crash

Arlington man arrested in connection to Lyon Village hit and run

By ARLnow.com
1/4

An arrest has been made following a July crash in Lyon Village in which the driver allegedly fled the scene with two small children.

The crash happened around 10 p.m. on N. Bryan Street, in the aftermath of severe storms.

“Around 10:05 pm, a black Porsche SUV went screeching down N. Bryan St. in Lyon Village at a high speed,” a resident told ARLnow at the time. “[It] crashed into a light pole and took the entire pole down across N. Bryan, hit a stop sign which got attached to the undercarriage of the Porsche, then did a sharp left turn into 16th Street where the car came to a stop.”

“Then I heard a little girl screaming ‘Daddy, Daddy!’ It was heartstopping,” she continued. “I ran outside at the sound of the collision and heard the girl screaming. When I got there, the car was still running, all the doors were open, but no one was in it. Neighbors were pouring out of their houses to see what had happened.”

“At least three witnesses reported that the man got out of the Porsche and told his children (apparently 2 young children) ‘Run with me,’ she said. “Then they took off running down 16th Street towards Courthouse.”

Among the destinations that could be seen on the wrecked Porsche’s navigation system were Le Diplomate restaurant in D.C. and a home in Vienna, Virginia. Yesterday, ARLnow’s sister site FFXnow reported that a 42-year-old Arlington man is facing charges here and in Vienna for the crash and for allegedly making false statements to police.

From FFXnow:

The Vienna Police Department got a report on July 30 from a supposed resident who said his vehicle had been stolen out of his garage on Battle Street SE sometime between midnight on July 29 and 9 a.m. on July 30.

“A resident left his vehicle unsecured in the garage with the keys inside overnight,” police said in a summary from its recap of the week of Aug. 4. “Due to a storm and power outage, the garage door was unable to close. The following day, the resident discovered the vehicle was stolen.”

The VPD noted at the time that the vehicle was later located in another jurisdiction.

A subsequent investigation, however, linked the vehicle to a crash in Arlington County where the driver fled the scene with two children, according to an update in the VPD’s latest recap, which covers the week of Sept. 8-14.

“Investigation revealed the driver was the owner of the vehicle who made the stolen vehicle report the following morning,” Vienna police said.

Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed to FFXnow that the suspect is also facing charges here.

“As a result of the investigation into the circumstances of the crash, warrants were obtained on September 7 for [the suspect], 42, of Arlington, VA for Child Neglect (x2) and Hit and Run of Unattended Property (x2). He was taken into custody by the Town of Vienna Police Department.”

Carlin Springs Road clocks another crash near Kenmore Middle School

By Jo DeVoe
The crash on S. Carlin Springs Road on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 (courtesy anonymous)

Yesterday morning, while Arlington Public Schools students were on their way to school, two cars were involved in a crash on S. Carlin Springs Road.

Around 7 a.m., police were dispatched to the intersection of Carlin Springs and 5th Road S. for reports of a crash resulting in property damage, says ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

“Upon arrival, it was determined the drivers of the two involved vehicles were traveling north on S. Carlin Springs Road when the vehicles collided, causing one vehicle to strike a utility pole and street sign,” she said. “No injuries were reported.”

The sign struck instructs turning vehicles to yield to pedestrians.

This stretch of S. Carlin Springs Road is notable for its narrow sidewalks and little or no pedestrian buffer. The road, which includes walk zones for Carlin Springs and Campbell elementary schools and Kenmore Middle School, has a history of crashes as well as a smattering of improvements.

In the last five years, the site of yesterday’s crash has seen a handful of crashes that sustained at least $1,500 in property damage or resulted in injury or death, according to data Savage shared with ARLnow. There were two last year, four in 2019 and two in 2018, but no recorded crashes in the intervening pandemic years.

A crash at S. Carlin Springs Road and 5th Road S. on Sept. 10, 2022 (courtesy anonymous)

Zooming out, on S. Carlin Springs Road between Route 50 to 8th Road S., there have been several crashes over the years, including near Kenmore Middle School.

Since 2013, there have been four severe crashes on this stretch of S. Carlin Springs Road: two at 1st Street S. in 2013 and 2021, one at 3rd Street S. in 2022, and one at 5th Street S. in 2016.

Last year, several intersections within this stretch saw 1-2 crashes each, according to a county report.

