crime

Crime Report: Police Investigating Burglary Near Arlington Ridge Shopping Center

By Alex Koma

Arlington police are searching for two men who they believe broke into a business near the Arlington Ridge shopping center early Sunday morning (July 22).

Police responded to a burglar alarm along the 2900 block of S. Glebe Road around 1:50 a.m. Sunday.

Officers then determined that two suspects “gained entry to a business, damaged merchandise and stole numerous items of value,” according to a county crime report. The shopping center in the area is home to a Giant supermarket, an ABC store and a Sweet Frog frozen yogurt shop, among other businesses.

Police believe the men fled in a beige SUV before they arrived. Full details from the crime report:

BURGLARY, 2018-07220045, 2900 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 1:50 a.m. on July 22, police responded to the report of a burglar alarm. Upon arrival, it was determined that two suspects gained entry to a business, damaged merchandise and stole numerous items of value. The suspects fled the scene in a beige SUV prior to police arrival. The suspects are described as two dark skinned, average build males, both wearing black hoodies, black pants, dark colored sneakers, black ski masks and gloves. The investigation is ongoing.

Here are more highlights from this week’s crime report, including some that we’ve already reported:

WARRANT SERVICE (Significant), 2018-07190144, 2700 block of S. Arlington Mill Drive. On July 19, Arlington County Police assisted the Alexandria Police Department conduct a check on the welfare of a known wanted suspect. At approximately 2:30 p.m., officers made contact with the armed suspect who barricaded himself inside the residence. Police began negotiations with the suspect and he surrendered without incident. Brian Covarrubias, 31, was taken into custody on the outstanding warrants from the City of Alexandria.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07190016, 800 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 2:00 a.m. on July 19, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 1:20 p.m. on July 18 and 12:50 a.m. on July 19, an unknown suspect(s) gained entry to a residence and stole an undisclosed amount of cash. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07190239, 2000 block of N. Potomac Street. At approximately 7:43 p.m. on July 19, police were dispatched to the late report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a residence and stole numerous items of value. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2018-07210228, 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 8:45 p.m. on July 21, police responded to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, it was determined that a verbal dispute between known individuals escalated and became physical when the suspect pushed the victim to the ground, causing a laceration. Kenneth Griffin, 41, of Pasadena, TX, was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held on no bond.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07210150, 1700 block of 22nd Court N. At approximately 12:48 p.m. on July 21, police responded to the late report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 10:30 a.m. an unknown suspect entered a residence and subsequently accessed the victim’s vehicle and rummaged through it.  Multiple items of value were reported stolen from the residence and vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 230 lbs. and 6’1″, with brown hair, wearing a large brown and green jacket. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07200234, 1200 block of N. Veitch Street. At approximately 7:09 p.m. on July 20, police responded to the late report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 7:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m., an unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a residence and stole items of value. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

30 Years Ago in Arlington: Serial Killer Convicted With DNA Evidence

By Melanie Pincus

On a summer day in 1988, prosecutor Helen Fahey addressed an Arlington jury. It was the sentencing phase in a six-day long capital murder trial.

“Something is terribly, terribly wrong with Timothy Spencer,” she said.

That trial opened 30 years ago this month, on July 11, 1988. It ended with a death sentence.

Spencer, sometimes known as the “South Side Strangler,” was convicted for the brutal rape and murder of Susan Tucker, a 44-year-old Fairlington resident. He would eventually accumulate three more death sentences for similar killings in and around Richmond.

The story is significant in American legal and scientific history because it represents the nation’s first capital murder conviction based on DNA evidence. No serial killer in any country had previously been convicted with DNA.

Richmond-based writer Richard Foster is chronicling the story in painstaking detail through a 10-episode podcast, entitled Southern Nightmare.

“The fact is there was no other evidence directly linking Spencer to the scene besides the DNA,” Foster said. “That’s what’s really so groundbreaking about this case.”

