Author: Katie Pyzyk

Smash and Grab Robbery Arrest

By Katie Pyzyk

A man has been arrested and charged in connection with the March 19 smash and grab robbery at Pentagon City mall.

As seen in the above surveillance video released by the Arlington County Police Department, four suspects entered the Torneau store and broke the jewelry case with Rolex watches. The FBI has since taken over the case, and said the suspects got away with 22 watches worth more than $500,000 before fleeing to a getaway car with a fifth suspect.

Last week, Walter A. Douglas was arrested in connection with the robbery, claiming he “did knowingly and unlawfully, conspire, confederate, and agree to delay and affect commerce and the movement of articles and commodities in such commerce, by robbery.” According to the FBI affidavit, Douglas has a history of robbery, grand theft and grand larceny in the D.C. metro area. The document connects him to seven other high profile robberies in the region between December 3, 2012, and April 30, 2013, for which he has also been charged.

The affidavit states that an informant contacted the ACPD on April 10 and claimed Douglas was responsible for the Pentagon City robbery, and possibly for others. The informant reported hearing Douglas speaking with another man, the recently arrested Floyd Davis, about high end watches and rings.

Davis was reportedly arrested early last month, but the list of alleged crimes in his affidavit did not directly name the Pentagon City incident. Davis was, however, mentioned in the Douglas affidavit for having been in the immediate area and in contact with Douglas around the time of the Torneau robbery.

Evidence against the men includes cell phone records showing Douglas and Davis in frequent contact with each other on or around the days of the robberies. Cell phone records also place one or both men near the locations of several of the robberies at the times they occurred.

Additionally, the FBI matched cars spotted at a couple of the robberies with those Douglas apparently rented around the time of each incident. Records show he rented a grey Dodge Charger — like the one investigators saw in the Pentagon City surveillance video — four days before the robbery. The vehicle was returned the day of the robbery.

An FBI spokesperson would not comment on the possibility of other arrests in the case because the investigation is still active.

Washington-Lee Community Holds Vigil for Deceased Student

By Katie Pyzyk
1/18

Hundreds gathered on the lawn at Washington-Lee High School on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil to remember John Malvar, who died in a skateboarding accident on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old had been holding on to a truck while skateboarding, but fell and hit his head. He died from injuries sustained during that fall, which included significant head trauma and cardiac arrest.

At the student organized vigil, tables were set up around the perimeter with candles and ribbons for attendees. Students cried, hugged and comforted each other, while others passed around water jugs for donations to cover the family’s expenses. Some also laid items — such as flowers and skateboards — at a makeshift memorial along the stage.

As attendees passed the flames from candle to candle at the vigil, members of the school’s choir sang “Lean on Me.” Speakers focused on John as a skateboarding enthusiast, member of the swim team and overall kind individual. Speaker after speaker noted Malvar’s positive attitude and frequent encouragement of others.

“In this time of sadness and grief, it is important to remember that John was always the kind of person who was smiling and looking for the best in life no matter the circumstances,” said student Daniel Sharp, Jr.

Malvar was in Rob Summers’ anthropology class this year, and clearly left his mark on his teacher.

“I used to call John, ‘Big John.’ It wasn’t because of his stature, it was because of his heart. You never heard John saying anything negative or bad about a person, about the day, about what we were trying to learn. John had the most unique attitude of positivity,” said Summers. “John had that ear to ear grin and those eyes that always looked at you and told you no matter what was going on, there was another way to look at it.”

Similar to nearly all the other speakers, student Nicolas Suarez choked up while at the podium. He spoke of the times spent skateboarding and swimming with his good friend, and the enormous impact Malvar had on his life.

“I’m sure we can all say he was truly one of a kind. I can genuinely say that John was one of the most honest and caring souls I’ve ever met,” said Suarez. “He taught me so much about perseverance, honesty and most importantly above all, integrity. I think it’s safe to say that John embodied all aspects of what integrity means. John was a good friend of mine. His footprints on my life will forever guide me in the right direction.”

