crash

ACPD Accident Reports Go Digital

By Katie Pyzyk

It’s about to get a little easier to access vehicle accident reports. The Arlington County Police Department is in the process of putting those records online.

Starting tomorrow, citizens and insurance companies may purchase the online reports for any accident occurring on or after Saturday, September 1.

The digitization will be done through a partnership with the Carfax Police Crash Assistance Program. Reports will be stored in a secure electronic database on the ACPD website, and will post within five to seven days of each accident.

In addition to making reports more easily accessible to the public, the new electronic system is expected to cut overhead costs for ACPD by eliminating administrative staff time needed to process each request. On average, police departments spend about $35,000 each year to manually reproduce accident reports. ACPD anticipates the new system will virtually eliminate this cost.

Residents who don’t wish to use the electronic system will still have the option to obtain accident reports by mail or in person at the police department during normal business hours.

Mail Truck Overturns in 7-Eleven Parking Lot

By ARLnow.com

 

A U.S. Postal Service mail delivery truck flipped on its side in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven store this afternoon.

The accident happened just after 1:00 p.m. outside the 7-Eleven at the corner of Old Dominion Drive and N. Vernon Street, across from the Lee Heights Shops. The mail carrier who was driving the truck told police he was trying to park when his foot somehow became stuck against the accelerator, causing the truck to hop the curb and do a 360 degree turn across the southbound lanes of Old Dominion Drive, before finally striking a parked sedan and flipping on its side.

The driver’s leg was pinned between the vehicle and the pavement, but a group of witnesses managed to lift the truck just enough to free him, according to police. He was then able to climb out of the truck on his own power.

The driver suffered lacerations to his leg and arm, but did not require transport to the hospital. In fact, he remained on scene to help workers transfer mail from the truck to other postal vehicles.

The postal carrier was given a citation by police for failure to maintain his vehicle.

Serious Motorcycle Accident on Washington Blvd

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police are investigating a serious accident involving a motorcycle on Washington Boulevard in Lyon Park.

The call for an accident involving a motorcycle and a vehicle near the intersection of Washington Blvd and Pershing Drive came in around 8:25 a.m. Washington Boulevard has been shut down for at least an hour while police took photos and investigated the accident. Those lane closures are expected to be lifted shortly.

No word yet on the condition of any of the victims.

Photo courtesy @jghazi

Police Investigating Bicyclist Accident Near Westover

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Police are investigating an unusual accident near Westover involving a bicyclist.

Initial reports said the cyclist was unconscious when police arrived, after being struck by a vehicle that left the scene. However, a police spokesman now says there might not have been a vehicle involved at all.

Police believe the cyclist may have suffered some sort of medical emergency and then fell onto the road, unconscious. However, the investigation is still ongoing and details are still coming in.

A tipster said the cyclist was transported to Fairfax Inova Hospital.

Earlier, Patrick Henry Drive was closed between 9th Road North and 11th Street North, and 10th Street North was blocked off where the accident occurred. All roads have been reopened.

There’s no word so far on the cyclist’s condition or the nature of the possible medical emergency.

Car Crashes Into Deck in Lyon Park

By ARLnow.com

 

An out-of-control car crashed into the deck/patio area of a house in Lyon Park last night.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. The driver of the hatchback Subaru somehow lost control of the vehicle on a quiet, residential portion of 5th Street N., near the intersection with Pershing Drive. The car hopped a low curb and crashed into a wooden fence, damaging it.

Initial reports suggest the driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Penrose Wreck Sends Three to Hospital

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Fire Department had to use hydraulic rescue tools to extricate occupants of a vehicle involved in a two-car crash in the Penrose neighborhood this morning.

The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of 2nd Street S. and S. Wayne Street. A Ford SUV collided with a Chevrolet sedan belonging to Maid Bright, a Sterling-based home cleaning service.

Initial reports suggest three people were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters used heavy tools to cut the roof off the Chevrolet in order to extricate the occupants inside.

Second Street South is currently closed but is expected to reopen shortly, as crews are in the process of clearing the wrecked cars and broken glass.

 

Electrical Accident Sends One to the Hospital

By ARLnow.com

 

(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) Police and firefighters responded to the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Monroe Street this morning for an electrical accident.

Initial reports indicate that a worker who was digging with a small front loader struck a high-voltage line. The contact sent sparks flying through the air. The worker reportedly suffered burn injuries from the sparks and was transported to a local hospital.

The accident happened in front of a Dominion power substation.

More than a half dozen Dominion workers are now on scene, assessing the situation. State occupational safety investigators were also said to be en route.

The front loader belongs to D.A. Foster, a Northern Virginia company that “specializes in relocation and new business services of underground utilities, including gas, electric, water, sewer and telecommunications.” Earlier this week county officials told ARLnow.com that work was underway along Lee Highway for the Cherrydale Utility Undergrounding project. However, Arlington County spokeswoman Laura G. Smith says the company was contracting for Dominion at the time.

George Mason Drive Accident Knocks Down Light Pole

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) At least one northbound lane of George Mason Drive is reported to be blocked at N. Park Drive due to an accident.

No injuries were reported as a result of the two-vehicle accident, but a light pole was knocked down and fell into the roadway.

Police are on the scene. One northbound lane of George Mason Drive may be squeezing by the accident scene, according to a witness. It’s not clear how long it may take for crews to clean up the downed pole.

Photo courtesy David Hartogs

Vehicle Overturns on Eastbound I-66

By ARLnow.com

 

(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) An SUV overturned on eastbound I-66 between Glebe Road and Quincy Street this afternoon.

The accident happened just after 1:00 p.m. Initial reports suggest the driver of the overturned vehicle got spooked by a merging vehicle and swerved into the median. The SUV then flipped on its side.

A second vehicle that was reported to have been involved in the wreck didn’t stay on scene, but stopped further down I-66, according to scanner traffic.

Only one lane of EB I-66 is getting by the wreck at this time. No word yet on any injuries, but an ambulance was called to the scene.

Postal Vehicle Involved in Ballston Wreck

By ARLnow.com

A U.S. Postal Service van collided with a car at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and N. Glebe Road in Ballston just before 9:30 this morning.

Initial reports suggested the accident might have been a hit-and-run, with the postal vehicle fleeing the scene. In actuality, the accident apparently disabled the brakes on the minivan and it ended up rolling down a small hill before coming to rest on Washington Boulevard between Glebe Road and N. Buchanan Street, about 1 or 2 blocks away, according to scanner traffic.

The driver of the car was evaluated by paramedics for minor injuries. The postal employee was not reported to be injured.

 

Crime Report: Window Washer Falls onto Sidewalk

By ARLnow.com

A window washer is clinging to life after plummeting about 7 stories onto the sidewalk while working on a Rosslyn office building.

The incident was detailed in this week’s Arlington County crime report, although it’s not being investigated as a crime. Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said investigators believe the victim forgot to clip in his safety harness. He stepped over an edge, fell, and landed on the sidewalk near the entrance to the offices of WJLA (ABC 7).

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, 07/27/12, 1000 block of Wilson Boulevard. At 11:10 am on July 27, a worker fell approximately from the 7th floor while cleaning windows. Victim is currently in critical condition.

Also in this week’s crime report, a Nauck resident’s glass door was shattered by an apparently stray bullet.

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED DWELLING, 07/29/12, 2100 block of S. Oxford Street. At 3:40 am on July 29, victim had the front glass door shattered by a bullet fired by an unknown suspect.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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