assault

Crime Report: Hammer-Swinging Man Arrested in Va. Square

By ARLnow.com

An Arlington man has been arrested and charged with three counts of Attempted Malicious Wounding after police say he tried to hit several people with a hammer.

Police say they were dispatched to an apartment on the 3800 block of Washington Blvd, in the Virginia Square neighborhood, around 3:45 p.m. this past Saturday after a man became irate over a missing item. The encounter then escalated to attempted physical violence, according to police.

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

ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2019-05110181, 3800 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 3:45 p.m. on May 11, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 3:30 p.m., the known suspect approached the victims inside of a residence and became verbally irate over a missing item. The encounter escalated and the suspect and one of the victims became involved in a physical altercation. The suspect then produced a hammer and began swinging it at the victims. The suspect fled prior to police arrival. None of the victims were injured during the incident. Arriving officers located the suspect walking in the area. Kemoh Sesay, 27, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding (x3). He was held on no bond.

Below are the rest of the highlights from this week’s crime report, including some we’ve already reported.

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Police: Man Knifes Victim’s Neck After Confrontation in Clarendon

By Airey

(Updated on 3/19/2019) Arlington police are searching for two men they say were involved in a knife attack early Friday morning.

Police say someone approached officers patrolling on the 2900 block of Clarendon Boulevard — the same block as the Cheesecake Factory — with a knife wound on their neck.

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow that as of Monday at 4:45 p.m. the investigation is still ongoing and the suspects had not been arrested.

The attack happened just after 2 a.m. Friday after the victim asked their friends to stop talking to two men as he or she wanted to leave, Savage said. The two men then began following the group and “following a verbal altercation, one suspect produced a blade and struck the victim in the neck,” according to police.

The victim reportedly suffered a superficial laceration to the neck which did not require medical aid.

Police described the suspects as two 5’8″ white men — one balding, tattooed, and weighing 140 lbs, and the other with “an athletic build” who wore a black T-shirt and jeans during the incident.

If apprehended, the suspect who wielded the knife could be charged with malicious wounding, which under Virginia code carries a penalty of between 5 and 20 years behind bars and a fine of up to $100,000.

Full details from the county crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2019-03150030, 2900 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 2:09 a.m. on March 15, officers on routine patrol were approached by a victim suffering from a superficial laceration to the neck. The victim did not require medical attention. Upon investigation, it was determined that the victim’s friends were speaking with two unknown males when the victim approached them and told them it was time to go. The unknown male suspects began following the group and following a verbal altercation, one suspect produced a blade and struck the victim in the neck. The suspects fled the scene prior to police notification. Suspect 1 is described as a white male, bald with tattoos, between 5’8″ – 5’9″ tall and approximately 140 lbs. Suspect 2 is described as a white male, approximately 5’8″ with an athletic build. He was wearing a short sleeve black shirt and light colored jeans at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Crime Report: Woman Arrested for Bleach Attack

By ARLnow.com

An Arlington woman is facing charges after allegedly spraying someone with bleach during an early morning argument.

Arlington County Police were called to an address in the Nauck neighborhood around 4:30 a.m. Sunday for a dispute. A verbal argument between two people who knew each other “escalated into physical violence,” police said.

A 33-year-old woman was arrested, accused of spraying bleach — a “caustic agent” — and injuring another woman, then subsequently striking her with an object.

“It remains under investigation what object caused the victim’s injuries,” county police spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.

More from ACPD:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2019-01200046, 2100 block of S. Kenmore Street. At approximately 4:36 a.m. on January 20, police were dispatched to the report of a dispute. Upon arrival, it was determined that a verbal altercation between known individuals escalated into physical violence. During the altercation, the suspect allegedly sprayed the victim with bleach before striking the victim with an object. The victim was transported to an area hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Darcell Harris, 33, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding and Malicious Injury by Caustic Agent. She was held on no bond.

Earlier last week, police investigated a series of thefts from vehicles along Columbia Pike and S. Courthouse Road. Police say thieves stole tires and rims from at least five vehicles.

GRAND LARCENY (series), 2019-01170042/01170062/01170099/01170116, 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road/2200 block of Columbia Pike/700 block of S. Courthouse Road. On January 17, police were dispatched to multiple late reports of larcenies from auto. The investigation determined that between approximately 6:00 p.m. on January 16 and 4:00 a.m. on January 17, the tires and rims of approximately 5 vehicles in the area were stolen from vehicles. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

 

Below are the rest of the highlights from this week’s crime report, including some we’ve already reported.

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Crime Report: Man Drunkenly Breaks into Clarendon Home, Assaults Occupants and Neighbors

By Alex Koma

A Falls Church man is now facing a series of charges after police say he drunkenly forced his way into an apartment and assaulted its occupants.