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

McDonald's morning light (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

Gourmet Deli Coming to Ballston — Taylor Gourmet, a Philadelphia-inspired hoagie shop, will be opening its first Arlington location. The self-proclaimed “gourmet deli” will be the first business to move in at the Liberty Center South development (4000 Wilson Blvd). Taylor Gourmet has eight other locations in the metro area. [Washington Business Journal]

Fisette Takes Water Bottle Crusade to Civic Association — County Board member Jay Fisette continued his personal crusade to discourage water bottle use during a presentation at the Arlington County Civic Federation meeting. His new goal is to get 10,000 people, or about five percent of the county’s population, to join him in backing the cause. So far, only about 250 people have signed the online pledge to use tap water instead of bottled water. [Sun Gazette]

Arlingtonian Wins Caption Contest — An Arlington resident won this week’s popular The New Yorker Cartoon Caption contest. The magazine staff narrows down the contest entries and readers vote for their favorite. David Karlsruher won the honor of having his witty line seen by readers around the world. [The New Yorker]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

Rosslyn Fro.Zen.Yo to Open Next Week

By Katie Pyzyk

Fro.Zen.Yo in Rosslyn(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) It’s been promised for more than a year, but the new Fro.Zen.Yo in Rosslyn is finally ready to begin serving up frozen treats next week.

Although the announcement of the shop’s arrival in the old “News and Necessities” space at 1735 N. Lynn Street came in April of last year and it hoped to open last summer, Fro.Zen.Yo will now open on Wednesday, June 12.

Co-owner Gary Bobcek became involved with this franchise location about six months ago and said although things haven’t always gone as expected, he is excited to finally be able to serve the public.

“It posed a few challenges but thanks to the great team we have we were able to work around those to get our store open,” he said.

Bobcek, who lives in Alexandria, said he used to work in Georgetown and has spent a lot of time in Rosslyn.

“It’s a great environment to have a business. I had the opportunity to have a business here and it’s something I took advantage of,” he said. “We’re very pleased to be here in the area and to be able to offer a great product. We look forward to becoming a part of the community.”

We’re told Bobcek just informed members of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District of the opening date, and the BID is “very excited” about the self-serve frozen yogurt shop’s arrival.

The Rosslyn Fro.Zen.Yo will be offering customers free samples during its grand opening on Wednesday.

Disclosure: Rosslyn BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Volunteers Needed for Storm Drain Marker Project

By Katie Pyzyk

Storm drain marker featuring Sherlock ShadIt’s that time of year when Sherlock Shad (pictured left) begins appearing more frequently in Arlington neighborhoods. But the county needs help attaching the storm drain markers bearing his likeness.

Arlington marks many of its more than 10,000 storm drains as a reminder that anything going into a drain heads directly to local streams that flow into the Potomac River. The river is the source of tap water for Arlington and much of the D.C. metro area.

Nothing should be dumped into storm drains, per Arlington County Code Section 26-5, which reads: “…it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge directly or indirectly into the storm sewer system or state waters, any substance likely, in the opinion of the County Manager, to have an adverse effect on the storm sewer system or state waters.”

Arlington partners with the neighboring jurisdictions of Fairfax County and Alexandria to all order the same style of markers. Ordering the markers in bulk helps each jurisdiction keep costs down. The costs vary each year based on how many markers need to be attached.

Arlington County Department of Environmental Services Stormwater Outreach Specialist Jen McDonnell said in addition to affixing the markers to currently unmarked drains, volunteers replace some markers that are damaged or have come loose from the pavement.

“Whether it’s snow removal or new construction, these markers do come off with time,” said McDonnell. “Not only are they [volunteers] affixing the markers, but they can tell me which streets need new markers or what is unmarked.”

The markers list different streams depending on which neighborhood they are placed in. Some of the waterways include Lubber Run, Four Mile Run, and Gulf Branch.

The glue used to attach the markers to the pavement does not work in cold, wet conditions. Therefore, the markers only can be applied on dry days during the late spring, summer and fall.

Nearly anyone can volunteer to help out, including adults, scout groups or middle school and high school students wishing to fulfill service hours. Volunteers receive all the materials necessary to attach the markers. Once finished with the task, volunteers report which drains they have marked so the locations can be entered into an electronic database.

“This project allows the citizens to be involved and clues them in to all the storm drains. It makes them think about if there are things in the street, where it all goes,” McDonnell said. “It’s a great, easy program that people can get out and do whenever they have time for it.”

Anyone who would like to volunteer to affix the markers in their neighborhood should contact Jen McDonnell at [email protected] or 703-228-3042. Residents can also contact her to report a storm drain in need of a new marker.

Students Organize Candlelight Vigil for Deceased W-L Classmate

By Katie Pyzyk

John Malvar (photo via Instagram)(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Students at Washington-Lee High School have joined together to organize a candlelight vigil for classmate John Malvar, who was killed in a skateboarding accident yesterday (Tuesday).