One of those last October involved a young cyclist and driver proceeding through a green light. After this crash, some in the community re-upped their calls for a safer S. Carlin Springs Road. They said local families have described unsafe conditions for years, leading to a 2018 study of the road that generated some short-term changes in 2020 and 2021.

Intersections with several crashes, pull-out of S. Carlin Springs Road added by ARLnow (via Arlington County)

Parts of S. Carlin Springs Road are in what the county calls an “equity emphasis area,” for its high population of people of color and households with lower incomes.

The county uses this designation to evaluate transportation upgrades and ensure these areas — where crashes occur twice as frequently — receive proper attention through Vision Zero.

As part of Vision Zero — the county’s effort to eliminate pedestrian deaths and serious injuries by 2030 — this spring, the county lowered speeds from 25 mph to 20 mph on parts of S. Carlin Springs Road within 600 feet of access points for Kenmore, Carlin Springs and Campbell.

To catch the attention of drivers, the county also added more visible crosswalks, signage and street markings.

Last winter, Arlington added rapid flashing beacons at a mid-block along 7th Road S., between Carlin Springs and S. Jefferson Street, which the county says is “on a critical path” for students walking to these schools.

(more…)

UPDATED: Crash involving overturned vehicle blocking N. Glebe Road at I-66 ramps

By ARLnow.com
Crash involving overturned vehicle on N. Glebe Road

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) Both directions of N. Glebe Road were closed near the I-66 ramps north of Washington Blvd, in the Ballston area, due to a crash.

The crash happened around 1 p.m. in the southbound lanes of Glebe and involved a pickup truck and a sedan.

Traffic camera video shows the truck merging into the car’s lane suddenly and without signalling, running into its side and causing it to flip on its roof.

Passersby and other motorists could be seen rushing to help the driver immediately after the crash. She was helped out of the overturned car and loaded into a waiting ambulance.

The pickup driver drove across Glebe to the I-66 ramp after the crash but then stayed on scene.

“Both drivers remained on scene,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Alli Shorb confirmed to ARLnow. “Officers remain on scene investigating the crash and as part of the ongoing investigation, will determine if charges will be sought.”

The northbound and southbound lanes of Glebe have since partially reopened as of 1:50 p.m.

Video of the crash and the emergency response is below.

Portion of Columbia Pike blocked after rental truck runs over curb and up embankment

By ARLnow.com
U-Haul crash on Columbia Pike

The westbound lanes of Columbia Pike are blocked near Arlington’s western border after a crash involving a U-Haul truck.

The crash happened around 5:20 p.m. near the intersection of the Pike and S. Jefferson Street. That’s about three blocks from a U-Haul rental location.

Initial reports suggest that the rental truck collided with two vehicles and then mounted a curb, went over a sidewalk, and ran partially up a steep grassy hill. One or two minor injuries were reported.

A tow crew is on scene cleaning up debris from the roadway and trying to figure out how to get the box truck safely down from the embankment.

BREAKING: Numerous crashes block I-395 after truck hit-and-run suspect steals Arlington ambulance

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 11 p.m.) A suspect in a truck crashed into multiple vehicles on I-66 and I-395, then led police on a wild chase in a stolen Arlington ambulance.

The incidents started shortly after 3:30 p.m., with reports of a stolen Freightliner truck striking vehicles on I-66 in the Rosslyn area and again on northbound I-395 just before the 14th Street Bridge. I-395 was blocked by the crashes and at least two people were hurt, including one with reported significant injuries.

The same hit-and-run suspect then allegedly stole another truck before hopping in and stealing an Arlington ambulance around 4:15 p.m. Medics tried to pull the suspect out of the ambulance but he drove off, leading Virginia State Police — followed by Arlington police — on a chase through parts of Crystal City and Pentagon City. The suspect struck numerous vehicles on the northbound HOV lanes of I-395 as he fled into D.C., according to Virginia State Police.

Eventually the ambulance was stopped on I-395 in southwest D.C. and the suspect taken into custody, according to Virginia State Police.

All northbound lanes of I-395, including HOV lanes, were blocked as of 4:45 p.m., with delays on the highway extending upwards of two miles. The HOV lanes reopened by 6:15 p.m. while crews continued to clear the crash scene in the still-blocked main lanes. As of 7:15 p.m. two main lanes had reopened, per VDOT.

