arrest

ACPD Arrests Sexual Assault Suspect After Foot Chase in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police have arrested a suspect in the attempted rape of a woman near Columbia Pike on Friday.

Police say Jermaine Johnson, a 30-year-old Arlington resident, broke into an apartment on the 800 block of S. Frederick Street, brandished a knife and tried to sexually assault the victim. She suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

The perpetrator fled the scene of the crime, evading a police K-9 track and helicopter search, according to a police press release.

On Saturday police announced that Johnson was the suspect, “based on crime scene evidence collected and witness interviews.” Later that day, officers conducting surveillance in the Courthouse area saw him and gave chase. From ACPD:

While conducting surveillance in the 1700 block of N. Troy Street, officers observed the suspect flee from a residence. Following a foot pursuit, Jermaine Johnson was apprehended and taken into police custody. He has been charged with attempted rape and burglary and will be held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

Man Arrested for Sneaker Store Arson and Burglary

By Bridget Reed Morawski

(Updated on 12/23/21 at 11 a.m.) An arrest has been made in connection to the sneaker store arson and burglary on Columbia Pike last Friday (April 13).

[Name redacted], 44, of no fixed address, has been charged with arson, arson while committing a felony, burglary, and grand larceny.

He was arrested while “walking in the area of Columbia Pike at S. Walter Reed Drive,” according to police, at about 4 a.m. this morning (April 19).

Legends Kicks & Apparel, the business that was burglarized and set alight, is approximately 360 feet from where the suspected arsonist was arrested.

Patrol officers observed [redacted] and noted that he matched the suspect’s description, according to the Arlington County Police Department. [Redacted] was “found to be in possession of an item of value allegedly belonging to the victim business,” according to an ACPD press release.

On Tuesday (April 17), police released a video showing the suspect walking along Columbia Pike and spilling merchandise along the sidewalk.

[Redacted] is being held without bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Remembering Barbara Bush — Via the Arlington GOP Twitter account: “Former First Lady Barbara Bush died today at age 92. She will always be remembered for representing the best of America. We pray for and send condolences to her family.” [Twitter, CBS News]

New Sign for Apple Store — A new sign is going up outside of the Apple Store in Clarendon. The store was renovated in 2016. [Twitter, Arlington County]

Arlington Man Facing Firearms Charges in Pa. — From a TV station near Pittsburgh: “A Virginia man is facing charges after police said he possessed 14 guns despite having a protection from abuse order against him. Perry Georgeadis, 63, of… Arlington, Virginia, is charged with 14 counts of person not to possess a firearm.” [WJAC]

Arlington’s Gain is New Jersey’s Pain — The announcement that Gerber is moving its corporate headquarters to Rosslyn, to the same building as corporate parent Nestle USA, is bad economic news for New Jersey. “This means close to 180 New Jerseyans will be out of a job. But the company promised to help employees affected, mostly in corporate positions such as marketing, finance and HR, by offering them the chance to relocate, and severance and outpatient support for those that can’t make the move.” [NJ.com]

Arlington Students Make TJ Science Cut — “Students from Arlington’s public-school system will represent about 5 percent of the incoming freshman class at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology. A total of 25 APS students have been offered admission to the regional magnet school.” [InsideNova]

Nearby: Alexandria Debates High School Lights — In a situation that may sound familiar to those in Arlington, the question of whether or not to add lights to the soon-to-be-renovated T.C. Williams High School stadium is pitting neighbors of the school against high school athletic boosters and school administrators. [Alexandria Times]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Two Arrested for ATM Skimming Scheme in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Two Florida residents have been arrested after police say they were seen using a card “skimming” device on an ATM machine in Shirlington.

Gheorghe Cosmin-Dacian and Cristian Roman, both 35 years old, were arrested during a subsequent traffic stop and now face multiple charges.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

FRAUD (Significant), 2018-04100224, 2700 block of S. Quincy Street. On April 10, police were conducting a follow-up investigation after a skimming device had been located on an ATM in the 2700 block of S. Quincy Street earlier that day. Officers observed one of the suspects, who had been previously captured on surveillance, approach the ATM multiple times. The suspect then fled the scene in an awaiting vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the two occupants were taken into custody. Gheorghe Cosmin-Dacian, 35, and Cristian Nicola Roman, 35, both of Jacksonville, Florida were arrested and charged with identity theft, credit card theft, credit card forgery and unlawful use of payment card scanning devices. The suspects were held without bond.

Update at 6:40 p.m. — The photo above has been corrected. Police inadvertently sent a photo of a different individual with the same name as one of the suspects.