Police received a call around 3 a.m. after a woman living along the 1200 block of N. Fillmore Street in Clarendon was woken up by a visibly intoxicated man “speaking incoherently” at her front door. He was subsequently identified as 25-year-old Daniel Fay.

The woman told police that she “closed the door and [Fay] left momentarily, but returned, and forced his way past the victim into her residence.”

“A neighbor arriving on scene to assist, as well as the victim and an additional occupant of the residence, were allegedly assaulted while attempting to control the suspect until police arrival,” police said.

Fay was then arrested and charged with drunk in public, unlawful entry, and three counts of assault and battery. He’s being held without bond at the county jail, and is set for a hearing on those charges on Friday (Oct. 19).

Full details from a county crime report:

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2018-10140059, 1200 block of N. Fillmore Street. At approximately 2:51 a.m. on October 14, police were dispatched to a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was awoken to noise and upon investigating, located an intoxicated unknown male subject at her door speaking incoherently. She closed the door and the subject left momentarily, but returned, and forced his way past the victim into her residence. A neighbor arriving on scene to assist, as well as the victim and an additional occupant of the residence, were allegedly assaulted while attempting to control the suspect until police arrival. Daniel Fay, 25, of Falls Church, Va., was arrested and charged with Drunk in Public, Assault & Battery (x3) and Unlawful Entry. He was held on no bond.

Below are the rest of the highlights from this week’s crime report, including some we’ve already reported.

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Police: Bluemont Traffic Stop Leads to Brief Scuffle Between Officer, Driver

By Alex Koma

An Arlington man is now facing a series of charges after he allegedly got into a scuffle with police following a heated argument during a traffic stop.

County police say officers pulled over 20-year-old Charles Contreras along the 900 block of N. Burlington Street in Bluemont around 2 p.m. Friday (Oct. 12).

They say they noticed him driving with a cracked windshield, then he committed a “traffic offense” of some kind.

Once police pulled him over, Contreras and other occupant of the car, 19-year-old Lamar Contreras, “quickly exited the vehicle and allegedly advanced toward the officer, while yelling expletives,” police said. The officer ordered both men to return to the car, and they eventually agreed.

When more police arrived at the scene of the incident, officers noticed a child in the back seat of the car “in an improperly secured car seat,” and both men “continued to yell and exhibit disorderly behavior inside the vehicle” as police evaluated what happened.

Officers eventually asked Charles Contreras to leave the car, and he “became physically combative and pushed an officer.” Police were eventually able to arrest him after the brief scuffle.

He’s now facing charges of assault and battery on a law enforcement officer, traffic lane violation, defective equipment, and child restraint violation. Contreras is set for a Wednesday (Oct. 17) hearing on those charges in Arlington General District.

Full details from a county crime report:

ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON POLICE, 2018-10120161, 900 block of N. Burlington Street. At approximately 1:55 p.m. on October 12, an officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle with a cracked windshield commit a traffic offense. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and upon the vehicle stopping, two occupants quickly exited the vehicle and allegedly advanced toward the officer, while yelling expletives. The officer issued lawful commands for the occupants to return to the vehicle, which they obeyed. The officer then observed a child in the backseat of the vehicle in an improperly secured car seat. The suspects continued to yell and exhibit disorderly behavior inside the vehicle. After additional officers arrived on scene, the driver was asked to exit the vehicle, however, upon exiting, became physically combative and pushed an officer. With the assistance of additional officers on scene, the driver was taken into custody. The child was not harmed during the incident. Charles Contreras, 20, of Arlington Va., was arrested and charged with Assault & Battery on Law Enforcement, Traffic Lane Violation, Defective Equipment, and Child Restraint Violation. The passenger, Lamar Contreras, 19, of Arlington, Va., was issued a summons for Obstruction of Justice.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Man Punched Outside Ballston Subway — A man was punched in the face outside the Subway on Fairfax Drive in Ballston yesterday. The assault occurred just before lunchtime and those flocking to the restaurant for footlongs had to step over splatters of blood on the sidewalk. No word yet on what prompted the fight nor whether the suspect, who reportedly fled into the Metro station, was later apprehended. [Twitter]

Tonight: Committee of 100 County Board Debate — The Arlington Committee of 100 will be holding a County Board debate tonight at Marymount University. The program, moderated by ARLnow’s Scott Brodbeck, will start at 8 p.m. after a meet and greet and dinner. [Committee of 100]

History of the W&OD Railroad — Before it was a bike and pedestrian trail, the W&OD was a regional railroad that transported goods and people across Northern Virginia. How would the area and our transportation problems be different if it had stayed a transit corridor, asks a GGW contributor. [Greater Greater Washington]