18-year-old Malvar had been skateboarding while holding on to the back of a truck driven by a 17-year-old friend. He sustained significant head trauma and went into cardiac arrest after falling to the ground.

The vigil will take place tonight at 8:30 on the Quincy Street side of school, in the green space near the new softball field, according to Arlington Public Schools spokesman Frank Bellavia. Students organized the vigil and sat down with the school’s principal this morning to finalize details. Attendees are encouraged to walk or carpool due to lack of parking for all the people expected to attend.

According to Washington-Lee PTA President Kathi Driggs, as of 6:30 a.m. more than 700 students had signed up to attend the vigil. Attendees have been asked to wear black to the ceremony. Driggs also said that donations for the family are being accepted at the school.

Washington-Lee High School Principal Gregg Robertson issued the following statement today:

“Yesterday, Washington-Lee lost an incredible young man. I know things like that are often said of individuals that pass away; however for John, it could not be a truer statement. I will never see a brighter smile than that of John Malvar. He was thrilled last week when he received his perfect attendance award. I think that is very telling of his determination and dedication to himself and others. I’m very proud of the Washington-Lee community during this difficult time. Students in particular are coming together to celebrate John’s life and the contributions he made to his fellow classmates and to our school. In the coming days and weeks, all of us will remember John’s life in many ways. John will always remain close to our hearts and be remembered for the caring, outstanding young man he was.”

Malvar was supposed to graduate later this month. Right now, it’s unclear whether there will be any further vigils or a special recognition of Malvar at the graduation ceremony.

“I think the students, staff and administrators are still trying to wrap their heads around what happened,” said Bellavia.

Air Force Association Cycling Classic This Weekend

By Katie Pyzyk

Air Force Cycling Classic Crystal CupCyclists will fill the streets of Arlington this weekend for the annual Air Force Association Cycling Classic.

Activities begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, with various amateur races. The big event, however, is the Clarendon Cup which begins around noon. It is part of USA Cycling’s National Criterium Calendar and has been the Washington DC region’s premier Pro/Am race since 1998. According to the event website, the 100km Clarendon Cup (100 laps on a 1km course) is known as one of the most difficult criterium races in the U.S. due to technical demands of the course and the quality of the participants.

Cyclists of all abilities are welcome to participate in the Challenge Ride on Sunday, June 9, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday’s featured event is the Crystal Cup men’s pro race.

Closures for the events are as follows:

Saturday, June 8, from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.:

  • Wilson Blvd from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Blvd
  • Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd to N. Fillmore Street
  • Washington Blvd from Wilson Blvd to N. Highland Street
  • Highland Street from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Blvd
  • Garfield Street and Fillmore Street from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd

Street parking in the affected areas also will be restricted. Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed.

Sunday, June 9, from 5:00 a.m. to noon:

  • Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 15th Street
  • 20th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway. Single lane provided westbound from S. Bell Street to Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Clark Street between 20th Street and 23rd Street. Vehicles will be able to enter/exit from the northern most garage entrance/exit when deemed safe.
  • Westbound lanes of 23rd Street between Crystal Drive and S. Clark Street will be closed and eastbound lanes will be converted to westbound traffic. All traffic from Route 1 bound for the Crystal Drive parking garage will be diverted to S. Clark Street• 18th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street –- Only local traffic destined for garage parking permitted east of S. Bell Street
  • Westbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Eads Street
  • Eastbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and the southbound entry ramp for Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway – east bound lanes between S. Eads and the south bound entry ramp will remain open.
  • Southbound Route 110 between Rosslyn and Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Southbound Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway between Route 110 and 15th Street
  • Washington Blvd eastbound at I-395
  • Washington Blvd westbound from Memorial Bridge
  • Columbia Pike from S. Washington Blvd to S. Oak St.
  • S. Joyce Street from S. Washington Blvd to Columbia Pike
  • Boundary Channel Drive from Connector Road to S. Washington Blvd
  • South Gate Road no access to Columbia Pike

Sunday, June 9, from noon to 4:00 p.m:

  • Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 15th Street
  • Eastbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway
  • 20th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway. Single lane provided westbound from S. Bell Street to Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Clark Street between 15th Street and 18th Street
  • Clark Street between 20th Street and 23rd Street. A single lane will be provided at the exit to the parking garage for Plaza Apartments to allow vehicles to exit upon ACPD direction
  • Westbound lanes of 23rd Street between Crystal Drive and S. Clark Street. Eastbound lanes will be converted to westbound traffic. All traffic bound for the Crystal Drive parking garage will be diverted to S. Clark Street
  • 18th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street –- Only local traffic destined for garage parking permitted east of S. Bell Street