Foster spoke with sources including homicide detectives, FBI profilers and friends and family of Spencer’s victims to outline a chilling tale of escalating criminal behavior, tragedy and the struggle for justice.

Years earlier, from summer 1983 through January 1984, investigators believe Spencer committed a series of crimes including eight rapes in and near Arlington in what Foster describes as a “seven-month terroristic campaign.”

Those crimes culminated in Spencer’s first murder, in the 23rd Street S. home of lawyer Carolyn Hamm.

That January, the attacks abruptly stopped, only to resume in September 1987 with the rape and murder of Debbie Davis, a 35-year-old Richmond resident.

As Foster relays in the podcast, Arlington County detective Joe Horgas discovered that this timeline lined up with a prison stint for Spencer — he was arrested for an Alexandria burglary in January 1984, and released to a halfway house in Richmond in September 1987.

When Horgas visited the halfway house in Richmond, he found something else. Spencer had been signed out of the house when each of the murders occurred, and he had furlough to visit his mother in Arlington when Susan Tucker was killed.

Arlington detectives arrested Spencer in Richmond on Jan. 20, 1988 with a grand jury indictment for burglary, rape and murder.

Spencer was never tried for the 1983-84 crimes or for Hamm’s murder. The DNA left behind at the Hamm murder scene had degraded beyond usefulness, and he had received death sentences for the other murders.

But Spencer’s implication in the Hamm case led Virginia Gov. Gerald Baliles to pardon David Vasquez, who had been sentenced to 35 years in prison for Hamm’s murder after submitting an Alford plea — not admitting guilt, but conceding that there was enough evidence to convict him.

Vasquez’s sentence “was an obvious miscarriage of justice and it’s very sad,” Foster said. “[Vasquez] was a man who functioned at about the level of a 10-year-old depending on the situation.”

The Spencer case, in spite of its significance, seems to be “one of those cases that… fell through the cracks, historically,” Foster said.

At the time, DNA evidence was quite new to the courtroom, and there was uncertainty over whether juries would accept it. This case “made it so it wasn’t as difficult to put on DNA cases… in the future,” Foster said.

Without DNA evidence in Spencer’s trials, “I definitely don’t think they would’ve gotten the four convictions they got,” Foster said. “I think that would’ve been a lot tougher.”

Spencer was executed April 27, 1994 — the last person in Virginia to be put to death with the electric chair.

Photo via Facebook

Crime Report: Two Men Assault Rideshare Driver Following Destination Dispute

By Alex Koma

Arlington police are searching for two men who they believe attacked their rideshare driver in an Aurora Highlands neighborhood.

Police say the confrontation began yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) around the 700 block of 15th Street S., near the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, when the driver got into an argument with three passengers about where to drop them off.

The driver then ended the ride, and as the three men left the car, police believe one man “threw a glass bottle at the vehicle, shattering the window” while another spit on the driver. The three men fled before police arrived.

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

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED VEHICLE, 2018-07170218, 700 block of 15th Street S. at approximately 4:40 p.m. on July 17, police were dispatched to the report of a dispute. Upon arrival, it was determined that following a dispute over drop-off location between a rideshare driver and passengers, the driver ended the trip. While the three passengers were exiting the vehicle, one suspect threw a glass bottle at the vehicle, shattering the window, and a second suspect spit on the driver. The suspects fled on foot prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a black male, 16-17 years old, approximately 5’5″ and 100 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, a green and yellow bracelet. Suspect Two is described as a black male, 16-17 years old, approximately 5’5″ and 100 lbs., with long hair sticking out of the top of a black bandanna, brown eyes, wearing blue jeans and a white tank top, with a tattoo on his arm. Suspect Three is described as a black male, 16-17 years old, approximately 5’7″ and 120 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a skull cap, white tank top, black jeans and diamond earrings. The investigation is ongoing.