Crime Report: Stolen Vehicle Recovered in Nauck

By ARLnow.com

A vehicle that was stolen in Arlington was recovered after it was driven past a police cruiser with automatic license plate readers.

The car was stopped in the Nauck neighborhood around 1 a.m. this past Thursday and two of its occupants were arrested “without incident.”

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLE, 2018-04050007, 2200 block of S. Garfield Street. At approximately 1:05 a.m. on April 5, an officer on routine patrol was alerted to a License Plate Reader hit on a vehicle that had previously been reported stolen out of Arlington County. The officer initiated a traffic stop and two occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody without incident. Kevin Tate, 47, of Capitol Heights, MD, was arrested and charged with Buying/Receiving Stolen Goods, Giving False Identity to Law Enforcement Officer While Detained, and Driving with Suspended or Revoked License. He was held on no bond. Yvonne Elliott, 54 of Alexandria, VA, was arrested and charged with Possession of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance. She was held on a secure bond.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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UPDATE: Westover Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Update at 2:45 p.m. on 4/8/18 — Christopher Lee Hicks has been arrested thanks to a tip, police announced today.

Arlington County Police located the bank robbery suspect following a citizen tip to the Emergency Communication Center. Christopher Lee Hicks was taken into custody in the 500 block of W. Broad Street in the City of Falls Church with the assistance of the City of Falls Church Police Department. He is charged with one count of Robbery and is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility on no bond.

Earlier: Arlington County Police have identified a suspect in the December robbery of a Wells Fargo bank in Westover.

Police are looking for Christopher Lee Hicks, who they say is the man seen in surveillance photos of the robbery.

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance locating a suspected wanted for robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1701 N. McKinley Road on December 22, 2017. Christopher Lee Hicks, 42, of No Fixed Address is wanted in Arlington County on one count of Robbery. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Christopher Lee Hicks should contact Detective C. Riccio at 703.228.4180 or [email protected]. If seen, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

Crime Report: Alleged Public Masturbator Returns to Scene of the Crime

By ARLnow.com

A Woodbridge man has been arrested and charged with indecent exposure after police say he was seen masturbating in his car.

The man initially left the scene, on the 1800 block of N. Scott Street in the Rosslyn area, but came back after police asked him to. He was then arrested.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-03300228, 1800 block of N. Scott Street. At approximately 6:41 p.m. on March 30, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim witnessed the male suspect masturbating in his vehicle. Based upon the vehicle and suspect description provided by the victim, police were able to develop a possible suspect and requested he return to the scene. Desalegn Alemu, 34, of Woodbridge, VA, was arrested and charged with Indecent Exposure.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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Police: Marymount Student Charged with Easter Sunday Threat

By ARLnow.com

An 18-year-old Marymount University student has been charged with making a bomb threat against the campus.

Police say Samuel Nwalozie, a D.C. resident, posted the threat via social media. The university’s main campus in north Arlington was evacuated the morning of Easter Sunday — which was also April Fools’ Day — while officers and bomb dogs swept the school’s grounds and buildings.

“The investigation determined there was never a physical threat to the safety of the students, staff of campus,” Arlington County Police said in a press release Monday afternoon.

The school was closed for the holiday weekend at the time.

Nwalozie is being held without bond at the county jail in Courthouse.

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested a suspect for his involvement in a bomb threat at Marymount University. Samuel Nwalozie, 18 of Washington, D.C. was arrested and charged with Communicated Threats to Bomb a Structure. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

At approximately 8:49 a.m. on April 1, police were dispatched to the 2800 block of N. Glebe Road for the report of a bomb threat posted on social media. Arriving officers immediately began an intensive investigation and a possible suspect description was developed based upon information contained in the social media post and information provided by a witness. Police attempted to locate the suspect on campus and contact him unsuccessfully. The campus of Marymount University was subsequently evacuated while officers continued to investigate. Shortly after 12:00 p.m. the suspect was taken into custody by police just outside of campus. Out of an abundance of caution, EOD K9s continued to sweep campus prior to its re-opening. The investigation determined there was never a physical threat to the safety of the students, staff of campus.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective J. Bamford at 703-228-4197 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Update at 3:15 p.m. — Marymount University issued the following statement about the arrest Monday afternoon.

Peeping Tom Arrested After Foot Chase

By ARLnow.com

A man was arrested early Monday morning for a peeping incident in Clarendon.

Police say a resident heard a noise from outside her house on the 1000 block of N. Cleveland Street and then saw a man trying to get in via a sliding glass door.