Local Social Media Influencer Profiled — Clarendon resident and mother of two Angelica Talan “has made a career out of building a loyal following on social media.” She blogs at Clarendon Moms and Angelica in the City and also has done some modeling and acting. [Arlington Magazine]

Tree Group Wants More Trees — The Arlington Tree Action Group replied on Twitter to a posting of the photo above: “Beautiful sky! It would look even better with more trees! #ArlingtonVA #trees.” [Twitter]

Nearby: Alexandrians Worry About Takeout Window — A proposed takeout window for a new Mexican restaurant on King Street prompted a protracted debate among members of the Alexandria city council. Said one opponent on the council, who ultimately lost out on a 4-3 vote: “I think this is maybe one small step in the direction of what we don’t want Old Town to become.” [Washington Business Journal]

Photo courtesy Dennis Dimick

Police: Man Assaults Officer Following Crystal City Traffic Stop

By Alex Koma

A Maryland man is now facing a slew of charges after police say he tried to lock himself in his car, then threw an officer to the ground during a traffic stop.

Arlington County Police say that 32-year-old Michael Terrance McClanahan of Clinton, Maryland first attracted the attention of officers when he made an illegal U-turn while driving near the intersection of Crystal Drive and 20th Street S. around 2 a.m. Monday (Oct. 8).

Police pulled McClanahan over and discovered he was driving on a suspended license. When officers told him to leave his car, McClanahan “refused to exit the vehicle, attempted to lock himself inside and did not comply with the lawful commands of the officers,” police said.

Once officers were able to get him out of his car, they found he was carrying a concealed weapon and decided to arrest him. As they tried to take him in to custody, McClanahan managed to lock legs with one officer, “causing both to fall,” according to police.

He’s now charged with assault and battery on a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon, obstruction of justice and driving without a license, with a hearing set for Nov. 5 in Arlington General District Court.

McClanahan is currently being held without bond in the county jail.

Full details from a county crime report:

ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON POLICE, 2018-10080019, Crystal Drive at 20th Street S. At approximately 2:14 a.m. on October 8, officers on routine patrol observed a vehicle make an illegal U-turn and attempted a traffic stop. One of the officers had previously cited the driver for operating without a valid license and his license remained suspended at the time of this incident. During the investigation, the suspect allegedly refused to exit the vehicle, attempted to lock himself inside and did not comply with the lawful commands of the officers. Officers removed the suspect from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. A search incident to arrest located a concealed weapon on the suspect’s person. While being transported to booking, the suspect affected a leg lock on an officer causing both to fall. Michael McClanahan, 32, of Clinton, Md., was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Obstruction of Justice and No Operator’s License. He was held without bond.

Photo courtesy of Arlington County Police Department

Police: Man Picks Up Four Passengers, Assaults One After Attempted Abduction

By Alex Koma

A Maryland man is now behind bars after he allegedly picked up four passengers in D.C., refused to let one out of his car and then assaulted that person while he or she tried to escape.

County police say 34-year-old Rick Ramey of Bryans Road, Maryland wasn’t working as a rideshare or taxi driver when he managed to convince four people to get into his car around 3 a.m. Friday night (Sept. 28).

Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage says it’s unclear how Ramey met his passengers, or if he was posing as a rideshare driver, but she said “they appear unknown to each other prior to the incident.”

Ramey drove three of his passengers to their intended destination, but refused to let the final one out at their home, police say. From there, the pair started arguing, and the confrontation “escalated and become physical.”

“The victim and suspect exited the vehicle and the suspect struck the victim in the head, causing a laceration,” police said.

Ramey is now facing charges of both abduction and malicious wounding, with a hearing in Arlington General District Court set for Dec. 3. He’s currently being held in the county jail without bond.

Savage says the whole incident underscores the need for people to “take advantage of safeguards in place to keep them safe and never accept rides from drivers who are not operating in an official for-hire capacity.”

“For rideshares, this includes checking that the license plate, driver photo, and driver name all match what’s listed in the app,” she said. “For taxicabs, this includes checking that the driver’s hack license and identity of which company they are affiliated with are prominently displayed.”