Here are more highlights from the crime report, including some that we’ve already reported:

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, 2018-07170184, 600 block of N. Vermont Street. At approximately 3:15 p.m. on July 17, police were dispatched to the late report of breaking and entering. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 12:00 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., a known suspect attempted to force entry to the victim’s residence, causing damage. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07160111, 1800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 12:34 p.m. on July 16, police were dispatched to the report of a late burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 12:00 a.m. on July 15 and 11:30 a.m. on July 16, an unknown suspect forced entry into an unoccupied residence. Personal belongings of the suspect were left behind but no items were reported stolen from the residence. The investigation is ongoing.

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2018-07160266, Columbia Pike at S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 12:15 a.m. on July 17, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect was observed attempting to enter multiple vehicles and a business. A lookout was broadcast and arriving officers located a suspect matching the description provided by witnesses. Jonathan Diaz Cruz, 19, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with unlawful entry. He was held on a secured bond.

BURGLARY, 2018-07140131, 1800 block of Rhode Street. At approximately 2:22 p.m. on July 14, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that a witness observed two unknown males force entry into a residence. The suspects fled the scene with the victim’s personal belongings prior to police arrival. Arriving officers established a perimeter and the area was searched with negative results. Suspect One is described as a light skinned black male, in his 20’s, 5’10” tall, approximately 150 pounds with a slim build, with black dreadlocks. He was wearing a dark t-shirt and dark cargo pants. Suspect Two is described as a dark skinned black male, in his 20’s, 5’11” tall, approximately 160 pounds with a slim build, with black dreadlocks. He was wearing no shirt, green pants and carry a dark colored bag. The investigation is ongoing.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (Significant), 2018-07140101, 900 block of N. Pollard Street. At approximately 11:58 a.m. on July 14, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim returned to their residence and found their window shattered by a bullet fired by an unknown suspect. No one was home at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-07110262, 2200 block of Fairfax Drive. At approximately 9:32 p.m. on July 11, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was walking in the area when she observed a male suspect masturbating. Police responded to the scene, established a perimeter and conducted a search of the area. The search was assisted by the Fairfax Police Department helicopter unit and returned with negative results. The suspect is described as a white male with dark curly hair, approximately 5’9″ with an average build. The investigation is ongoing.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (series), 2018-07070087/07070100/07070106, 1600 block of S. Joyce Street/1600 block of S. Eads Street/2000 block of S. Eads Street. Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on July 7, police responded to multiple reports of larcenies from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 8:00 p.m. on July 6 and 7:54 a.m. on July 7, the windows of approximately 35 vehicles were smashed and airbags stolen. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-07110047, 4800 block of 1st Street N. At approximately 7:28 a.m. on July 11, police were dispatched to the report of a late commercial burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 5:00 p.m. on July 10 and 6:30 a.m. on July 11, an unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a business, causing damage, and stole cash and items of value. There is no suspect(s) description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2018-07110214, 2200 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 5:30 p.m. on July 11, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that two male suspects entered a business, approached the cash register, and passed the employee a note demanding money. The employee initially questioned the suspects’ request, but was threatened by one of the suspects. The suspects then fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. Suspect One is described as a black male, with dreadlocks, wearing sunglasses, a black hat, grey jacket, light blue jeans, and white and black shoes, carrying a grocery bag. Suspect Two is described as a black male, wearing white sunglasses with a dark hood covering his face, a white shirt, sweatpants and black shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

Crime Report: Driver Arrested for Brandishing BB Gun

By ARLnow.com

A 34-year-old D.C. man was arrested last week and charged with flashing what turned out to be a BB gun at another driver during a road rage incident.

The incident happened last Tuesday shortly after 11 a.m. on the 4000 block of Columbia Pike, just east of S. George Mason Drive.

Police were called and located the vehicle and the suspect nearby, according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.

BRANDISHING, 2018-07030092, 4000 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 11:17 a.m. on July 3, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that following a verbal dispute between drivers, the suspect brandished a BB gun at the victim before fleeing the scene in his vehicle prior to police arrival. The victim was not injured. Arriving units canvased the area and, based upon a description of the vehicle provided by the victim, located the suspect vehicle and suspect nearby. Jose Del Cid Sanchez, 34, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with Brandishing a Firearm and released on a summons.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, is below.

