numerous crashes block I-395 after truck hit-and-run suspect steals Arlington ambulance

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 11 p.m.) A suspect in a truck crashed into multiple vehicles on I-66 and I-395, then led police on a wild chase in a stolen Arlington ambulance.

The incidents started shortly after 3:30 p.m., with reports of a stolen Freightliner truck striking vehicles on I-66 in the Rosslyn area and again on northbound I-395 just before the 14th Street Bridge. I-395 was blocked by the crashes and at least two people were hurt, including one with reported significant injuries.

The same hit-and-run suspect then allegedly stole another truck before hopping in and stealing an Arlington ambulance around 4:15 p.m. Medics tried to pull the suspect out of the ambulance but he drove off, leading Virginia State Police — followed by Arlington police — on a chase through parts of Crystal City and Pentagon City. The suspect struck numerous vehicles on the northbound HOV lanes of I-395 as he fled into D.C., according to Virginia State Police.

Eventually the ambulance was stopped on I-395 in southwest D.C. and the suspect taken into custody, according to Virginia State Police.

All northbound lanes of I-395, including HOV lanes, were blocked as of 4:45 p.m., with delays on the highway extending upwards of two miles. The HOV lanes reopened by 6:15 p.m. while crews continued to clear the crash scene in the still-blocked main lanes. As of 7:15 p.m. two main lanes had reopened, per VDOT.

At least 20 vehicles were damaged over the course of the hour-long string of incidents, including the ambulance, a VSP cruiser, a parked vehicle in D.C., vehicles on the GW Parkway and I-66, and well over a dozen vehicles on I-395.

Virginia State Police said in a press release Saturday night that the suspect is a 30-year-old Maryland man.

At 3:40 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 12), Virginia State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of I-66 near the 74 mile marker. The truck that caused the crash fled the scene. The truck had been reported stolen out of Falls Church, Va., and the driver was later identified as Darell T. Caldwell, 30, of Brandywine, Md. The driver of the other vehicle involved in this crash was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

At 3:41 p.m., VSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-395 near Exit 10 in Arlington County. The crash was caused by the same stolen truck being driven by Caldwell. A total of five people were transported to a nearby hospital as a result of this crash. Meanwhile, Caldwell fled the crash scene on foot.

Minutes later, State Police received a report of a crash on the George Washington Parkway involving another truck being driven by Caldwell that was driving the wrong way when it struck another vehicle. An Arlington County Fire Department ambulance responding to I-395 came upon the crash on the GW Parkway. The ambulance stopped and the medics got out to render aid to the drivers. While the medics were tending to the one driver, Caldwell ran up to the ambulance and drove off in it.

The medics waved down a VSP trooper who was responding to the crash scenes to alert him to the stolen ambulance. The trooper caught up to the stolen ambulance.  When the ambulance refused to stop for the trooper, a pursuit was initiated. At one point, the ambulance stopped in the road. As the trooper was getting out of his patrol car, Caldwell put the ambulance in reverse and rammed the state police vehicle and fled the scene.

The pursuit continued with Virginia State Police being assisted by Arlington County Police. During the course of the pursuit, the stolen ambulance accessed the I-395 Express Lanes and then entered Washington, D.C., where it struck head-on a parked vehicle at 14th Street NW and D Street NW. State police and Arlington County Police took Caldwell into custody without further incident. Caldwell was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.

The parked vehicle that was struck by the ambulance was occupied by one person. That individual suffered minor injuries.

During the course of the pursuit, the stolen ambulance struck multiple vehicles and again rammed the trooper’s patrol car. At this time, state police have accounted for and are investigating 13 hit-and-run crashes committed by the stolen ambulance. State police has not received any reports of serious injuries resulting from the crashes. No law enforcement were injured during the course of the pursuit. Anyone who was struck by the ambulance during the course of the pursuit is encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026.

Caldwell has been charged by federal and local law enforcement. State police charges are still pending.

Videos of the crashes, the chase and the arrest are below.

JUST IN: Man killed in moped crash near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
Scene of fatal moped crash on Clarendon Blvd (photo courtesy anonymous)

A 44-year-old Arlington man died after he crashed into a light pole while riding a moped.

The crash happened around 9:45 p.m. Friday on the 1900 block of Clarendon Blvd, in the Courthouse area. The force of the crash caused the light pole to topple onto the sidewalk and reportedly left the moped rider in cardiac arrest, with significant facial injuries.

Police are investigating the crash but note that the moped was being driven at a high rate of speed.

One local resident who emailed ARLnow said the stretch of Clarendon Blvd where the crash happened is dangerous due to a steep downslope and bend in the road.

“This intersection is very unsafe and drivers go way too fast down the steep hill,” the resident wrote.

The full ACPD press release is below.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred on the evening of August 11, 2023.

At approximately 9:44 p.m., police were dispatched to the 1900 block of Clarendon Boulevard for the report of a crash with injury. The preliminary investigation indicates the driver was travelling eastbound on Clarendon Boulevard on a moped at a high-rate of speed when the vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole.

