arrest

Arrest Made in Clarendon Bank Robbery

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police have made an arrest following this morning’s bank robbery in the Clarendon/Courthouse area.

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the robbery of the PNC Bank at 2601 Clarendon Boulevard, police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal confirmed this afternoon. In an earlier press release, police said the suspect entered the bank around 9:50 a.m., implied that he had a weapon and demanded money. He then fled on foot after receiving cash. Police released surveillance images taken from the bank, above.

The suspect’s identity is not being released at this time, but detectives are investigating whether he may have also been responsible for other bank robberies in Arlington.

The description of the suspect released by police today — “white Middle Eastern male in his early 20’s, 5’7” to 5’8” with a medium build” — is similar to that of the suspect in last week’s robbery of a Bank of America on Columbia Pike.

Photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department

Six Detained at Columbia Pike Days Inn

By ARLnow.com

Six people were detained by police at the Columbia Pike Days Inn motel yesterday after a tip about prostitution led officers to a stolen vehicle.

Officers investigating a tip about prostitution activity at the Days Inn discovered an SUV that had been reported stolen out of Pennsylvania in the parking lot, according to Arlington County Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal. Officers kept an eye on the SUV and, when several people got in and started to drive off yesterday afternoon, police swooped in in dramatic fashion, blocking the vehicle in and handcuffing the occupants.

Six people — four women and two men — were detained. As of this morning, charges have still not yet been filed against the six suspects, we’re told.

NBC4 — which had a photographer on the scene within minutes of the arrests — led its 11:00 p.m. newscast with the story. The station’s website says the arrests were related to a “suspected prostitution ring in Arlington.”

Fmr. Top Soldier Given Jail Time for Slugging Incident

By ARLnow.com

Gene C. McKinney, who served as Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army from 1995 to 1997, spent this past weekend in jail after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct and reckless driving, according to WTOP.

Last fall, McKinney was accused of hitting a man with his car along S. Eads Street in Pentagon City, following an argument. Police say the man, whom McKinney had picked up in a slug line, demanded to be let out of the car after McKinney started speeding and driving erratically on the highway. McKinney pulled off at Pentagon City and let the man out, but then struck him with his car, police said.

WTOP reports that an Arlington County Circuit Court judge sentenced McKinney to a year in prison on each charge, but suspended most of the sentence and credited McKinney for time served.

Crime Report: Peeping in Bathroom Stalls Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a 70-year-old man, identified as a registered sex offender from California, is accused of “peeping into bathroom stalls” in the Ballston area.

PEEPING TOM-ARREST, 12/02/11, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On December 2 at 1 pm, a man was witnessed peeping into bathroom stalls. Clyde Medeiros, 70, of Napa, CA, was charged with Peeping and for Violation of a Registered Sex Offender. He was held without bond.

Also this week, a driver was assaulted when he tried to confront a pedestrian who kicked his car in Clarendon.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 12/05/11, 1100 block of N. Hudson Street. On December 5 at 9:50 pm, a pedestrian kicked a passing vehicle. When the driver exited the car, the pedestrian assaulted him. The suspect is described as man with a medium complexion, 6′ tall, wearing a black jacket, jeans, and carrying a black book bag with a white antler design on it.

An additional item of note: two young women are accused of robbing a man after being invited back to his hotel on Columbia Pike.

ROBBERY-ARREST, 12/02/11, 3000 block of Columbia Pike. On December 2 at 10:20 pm, a man invited three women back to his hotel. One of the women stole his wallet and when confronted, assaulted him. Two of the suspects were located by police. Sarah Jordan, 24, and Savannah Grant, 21, both of Arlington, were charged with Robbery. They were held without bond.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty. The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Parking Lot Rage Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, there were two separate cases of men being arrested and accused of assaulting someone during an argument over a parking space.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 11/19/11, 400 block of N. Thomas Street. On November 19 at 7:30 pm, a man brandished a knife at another man during an argument over a parking space. Roger Redman, 62, of Arlington, was charged with Assault and Battery. He was held on a $3,000 bond.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 11/19/11, 2300 block of Columbia Pike. On November 19 at 8 am, a man hit another man on the leg with a pole during an argument over a parking space. Farhan Ali, 35, of Alexandria, was charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

Another crime occurred while a woman was exiting her vehicle on Columbia Pike. She managed to flee from a man with a knife by jumping across to the passenger seat, opening the door and running into her apartment building.

ATTEMPT CARJACKING, 11/20/11, 3800 block of Columbia Pike. On November 20 at midnight, a woman was exiting her vehicle when an unknown man brandishing a knife approached her. He told her to move to the passenger seat, she fled through the passenger door of the vehicle. The victim then ran to her apartment building and called police. The suspect is described as a white male between 40 and 50 years old. He was wearing a blue knit hat and a dark jacket.

Also on Columbia Pike, a woman’s dog saved the day when it woke her up while a man was peeping through her apartment’s sliding door.

PEEPING TOM, 11/19/11, 1900 block of Columbia Pike. On November 19 at 5 am, a woman awoke to her dog barking at a man watching her through the apartment sliding door. The suspect fled when he saw her wake up. He is described as a white male, between 30-40 years old, 5’11” and 190 lbs. with light facial hair. He was wearing a thick gray jacket and dark pants.