(more…)

Salvation Army Opens Shelter to Serve Human Trafficking Survivors

By Alex Koma
1/3

The Salvation Army is opening a new, 24-hour shelter for survivors of human trafficking, a resource the charity is billing as the first of its kind in the D.C. area.

Leaders with the group’s National Capital Area Command say they can’t reveal where, exactly, the new shelter is located in the region in order to protect the people they’re trying to serve. But they held a ribbon-cutting for the new facility all the same today (Wednesday) at the organization’s Arlington headquarters in Alcova Heights.

“This strikes at the heart of the core values of the Salvation Army,” said Maj. James Hall, the charity’s commander for the D.C. region. “We believe this is the best way we can make a difference on a transformative issue addressing injustice.”

Hall added that the entire effort is being paid for by private donations. He’d originally hoped to win grant funding for the shelter, but struck out on that front.

State Sen. Dick Black (R), who represents Prince William and Loudoun in the General Assembly, commended the effort as an essential one to deal with a “rapidly increasing problem” around the region.

He placed most of the blame for that trend on gang members crossing the Mexican border, which he believes has “literally become a torrent pouring into the country” even as data show net migration levels falling in recent years.

“Runaway children are so easily preyed upon by these people,” Black said.

Kyla Conlee, the shelter’s director, says the new facility will have about half a dozen staff members in all, with two “on call” at all times if someone who’s recently escaped a sex or labor trafficking situation needs help.

She says the shelter will have eight bedrooms, and will be open to both men and women looking for a place to stay. Conlee notes that the facility will only be able to house people for up to 10 days at a time, but her staff plans to work with a network of other charitable organizations to find a more permanent living situation during their stays.

“The most immediate need someone has coming out of a trafficking situation is: where am I going to sleep that first night?” said Stuart Allen, a federal prosecutor in D.C. “I can’t take them in. Law enforcement can’t take them in… But now, victims will have a place to go that first night they need those services.”

Conlee added that her staff will work with local emergency rooms to provide basic medical care for their clients, and even more advanced care for victims of sexual assault. She also wants to offer them the basics at the facility, like new clothes and food, and plans to rely on the community for donations.

Anyone interested in making a donation can drop off goods at the Salvation Army’s Arlington center at 518 S. Glebe Road.

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: ACPD Looking for Pushy Bike Thieves

By ARLnow.com

A woman tried to stop a quartet of bike thieves from leaving her apartment building, but they shoved her out of the way and fled the scene before police arrived.

The incident happened this past Sunday evening on the 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road, just south of Columbia Pike.

The four suspects stole a bike from the building’s storage area despite being discovered by the resident.

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

ROBBERY, 2018-07010172, 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road. At approximately 6:55 p.m. on July 1, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was attempting to retrieve her property from the secure storage area of a building when she encountered four suspects attempting to steal bicycles from the storage area. The victim attempted to prevent the suspects from exiting, however, she was pushed away. The suspects fled in possession of one of the bicycles from the storage area. The victim did not require medical treatment. Suspect One is described as a black male, approximately 20 years old, six feet tall, 185 lbs., with a heavy build, a faded high top haircut and a goatee, wearing red shorts and a white t-shirt. Suspect Two is described as a light skinned Hispanic or Middle Eastern male, approximately 20 years old, 5’8″, 130 lbs., with a skinny build and thin mustache, wearing a gray t-shirt, dark blue jeans, white socks and sandals. Suspect Three is described as a black male, approximately 20 years old, six feet tall, 140 lbs., with a thin build, wearing glasses, a gray and red t-shirt, dark sweat pants, white socks and sandals. Suspect Four is described as a black male, approximately 20 years old, 5’10”, 140 lbs., with a thin build, wearing a black t-shirt and navy pants. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including one that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

(more…)

Crime Report: Boy Playing in Park Touched Inappropriately

By ARLnow.com

A man touched a boy inappropriately while he was playing in a park last week, police say.