The suspect took off running upon seeing the woman, and was later arrested by police “following a brief foot pursuit.” Edwin Espana, a 30-year-old Arlington resident, is now facing several charges including peeping and drunk in public.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

PEEPING, 2018-03260012, 1000 block of N. Cleveland Street. At approximately 12:58 a.m. on March 26, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted breaking and entering. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim heard noise originating from outside her sliding glass door. Upon investigation, the victim observed a male suspect allegedly attempting to gain entry into the residence. Upon seeing the victim, the suspect fled the scene on foot. Arriving officers broadcast a lookout for the suspect and following a brief foot pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody. Edwin Ayala Espana, 30, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Peeping into an Occupied Dwelling, Unlawful Entry and Drunk in Public. He was held on a secured bond.

Separately, another peeping incident was reported Monday night in south Arlington:

PEEPING, 2018-03260215, 2800 block of 9th Street S. At approximately 9:08 p.m. on March 26, police were dispatched to the report of a possible peeping tom. Upon arrival, it was determined that the witness observed an unknown suspect looking into the window of a residence. The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival and officers canvased the area with negative results. The suspect is described as a male, 30-45 years old wearing a dark jacket and black knit cap. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More on Hit-and-Run Suspect Arrest — A lobbyist known for his promotion of conspiracy theories, particularly theories about the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich, says he was the victim of an incident that led to the arrest of a man in Fairlington on Saturday. Jack Burkman says the suspect, Kevin Doherty, shot him twice and tried to run him over with an SUV in the parking garage of the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn. [Washington Post]

Isabella Sued for Sexual Harassment — “Celebrity chef Mike Isabella, the head of a $30 million culinary empire based in the nation’s capital, was sued Monday by a former top manager who claims that Isabella and his partners repeatedly sexually harassed her in the workplace… [The plaintiff] told The Post she joined Isabella’s company as a regional manager in 2015, helping to open his three Arlington, Va., properties.” [Washington Post]

Sprynt to Reopen for Season — Local free ride service Sprynt will be reopening for the season “in a few weeks,” according to founder Alex Villanueva. One of the company’s electric vehicles was seen parked in Clarendon last night with a “now hiring” sign on it. [Twitter]

Hotel Company Moving HQ to Crystal City — Interstate Hotels and Resorts is moving its headquarters from Ballston to Crystal City, per a press release. The company is leasing 35,000 square feet at 2011 Crystal Drive. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

UPDATED: Hit and Run Suspect Arrested During Police Raid in Fairlington

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 12:10 p.m.) The normally quiet Fairlington community woke up to an alarming sight Saturday morning.

According to residents, heavily-armed police officers raided a home on the 2800 block of S. Buchanan Street, in north Fairlington, around 8 a.m. Saturday. On the Nextdoor social networking site, neighbors described a scene that seemed like it was out of a movie.

“It was 8:30 a.m. when I heard the agents who surrounded the place with assault rifles yelling everyone to stay inside, and with a bullhorn instructing the residents of the unit next door to go to the basement,” one wrote. “Steady stream of people going in and out now. Very scary way to start the day.”

Arlington police spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed that a man was arrested but did not initially detail the circumstances involved. Monday morning, after this article was published, police issued a press release (below) announcing that they had arrested a suspect in a hit-and-run crash that happened last week in Rosslyn.

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested a suspect for his involvement in an assault in the 1400 block of Lee Highway. Kevin Doherty, 46, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony and two counts of Malicious Wounding. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

At approximately 6:43 p.m. on March 13, 2018, officers were dispatched to a hit and run collision in the 1400 block of Lee Highway. Upon arrival, it was determined that a male victim was traveling on foot when he was struck by an unknown vehicle. The male victim was transported to a local hospital. The striking vehicle did not remain on scene.

During the course of the investigation, Homicide/Robbery Unit detectives developed a possible suspect description based on evidence located at the scene and witness interviews. Members of the Emergency Response Team took the suspect into custody without incident at a residence in the Fairlington neighborhood on the morning of March 17, 2018.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective C. Riccio at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

There was no further explanation for the firearm charge or the second malicious wounding charge.

“This is an ongoing criminal investigation and, at this time, there are no additional details for release beyond the information in the press release,” Savage said in response to an ARLnow.com inquiry.

Separately, on Friday afternoon, a police tactical team arrested two people at the Inn of Rosslyn motel. Savage said that officers were executing a search warrant but was unable to provide additional details.

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