At least 20 vehicles were damaged over the course of the hour-long string of incidents, including the ambulance, a VSP cruiser, a parked vehicle in D.C., vehicles on the GW Parkway and I-66, and well over a dozen vehicles on I-395.

Virginia State Police said in a press release Saturday night that the suspect is a 30-year-old Maryland man.

At 3:40 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 12), Virginia State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of I-66 near the 74 mile marker. The truck that caused the crash fled the scene. The truck had been reported stolen out of Falls Church, Va., and the driver was later identified as Darell T. Caldwell, 30, of Brandywine, Md. The driver of the other vehicle involved in this crash was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

At 3:41 p.m., VSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-395 near Exit 10 in Arlington County. The crash was caused by the same stolen truck being driven by Caldwell. A total of five people were transported to a nearby hospital as a result of this crash. Meanwhile, Caldwell fled the crash scene on foot.

Minutes later, State Police received a report of a crash on the George Washington Parkway involving another truck being driven by Caldwell that was driving the wrong way when it struck another vehicle. An Arlington County Fire Department ambulance responding to I-395 came upon the crash on the GW Parkway. The ambulance stopped and the medics got out to render aid to the drivers. While the medics were tending to the one driver, Caldwell ran up to the ambulance and drove off in it.

The medics waved down a VSP trooper who was responding to the crash scenes to alert him to the stolen ambulance. The trooper caught up to the stolen ambulance.  When the ambulance refused to stop for the trooper, a pursuit was initiated. At one point, the ambulance stopped in the road. As the trooper was getting out of his patrol car, Caldwell put the ambulance in reverse and rammed the state police vehicle and fled the scene.

The pursuit continued with Virginia State Police being assisted by Arlington County Police. During the course of the pursuit, the stolen ambulance accessed the I-395 Express Lanes and then entered Washington, D.C., where it struck head-on a parked vehicle at 14th Street NW and D Street NW. State police and Arlington County Police took Caldwell into custody without further incident. Caldwell was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.

The parked vehicle that was struck by the ambulance was occupied by one person. That individual suffered minor injuries.

During the course of the pursuit, the stolen ambulance struck multiple vehicles and again rammed the trooper’s patrol car. At this time, state police have accounted for and are investigating 13 hit-and-run crashes committed by the stolen ambulance. State police has not received any reports of serious injuries resulting from the crashes. No law enforcement were injured during the course of the pursuit. Anyone who was struck by the ambulance during the course of the pursuit is encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026.

Caldwell has been charged by federal and local law enforcement. State police charges are still pending.

Videos of the crashes, the chase and the arrest are below.

Unusual crash closes N. Harrison Street near park

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Several blocks of N. Harrison Street are blocked in the Yorktown neighborhood due to an unusual crash.

A Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV ended up on top of an Acura TL sedan as the result of a crash in front of Chestnut Hills Park, a popular popular children’s playground.

No injuries have been reported and everyone was able to get out of the vehicles before police and firefighters arrived, according to scanner traffic.

A passenger in the car told ARLnow that the crash happened as the SUV driver was making a U-turn and ended up colliding with the Acura, which was occupied by several members of Yorktown High School’s golf team. The driver’s side of the Jeep came to rest on top of the Acura’s hood.

As of 5:15 p.m. the roadway was back open.

Jay Westcott contributed to this report

ACPD investigating Porsche crash in which driver fled with small children

By ARLnow.com
1/4

On Saturday night, as much of Arlington was cleaning up from the earlier severe storms, a driver slammed into a light pole and a stop sign in the Lyon Village neighborhood.

The driver of the Porsche SUV then got out and ran off with two small children who had been passengers in the vehicle, police and witnesses tell ARLnow. It is unclear whether any of them were injured.

It’s an incident that drew many neighbors out of their homes amid a power outage. The crash still has the affluent neighborhood near Clarendon and Courthouse talking — and concerned about the welfare of the children.

A local resident recounted what happened.

“Around 10:05 pm, a black Porsche SUV went screeching down N. Bryan St. in Lyon Village at a high speed, crashed into a light pole and took the entire pole down across N. Bryan, hit a stop sign which got attached to the undercarriage of the Porsche, then did a sharp left turn into 16th Street where the car came to a stop,” a tipster told us.

“Then I heard a little girl screaming ‘Daddy, Daddy!’ It was heartstopping,” she continued. “I ran outside at the sound of the collision and heard the girl screaming. When I got there, the car was still running, all the doors were open, but no one was in it. Neighbors were pouring out of their houses to see what had happened.”