The adult male driver was located unresponsive on the scene and was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The driver of the moped has been identified as 44-year-old Solomon Zeleke of Arlington, Va.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective S. Lafley at [email protected] or 703-228-4052. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 11, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 11, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. NEW: Flood Watch issued for Sunday night, ‘serious’ weather threat on Monday (34036 views)
  2. Arlington is the third-best place in the U.S. to raise a family, says new report (23979 views)
  3. A popular noodle restaurant is moving to Pentagon City from Old Town Alexandria (17442 views)
  4. There’s a surprising twist to that viral Wendy’s police dispatch tweet (17113 views)
  5. JUST IN: Tornado Watch issued for Arlington amid significant severe weather threat (16288 views)
  6. Ballston’s new live music and comedy venue The Filling Station opens this weekend (12845 views)
  7. DEVELOPING: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued as line of strong storms arrives (9053 views)
  8. Ask Eli: Will new homes prices in Arlington drop due to Toll Brothers project? (6288 views)
  9. Coco B’s, Peruvian Brothers, and Astro Beer Hall all hope to open in the next few weeks (5743 views)
  10. Arlington GOP sees record fundraising amid pivot to local election strategy (4629 views)
  11. Arlington County police investigating another carjacking (3974 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

☀️ Saturday’s forecast

The weather forecast for Saturday consists of mostly sunny conditions and a high near 92°F, with calm wind increasing to 5-8 mph from the southwest in the morning. Saturday night may experience a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m., with a low of about 74°F. Winds will continue from the southwest at 6 mph, and there is a 20% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A building in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon Pushes Return to Office — “Amazon.com Inc. is warning employees who haven’t been complying with the company’s mandate to work at least three days per week in an assigned office, according to emails seen by Washington Business Journal sister paper Puget Sound Business Journal. Workers who haven’t been following the policy were sent an email Wednesday telling them they weren’t ‘meeting our expectation of joining your colleagues in the office at least three days a week, even though your assigned building is ready.'” [Washington Business Journal, New York Post]

School Board OKs More Office Space — “In a world where tenants are departing and downsizing commercial office space in droves, why does the staff leadership of the Arlington school system want to rent more of it? That was a question several School Board members had as a proposal moved forward for the school system to spend $186,000 next year – and more every succeeding year – to rent additional office space in its leased headquarters facility. The proposal, which also involved spending to set up and furnish the additional space, passed on a 3-1 vote.” [Gazette Leader]

Police Motorcycle Crash — From Dave Statter: “A #motorcycle officer escorting buses in I-395S express lanes near the Pentagon lost control of their bike & appeared to hit the jersey wall. Injuries not believed serious. All express lanes were shut for 20 minutes but right lane now gets by.” [Twitter]

Encore Learning Schedule — “Registration for the fall semester of Encore Learning will open on Sept. 11 at 10 a.m., with classes beginning in early October. Now in its 21st year in Arlington, the initiative provides college-level, non-credit educational opportunities for those age 50 and above, with both in-person and online options. Members also can access special events, such as presentations and tours, and take advantage of breakfast, cinema travel and other active clubs.” [Gazette Leader]

Electronic Sign at Penrose Square — The driver drama at Penrose Square has prompted the Arlington County Police Department to deploy an electronic signboard that reads “stop sign violators ticketed.” [Threads]

Optimists Optimistic About Tree Supply — “It may be the doggiest of summer’s dog days, but the Optimist Club of Arlington’s hunt for additional Christmas trees has paid off. The organization, which has been selling trees for more than three-quarters of a century to raise funds for youth programs, has found an additional 550 Fraser firs from a supplier in Jefferson County, N.C.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 87 degrees and a west wind of about 8 mph. In the evening, expect partly cloudy skies with a low around 69 degrees and a southeast wind at roughly 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 2423 16th Street N.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 2423 16th Street N.
Neighborhood: Lyon Village
Type: 6 BR, 5 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 5,523 sq. ft.
Listed: $2,995,000

Noteworthy: Coveted Lyon Village neighborhood, sophisticated design, steps to Clarendon

Stunning like new construction in the coveted North Arlington neighborhood of Lyon Village.

Built in 2022 by Griffin Head, this home offers buyers luxury, convenience, elegance, and beauty. Steps away from Court House Metro, shops and restaurants in Clarendon, and Whole Foods. A walk score of 95 makes everything accessible and convenient from this home. All 4 levels of this 5,500 sf, 6 bedroom, 5 and a half bathroom home are pristinely designed and maintained.

Gourmet kitchen with Thermador WIFI appliances, Quartz countertops, six-burner range and wall unit housing a second oven and built in microwave. Cozy screened in porch with privately fenced in yard, SONOS sound system, 4th level roof deck, open concept living spaces, and butler’s pantry make this a dream home for entertaining.

Upgrades added include: drain system, designer lighting and wallpaper, lawn sprinkler, alarm system, and electric window shades.

Tour 2423 16th Street N. today!

Listed by:
Danielle Johnson — Roberts Real Estate, LLC
[email protected]
(703) 855-9893

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 10, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 10, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☀️ Friday’s forecast

The weather forecast predicts mostly sunny conditions with a high around 87 degrees and a west wind at approximately 8 mph. Friday night will be partly cloudy with a low of around 69 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind at about 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”
– Coco Chanel

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Most and least expensive homes sold in Arlington (July 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive single-family homes sold last month (July 2023).

Most expensive single-family homes sold

  1. 3616 Roberts Ln — Bellevue Forest — $3,200,000 (6 beds | 9 baths | 7,279 sq. ft.)
  2. 804 N Highland St — Clarendon/Courthouse — $3,150,000 (6 beds | 6 baths | 6,182 sq. ft.)
  3. 1422 N Herndon St — Lyon Village — $2,850,000 (6 beds | 5.5 baths | 4,918 sq. ft.)

Least expensive single-family homes sold*

  1. 2000 6th St S — Penrose — $450,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 644 sq. ft.)
  2. 5736 N Carlin Springs Rd — Glencarlyn — $650,000 (3 beds | 2 baths | 1,509 sq. ft.)
  3. 1421 S Randolph St — Douglas Park — $700,000 (2 beds | 1 baths | 980 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 9, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 9, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

⛈️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, with a high near 78°F and south wind gusts up to 22 mph. Rainfall may amount to a quarter to half an inch. The chance of precipitation decreases to 30% by Thursday evening and the weather becomes mostly clear, with a low around 66°F and west wind at 6 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
– Mark Zuckerberg

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

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