Disclosure: Air Force Association Cycling Classic is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Tara Temple statue

DCA Runway to Move — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has hired a contractor to fill in part of the Potomac River and move a runway at Reagan National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration requires the improvements because the runway does not meet FAA safety standards. The project is scheduled to begin next week and continue through 2015. [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Man Finishes Run for Boston Victims — Arlington resident Frank Fumich completed his run from the Pentagon to the Boston Marathon finish line on Saturday. Fumich and a running partner from Florida raised more than $78,000 for the Boston bombing victims during the four day, 450 mile journey. During the final 19 miles, they were joined by a woman who was unable to finish the race when the bombs exploded. She gave her Boston Marathon medal to Fumich. [Washington Post]

Orange Line has Most Metrorail Weekend Work — In a tally of the areas most affected by Metrorail weekend track work from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, the Orange Line section from East Falls Church to West Falls Church ranks as number one. That portion registered 23 weekends of work. It has been closed 10 times and single tracked 13 times in the one year period due to work linking the Silver Line to the rest of the system. [Greater Greater Washington]

UPDATED: Accidental Shooting at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington National Cemetery parking lot aerial view (via Google Maps)(Updated at 8:30 p.m.) An accidental shooting at Arlington National Cemetery sent one person to the hospital on Memorial Day (Monday).

The incident happened at the cemetery’s parking lot around 9:30 a.m., an hour and a half before President Obama was scheduled to lay a wreath at the cemetery.

According to a spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBMHH), which has jurisdiction over the incident, a cemetery visitor returned to his car in the parking garage after visiting the gravesite of a friend. The man reportedly opened the door to his vehicle and tried moving a handgun from under the seat.

The privately-owned gun fell out of its holster and underneath the vehicle, however, and fired once as the man attempted to retrieve it. The discharged bullet hit the leg of a vehicle passenger — the man’s mother — who then had to be transported to George Washington University Hospital with a non-life threatening injury. Nobody else was injured.

Visitors are prohibited from bringing a gun to the cemetery, according to JBMHH spokeswoman Sharon Walker.

“Weapons of any type are not authorized on military installations or reservations such as [Arlington National Cemetery],” said Walker. “Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Police and Arlington National Cemetery security personnel responded to the call.”

The Ft. Myer Fire Department and the Arlington County Fire Department also responded to the incident.

The owner of the gun was an active duty military service member, according to JBMHH spokeswoman Leah Rubalcaba, and the charges are pending under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to Walker.

Photo via Google Maps

Crystal City Outdoor Movies Begin Monday

By Katie Pyzyk

Outdoor movie in Crystal CityCrystal City is getting ready for its summer showings of outdoor movies. The first movie will run next Monday, June 3.

This year’s theme for the Monday night Crystal Screen movie festival is “Blockbusters.” Last year, residents had the opportunity to vote for which movies they’d like to see relating to the theme.

The movies chosen are a mix of old favorites, such as Jaws, and newer options like The Help. The full schedule is as follows:

  • June 3 — E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial
  • June 10 — The Social Network
  • June 17 — The King’s Speech
  • June 24 — Crash
  • July 1 — American Beauty
  • July 8 — The Blind Side
  • July 15 — Moneyball
  • July 22 — A Beautiful Mind
  • July 29 — Forrest Gump
  • August 5 — The Help
  • August 12 — Jaws
  • August 19 — Inception
  • August 26 — Jurassic Park

The movies are shown just after sunset in the green space at 1851 S. Bell Street. The free movies will play rain or shine, but could be canceled in the instance of severe weather.

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Police Search for Clarendon Peeping Tom

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington County Police Department badgePolice are looking for a man accused of peeping on a woman while she was in a restroom stall at the Barnes and Noble (2800 Clarendon Blvd) in Clarendon.

Around 7:50 p.m. on Friday (May 24), a woman was using the restroom at the store when she saw a man peek over her stall. She and her husband immediately reported the incident to the store manager. The man allegedly fled the store when he saw the manager calling police.

The suspect is described as a 5’10” white male in his 40s with shaggy brown hair. At the time of the incident he was wearing a red t-shirt with a grey button down shirt over it, and blue jeans. He was also carrying a large green bag.

Police are examining the store’s surveillance video from the time of the incident. Anyone who may have seen the suspect or who the may have more information about the incident is asked to call the Arlington County Police non-emergency number at 703-558-2222.

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