arrest

Two Arrested After Buckingham Armed Robbery

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Two men have been arrested following an armed robbery in the Buckingham neighborhood early Sunday morning.

The incident happened around 3:15 a.m. on the 200 block of N. Piedmont Street. Police say a 40 year old man was walking in the area when he was approached by a suspect who brandished a knife and stole his wallet. A second suspect served as a lookout during the robbery.

The victim called 911, and 49-year-old Arlington resident Lamont Jackson, the alleged lookout, was quickly taken into custody. Police continued to search for the other suspect, calling in the Fairfax County Police helicopter and at least one Arlington K-9 unit.

The suspect was not found, but police were able to identify him as 29-year-old Anthony Robinson, of Arlington.

“Detectives from the Arlington County Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit were able to identify Robinson through their investigations and obtained a warrant charging him with armed robbery,” according to Arlington County Police. “Robinson turned himself in at the Arlington County Police Department on Monday morning, December 22.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Kirkwood Road near Clarendon (Flickr pool photo by Alves Family)

HOT Lane Lawsuit May Haunt County — At a time when the state is studying HOT lanes and other possible changes to I-66 inside the Beltway, Arlington County’s past actions may come back to haunt it. County officials “burned some bridges” when they filed a lawsuit against VDOT in 2009 to block HOT lanes on I-395. The county has also lost some regional credibility by abruptly canceling the streetcar project. Efforts by Arlington to oppose any changes on I-66, therefore, may fall on deaf ears. [InsideNova]

Incubator Launches in Crystal City — Eastern Foundry, a “veteran-owned government technology and innovation incubator,” celebrated its launch in Crystal City yesterday. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Vornado/Charles E. Smith president Mitchell Schear. [PR Web]

Man Arrested for Arlington Attack — Fairfax County Police have arrested a man wanted for allegedly attacking his ex-wife’s boyfriend in Arlington. In the June 15 attack on Columbia Pike, police say Edwin Patino-Medina ripped two necklaces off the boyfriend’s neck then tried to run him over with a car. [WUSA 9]

Menorah Lighting Tonight — Last night was the first night of Hanukkah. Tonight, in the park next to the Clarendon Metro station, Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington will hold a menorah lighting and community celebration. The event kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and features a “giant 6 foot menorah” plus music, potato latkes, chocolate gelt and “dreidels for all.” Tomorrow, the group will hold its annual Chanukah on Ice event at the Pentagon Row ice rink.

Flickr pool photo by Alves Family

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Construction cranes at sunset in Pentagon City

Board to Consider ‘Technology Zone’ Expansion — The Arlington County Board on Tuesday approved a motion to advertise changes to its program of giving tax breaks to small technology firms. Possible changes include expanding the “technology zones” in which businesses are eligible for the program to instead cover the entire county. The Board will vote on the changes in December. [Arlington County]

Arlington Tech Company Raises $30 Million — Arlington-based security and intelligence software firm Endgame has raised a $30 million round of funding. [Washington Post]

Werth Gnome Made of Cans at DCA — A huge Jayson Werth garden gnome sculpture made of cans is one such can creation on display at Reagan National Airport. Made for the annual “Canstruction” competition, which runs through Nov. 22, the sculptures will benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center. [DCist]

Students Place First in Video Contest — Six Arlington Public Schools students have placed first in a state-wide video contest. They created a 30-second video for the annual Virginia School Boards Association competition. [Arlington Public Schools]

Shooting Suspect Arrested in Arlington — One of the two suspects in the shooting of two teenagers in Woodbridge was arrested Tuesday by Arlington County Police, following a traffic stop on N. George Mason Drive. [WNEW]

Columnist: Streetcar’s Death Will Widen Class Divisions — Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney opines that the decision to kill the Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar system will “probably deepen” class and racial divisions in Arlington. “In effect, Arlington just told its least prosperous residents: ‘You want streetcars to upgrade your neighborhoods? Too expensive. Keep riding the bus.'” McCartney writes. [Washington Post]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flower in autumn (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

TV Bachelor Arrested in Arlington — John Bonavia, a wealthy bachelor who tried to find love last year on the Bravo show Millionaire Matchmaker, was arrested in Ballston on Saturday, Nov. 1. Banavia was charged with being drunk in public on the 4200 block of N. Fairfax Drive, near the Ballston Metro station. [Radar Online]

Historical Marker for Pharmacy — Arlington County has erected a historical marker for the Green Valley Pharmacy in the Nauck neighborhood. The interactive marker includes audio clips from an interview with 86-year-old owner Leonard “Doc” Muse, who still operates the pharmacy to this day. [InsideNova, Arlington County]

No Blue Line Tomorrow — Metro’s Blue Line will be suspended on Tuesday (Veterans Day) to help with the agency’s effort to accommodate the massive crowds expected to attend the Concert for Valor on the National Mall. Yellow Line trains will replace Blue Line trains on Tuesday. As many as 800,000 people are expected to attend the concert. [WMATA]

County Offices Closed Tuesday — Arlington County offices, schools, courts and libraries will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday on Tuesday. ART buses will operate on a modified holiday schedule. Normal trash, recycling and leaf collection will still take place. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested

By ARLnow.com

Cary James (photo via MCPD)A man has been arrested in connection with at least three bank robberies, including one in Arlington and another in Falls Church.

Cary James, a 44-year-old Florida resident, was arrested by Montgomery County police on Thursday.

James robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Rockville, then tried to take a taxi to D.C., according to a police press release. Montgomery County officers were able to locate the cab and take James into custody without incident. Police say they recovered the stolen cash in the taxi.

James is also suspected in the Oct. 17 robbery of the United Bank at 5350 Lee Highway, and the Oct. 21 robbery of the BB&T Bank on West Broad Street in Falls Church.