“At least three witnesses reported that the man got out of the Porsche and told his children (apparently 2 young children) ‘Run with me,’ she said. “Then they took off running down 16th Street towards Courthouse.”

The tipster shared photos of the crash, including the navigation screen, which had Le Diplomate restaurant in D.C., Quincy Park in Arlington, and a home in Vienna, Virginia listed as recent destinations.

“The car was badly damaged with almost every window shattered and the stop sign stuck to the undercarriage — so hopefully the kids were not injured. The little girl sounded absolutely terrified, though.,” the tipster added. “It took the police and fire dept. quite a while to arrive due to all the other emergencies.”

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage largely confirmed the sequence of events.

At approximately 10:07 p.m. on July 29, police were dispatched to the 1500 block of N. Bryan Street for the report of a single vehicle crash with unknown conditions The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the vehicle struck a stop sign and utility pole at 16th Street N. and N. Bryan Street before exiting the vehicle with the two juvenile occupants and running from the scene prior to police arrival.

Savage said the crash is being investigated as a hit and run but declined to name a suspect as no one has been charged yet.

“The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been sought at this time” said Savage.

DEVELOPING: Propane tanker overturns, blocking southbound I-395

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Update at 3:40 p.m. — Lanes have reopened after the tanker was brought upright and towed away, according to VDOT.

Update at 3 p.m. — The southbound lanes of the highway are expected to remain closed until around 4 p.m., according to VDOT.

Earlier: Three people are being hospitalized and southbound I-395 is blocked after a truck crash.

A propane tanker and another vehicle crashed near Shirlington Circle around 1:15 p.m., leading the tanker to overturn prompting a large emergency and hazmat response. Firefighters are on scene, hosing down the truck to try to prevent a fire.

According to initial reports, three people are being transported to the hospital after the crash and crews are working to vent at least some of the pressure from the damaged tanker to reduce the risk an explosion.

The highway “will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time,” according to the Arlington County Fire Department. Southbound traffic is currently being re-routed into Shirlington.

Vehicle flips in morning crash near Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A crash ended in a vehicle overturned this morning near Ballston.

The wreck happened in the Buckingham neighborhood, on N. Henderson Road near the intersection with 4th Road N., around 7:15 a.m. That’s about a block from Barrett Elementary School.

It’s unclear what led to the crash, but the vehicle — a small Honda SUV — ended up on its roof in the middle of Henderson Road, blocking it for a period of time.

According to initial reports, the driver — who was the only occupant — was able to self-extricate from the flipped vehicle and was subsequently evaluated by medics for a possible head injury.

Traffic safety has been a recurring theme in this area over the past few months. The nearby intersection of N. George Mason Drive and N. Park Drive has been flagged as hazardous, set for safety improvements. Meanwhile, another nearby intersection where a mother pushing a stroller was struck by a driver, has received new stop signs and enforcement. And, earlier this month, a vehicle overturned on N. George Mason Drive near 4th Street N.

This morning’s crash has since been cleared and the road reopened, but it delayed at least one ART bus route for about an hour.

Three injured, one seriously, in crash on N. Glebe Road hill

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A portion of N. Glebe Road was closed for more than an hour during the evening rush due to a serious crash.

The crash happened shortly after 5 p.m., on the steep hill between Military Road and Chain Bridge.

“At approximately 5:11 p.m., police were dispatched to the 4500 block of N. Glebe Road for the report of a two-vehicle crash with injuries,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Three patients, all adults, were transported to the hospital — 1 with serious injuries and 2 with non-life-threatening injuries.”

The roadway reopened around 6:30 p.m., after the crash was cleared and crews inspected potential damage to utility lines.

Crash with overturned vehicle closes portion of N. George Mason Drive

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) A portion of N. George Mason Drive was closed this afternoon in the Buckingham neighborhood, near Ballston, after a crash.

The crash left one car overturned and on its roof in the roadway. It was not immediately clear how the crash happened nor whether anyone was hurt. It appeared that at least one other car — pushed partially onto the sidewalk — was involved.

The northbound lanes of George Mason were blocked in the area of 4th Street N. while police talked to witnesses and crews worked to clear the wreck. As of 3:35 p.m., all lanes were back open.

Police and firefighters responded to scene while a crowd of onlookers gathered nearby, many with smartphones in hand.

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