Full details on the incident from a county crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2018-09280030, 1200 block of S. Arlington Ridge Road. At approximately 2:58 a.m. on September 28, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect, who was not working as a rideshare or taxi driver, picked up the victim and three friends in Washington, D.C. After stopping to drop off the victim’s friends, the suspect continued, but refused to stop at the victim’s address or let the victim exit the vehicle. A verbal altercation ensued, which escalated and became physical. The victim and suspect exited the vehicle and the suspect struck the victim in the head, causing a laceration. Rick Ramey, 34, of Bryans Road, Md., was arrested and charged with Abduction and Malicious Wounding. He was held on no bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Road Closed Due to Downed Tree — Williamsburg Blvd is closed at N. Westmoreland Street due to a tree that fell overnight and took down several utility lines with it. Arlington’s emergency management office says the closure “may last through evening rush hour.” [Twitter]

Reminder: DUI Checkpoint Tonight — The Arlington County Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in an undisclosed location tonight. “Officers will stop all vehicles passing through the checkpoint and ask to see the licenses of drivers. Any driver suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be directed to a safe area off the roadway for further observation.” [Arlington County]

Metro Could Become Larger Financial Burden — “Metro expects to turn to state and local governments across the region to cover the costs of pay raises for workers an arbitration panel ordered last week, but the Metro Board chairman is warning of a more significant fiscal ‘ticking time bomb’ just over the horizon.” [WTOP]

Annual CivFed Candidate Forum Scheduled — “The unofficial kickoff to Arlington’s fall election season begins on Tuesday, Sept. 4, when the Arlington County Civic Federation holds its annual candidate forum. Candidates for 8th District U.S. House of Representatives, County Board and School Board have been invited to participate.” [InsideNova]

Basketball Player Punched at Gym — A man who plays professional basketball for LaVar Ball’s Junior Basketball Association says he was sucker punched while playing a pickup game at a Crystal City gym. [Fox 5]

One Hurt in Lee Highway Apartment Fire — A resident of a Lee Highway apartment building suffered burn injuries after a fire broke out in an apartment kitchen Wednesday morning. The fire was out by the time firefighters arrived on the scene. [Patch]

Flickr pool photo by Arlington VA

Man Leads Police on Wild Foot Chase Through Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

A 41-year-old man is facing a litany of charges after allegedly leading a police officer on a wild chase through part of Rosslyn.

The incident happened last Thursday around 6:30 p.m. Police say the man, Lamont Witherspoon, was spotted by an officer and identified as the suspect in a theft that had just occurred.

Witherspoon ran from the officer, dodged a taser, took off running again, and engaged in a physical struggle with the officer before finally being taken into custody, according to an Arlington County Police crime report.

The full crime report item is below.

ASSAULT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, 2018-07050205, 1100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 6:32 p.m. on July 5, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny in progress. An arriving officer identified the suspect, who was allegedly in possession of stolen goods that were visible in his backpack, based upon a lookout and attempted to stop the suspect. The suspect ignored the officer’s commands and fled the area on foot. A brief foot pursuit ensued and the suspect eventually stopped running. The officer issued lawful commands to the suspect, to which he did not comply and continued to challenge the officer. The officer then attempted to deploy his taser unsuccessfully, however, the suspect complied and got on one knee on the ground. When the officer attempted to handcuff him, the suspect continued to struggle with the officer, knocked the handcuffs away and fled on foot again. A second foot pursuit ensued and the officer was able to take the suspect to the ground. The suspect resisted the officer’s attempts to control him and repeatedly pulled the officer’s hand away from his radio and interfered with his microphone, preventing him from communicating his location to dispatch. The suspect continued to be combative, attempting to strike the officer with a closed fist multiple times. Despite the suspect grabbing the officer’s hand as he attempted to use his O.C. spray, the officer was able to successfully deploy the spray, preventing the suspect from further resisting arrest. With the assistance of an additional arriving officer, the suspect was then taken into custody. The officer sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital for evaluation. Lamont Witherspoon, 41, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Petit Larceny: 3+ Offense, Possession of Burglarous Tools, Assault on Law Enforcement, Attempting to Disarm a Law Enforcement Officer of a Chemical or Impact Weapon, Obstruction of Justice (x2), Preventing an Emergency Call, and served with an outstanding warrant for Grand Larceny. He was held on no bond.

Photo courtesy ACPD

Crime Report: Maryland Man Arrested for Car Theft, Assaulting Police

By ARLnow.com

A man was arrested this past Friday morning and charged with assault and battery on police and a litany of other charges.

The incident happened in Arlington’s Nauck neighborhood. It reportedly started when officers located a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Prince George’s County.

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

ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON POLICE, 2018-06080065, 2000 block of S. Langley Street. At approximately 7:07 a.m. on June 8, a lookout was broadcast for a vehicle stolen out of Prince George’s County. Officers located the vehicle and activated their emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop. As the officers approached the vehicle on foot, the suspect fled the scene and struck an occupied police cruiser. The suspect turned onto a dead end roadway and attempted to flee the scene on foot. Following a brief foot pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody. Nehemais Mejia, 22, of Riverdale, MD was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police, Felony Hit and Run, Felony Eluding, Felony Destruction of Property, Grand Larceny Auto, Driving Under the Influence and No Operator’s License. He was held on no bond.

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

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