Bar Crawl Attendee Strips Naked, Leads Police on High Speed Chase

By ARLnow.com

Police cars at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Highland Street after a car chase ended in a crash (photo courtesy Keith Hall)

There was “chaos” on the streets of Clarendon Saturday night when a naked bar crawl attendee ran from police, hopped in a car and led cops on a high speed chase that ended in a crash.

Just past 8:00 p.m., police say a man who had been participating in the All American Bar Crawl stripped naked in Goody’s (3125 Wilson Blvd) pizza restaurant. The man, described as a black male in his 20s, left his clothes in the restaurant and ran outside, where police quickly gave chase, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The man hopped into a car — police couldn’t say if it was his car — and took off. Police cruisers followed, and chased the drunk man through an adjacent neighborhood. The man then made it back to Clarendon and started going the wrong way down Wilson Blvd, before striking two parked vehicles near the intersection with N. Highland Street, Sternbeck said.

The man — still stark naked — jumped out of the car window and started running, but was soon tased by police and taken into custody, according to Sternbeck. He was taken to Virginia Hospital Center as a precaution, and is expected to be booked at the Arlington County Detention Center tonight on numerous charges including indecent exposure.

A large crowd witnessed the incident, Sternbeck noted. One witness on Twitter said the largely intoxicated crowd that gathered started chanted “USA” as the nude man was detained.

NBC 4 tweeted the following photo of the arrest.

Photo (top) courtesy Keith Hall

Man Pleads Guilty to 25-Year-Old Rape Case

By ARLnow.com

William Couch (photo courtesy ACPD)A man has pleaded guilty to two 25-year-old cold cases in Arlington.

William Couch pleaded guilty to abduction with intent to defile and object sexual penetration in the cases, according to an Arlington County Police Department press release.

According to police, Couch admitted to the May 9, 1989 sexual assault and robbery of a woman whose home was broken into as she slept, and the Sept. 11, 1989 rape of a woman who was forced into a maintenance room by a man after she arrived early for her shift at work.

“In January of 2013, cold case detectives reviewed evidence from these cases and in June of 2013 William Couch became a suspect,” according to the press release. “On February 17, 2014 Couch was indicted on charges in connection to these assaults. On June 12, 2014, he pled guilty and was sentenced to 45 years on each case.”

The cases were investigated by detectives Rosa Ortiz and Robert Icolari, of ACPD’s Cold Case Squad, and prosecuted by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Cari Steele. Ortiz is best known for being the lead detective in the Carl Diener murder case.

“Once again the value of a having a Cold Case Squad has been proven as we were able to bring some closure to two victims while bringing this sexual predator to justice,” said Deputy Chief Daniel Murray, commander of ACPD’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Man Arrested for Attacking, Robbing Elderly Man

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:3o p.m. on 12/23/21) A Maryland man has been arrested for allegedly attacking and robbing an 87-year-old Arlington resident.

The incident took place around 4:50 p.m. Saturday afternoon on the 3800 block of 9th Street N., in the Virginia Square area. Police say Melvin [Redacted], 57, grabbed the 87-year-old man by the neck and threw him to the ground before robbing him of the cash in his wallet and fleeing on foot.

“A witness immediately came to the assistance of the victim and contacted police, providing a detailed description of the assailant,” according to an Arlington County Police Department press release. “The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated by medics on scene. At approximately 5:00 p.m., an officer located and detained the suspect on the platform of the Ballston Metro Station.”

[Redacted], a Capitol Heights, Md. resident, was charged with robbery and held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Facility.

Robbery Suspects Arrested After Dropping Wallet, Phone

By ARLnow.com

Police car lights(Updated 3:15 p.m.) Two men were arrested and another is being sought by police after an alleged robbery that didn’t go quite as planned.

Arlington County Police say the three men robbed a woman of her purse at a hotel on the 2000 block of Jefferson Davis Highway, near Crystal City, around 11:30 p.m. this past Saturday. As they were running away, one of the suspects accidentally left a couple of things behind.

“As the subjects were fleeing, one dropped his wallet and cell phone, which were recovered by security,” according to the police report.

The butter-fingered suspect was arrested after he went back to the hotel to try to find his belongings, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Another was arrested at his home a short time later.

“Muqtadir Mustafa, 19, of Arlington, Va. and Andre Costa, 19 of Arlington, Va. were arrested and charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery,” the police report said.

A third suspect, whose identity is now known to police, remains at large.

Bystanders Stop Sexual Assault Near Courthouse Metro

By ARLnow.com
File photo

(Updated on 12/23/21 at 11:30 a.m.) A group of four men in their 20s intervened to stop a sexual assault outside of the Courthouse Metro station early Saturday morning, according to police.

The incident happened around 3:30 a.m. It started, police say, when a man followed a 31-year-old woman off the Metro and, after exiting the station, threw her into a bush near the corner of N. Veitch Street and Wilson Blvd.

The man tried to sexually assault the woman, but her screams for help were heard by a group of four men who ran to her aid, fought off the attacker and called police, according Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The suspect was arrested as he tried to flee eastbound on Clarendon Blvd, Sternbeck said. [Name redacted], 27-years-old of no fixed address, is charged with sexual battery.

Employee Arrested for Masturbating at Gas Station

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA man was arrested Sunday after he was allegedly seen masurbating at the gas station where he worked.

The incident happened around 7:45 p.m. at a gas station on the 3300 block of Lee Highway, just east of Cherrydale and west of I-66.

Police say a woman was pumping gas when she saw an employee with his pants down, masturbating in one of the garage bays.

Police were called and Arlington resident Bishnu Bahadur, 37, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure.

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