The boy was playing in Doctor’s Run Park, near Randolph Elementary School, on the morning of Wednesday, June 20, when a man approached and touched him in a sexual manner, according to a crime report. The suspect then fled on foot.

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

SEXUAL BATTERY (late), 2018-06200138, 1300 block of S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on June 20, police were informed of the late report of a sexual battery. At approximately 9:45 a.m. while the juvenile victim was playing in the park, an unknown male suspect approached the victim and touched him inappropriately before fleeing on foot. The suspect is described as an older dark skinned male, with a medium build, little facial hair and wearing a black, gray and white shirt, black pants and gray shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

Early yesterday (Tuesday) morning, meanwhile, police investigated a shooting in the Courthouse area — blocks from ACPD headquarters — that apparently stemmed from a road rage incident.

A man suffered a non-life threatening gunshot wound and the suspect is still at large.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2018-06260028, 1100 block of N. Courthouse Road. At approximately 2:23 a.m. on June 26, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Arriving units searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspect or reporting party. At approximately 2:46 a.m., police were dispatched to Virginia Hospital Center for the report of a person with a gunshot wound. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the victim was driving in the area when another vehicle began to follow him after a traffic infraction. The suspect vehicle then closely approached the victim’s vehicle while stopped and the suspect brandished a firearm and fired a shot at the victim, causing non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect is described as a black male with a medium complexion with short, black hair and a goatee wearing a gray tank top. The suspect vehicle is described as a silver Honda Accord. The investigation is ongoing.

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

(more…)

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.

(more…)

Crime Report: Patient Fights Medical Staff, Police

By ARLnow.com

It was an especially light week for crime in Arlington, with ACPD only reporting one incident significant enough for a crime report write-up over the past 7 days.

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night at a medical office on the 2100 block of Washington Blvd — the same block as Arlington County’s public health services office.

Police say a man became combative with medical staff and then later kicked and spit on a police officer who responded to the scene, while also spitting on a second officer.

More from the crime report:

ASSAULT & BATTERY ON POLICE, 2018-06050263, 2100 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 9:29 p.m. on June 5, medical staff at the hospital were evaluating a subject, when the subject became disorderly and combative. Officers already on scene intervened to assist hospital staff with the subject, who then allegedly kicked and spit on one officer and spit on another officer while being restrained. Once medically cleared, the subject was transported to booking. No officers required medical treatment. Gary Champagne, 54, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police (x2). He was held on no bond.

Crime Report: Gropings in Pentagon City and Along Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Two women were groped in separate incidents over the weekend.

On Friday evening, a woman was allegedly touched inappropriately in a store at the Pentagon City mall, leading to the arrest of a 24-year-old Alexandria man.

On Saturday afternoon, a man hugged a woman without her permission and also touched her breasts. That groping happened in an elevator of an apartment building near Columbia Pike.

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

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2018-05250226, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 5:42 p.m. on May 25, security at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City requested the assistance of police. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was inside a store when the male suspect brushed against her and touched her inappropriately. The suspect fled prior to police arrival, but was located returning to the store while units were still on scene. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect was also wanted out of Fairfax County. Sterling Flowers, 24, of Alexandria, VA, was arrested and charged with Sexual Battery. He was held on no bond.

SEXUAL BATTERY (late), 2018-05260118, 1300 block of S. Scott Street. At approximately 12:30 p.m. on May 26, police were dispatched to the late report of a sexual assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that on May 15 at approximately 1:15 a.m., when the victim was entering an elevator in a residential building, the male suspect approached her and asked if he could hug her. Before the victim could respond, the suspect hugged the victim tightly and touched her breasts. The victim was able to push the suspect away and exit the elevator. The suspect is described as an olive skinned male, approximately 5’8″, with short, straight, dark black hair and an average build. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including one that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

(more…)

View More Stories