The rest of this week’s crime report after the jump, including three men arrested for allegedly attacking another man with a pool cue in a pool hall near Shirlington.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

White House Shooting Suspect Arrested — The man wanted for firing bullets at the White House Friday night, who may or may not have been squatting in Arlington, was arrested in Pennsylvania yesterday. Investigators now say Oscar Ramiro Orgeta-Hernandez was “obsessed” with President Barack Obama. One of the bullets that was fired cracked a window of the first family’s living quarters. [CBS News]

Arlington-Based Firm Considering IPO — Courthouse-based Opower, an energy software company that was visited by President Obama last year, is growing and eying a possible initial public offering. [GigaOm]

News Anchor Remembers Arlington Childhood — In a recent interview, NBC4 anchor Doreen Gentzler reminisced about growing up in Arlington. She marveled at some of the changes that have taken place over the years and recalled the time when there was a nearby A&P store. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Maryva2

Crime Report: Autumn Arson Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a local man was arrested for arson after allegedly setting a series of leaf piles on fire.

ARSON-ARREST, 11/14/11, 3100 block of N. Vermont Street. On November 14 at 9:45 pm, a man set a series of seven of brush fires. Joseph Warsowick, 31, of Arlington, was arrested for Arson. He was held on a $1,750 bond.

Also this week, a bus driver helped to protect a woman from a pair of would-be armed robbers.

ATTEMPT ROBBERY, 11/15/11, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. On November 15 at 6:30 pm, two unknown men attempted to rob a woman at a bus stop by brandishing a knife. The victim fled on a bus and the driver would not let the suspects on board. The suspects were both African American males, 40-50 years old.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Adding Injury to Injury Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a driver is accused of hitting a man with her car in Shirlington, then getting out of the car and assaulting the victim and his wife. The driver’s passenger was also charged.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 11/06/11, 4000 block of S. Campbell Avenue. On November 6 at 6:30 pm, a car struck a pedestrian, and then the driver and passenger assaulted the victim and his wife. [Redacted], 32, of Arlington, was charged with Assault and Battery and released on a summons. [Redacted], 33, of Arlington, was charged with Assault and Battery and held on a $2,500 bond. [Names redacted after proof of dismissal and expungement was reviewed.]

The rest of this week’s shorter-than-usual crime report, after the jump.

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Police Arrest Man for Deadly Hit and Run on Route 50

By ARLnow.com

A Maryland man has been arrested and charged in a fatal hit and run on Route 50.

Police say 42-year-old Marc D. Hicks of Oxon Hill, Md. was driving the truck that struck and killed Zorigoo Munkhbayar as he was walking down Route 50 near Rhodes Street in the early morning of Sept. 16. Hicks did not stay at the scene of the accident, according to police.

Munkhbayar, an Arlington resident and Yorktown High School graduate, was later found laying in the roadway by a passerby, who called 911. The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Arlington County Police detectives were led to Hicks by evidence from the striking vehicle left at the scene. Hicks had been driving a truck for a Northern Virginia-based delivery company at the time of the accident, according to police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal. The company — which was not named — did not have knowledge of the crime and was “very helpful with the investigation,” Nosal said.

Hicks is currently being held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Center.

“Police ask that anyone who may have additional details about this collision, contact Detective Paul Marseilles at (703) 228-4237,” police said in a press release. “Detective Marseilles can also be reached via e-mail at [email protected].”

Arlington Man Arrested on Gun Charge After FBI Raid

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) An Arlington resident has been arrested in connection with last night’s FBI raid in Cherrydale and last week’s discovery of buried weapons near I-66.

Rodney M. Gunsauley, 61, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He’s currently being held without bond at the Arlington County jail, police say. Gunsauley was previously convicted of a fraud-related charge in 2000 2001, according to public records.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department, along with the FBI, Washington Field Office, is investigating an incident where several weapons were found hidden near Patrick Henry Drive and I-66 on October 12, 2011.

A search warrant was executed on a residence in the 4000 block of N. 17th Street last night as part of the investigation. Rodney Gunsauley, 61, of Arlington, was charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

Men Arrested, Accused of Stealing Used Cooking Oil

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police have arrested two men in connection with a string of biofuel thefts.

Police say the thefts started in March 2011. Used cooking oil that was awaiting collection was stolen from at least four restaurants, police say.

“The waste cooking oil from restaurants is converted into clean burning biodiesel fuel,” police sad in a statement. “Biodiesel is an alternative to petroleum diesel that can be used in any diesel engine. Typically these oil thieves steal from restaurants and no one notices until the normal collection company arrives to pick up the product.”

“Theft has become a major issue in the restaurant cooking oil collections industry, due to the increase of its value from the evolving biodiesel market,” the statement continued. “Police departments in the region are becoming more involved to remedy this problem.”

Police say they arrested 36-year-old Fa De Zheng of Oxon Hill, Md. and 38-year-old Ming Gang Lu of New York City on Friday, Oct. 7, as they were attempting to siphon oil from a deposit at Ballston Common Mall. The pair is charged with Grand Larceny, Grand Larceny with the Intent to Sell, Possession of Burglarious Tools and Destruction of Property.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call Det. Paul Marseilles at 703-228-4237 or email [email protected].

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