Douglas Park

Police Looking for Sports Car-Driving Flasher

By ARLnow.com

Police are looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself to a woman he asked for directions.

The incident happened this past Friday night in the Douglas Park neighborhood. Arlington County police say the man pulled over to ask for directions, then exposed himself to the victim after the walked over to help.

He was driving a gray, two-door sports car at the time. Police were not able to determine the make and model of the vehicle based on the victim’s description.

More from an ACPD crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2020-06120210, 1400 block of S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on June 12, an officer was approached by the victim in need of assistance. It was determined that the victim was walking in the area when the male suspect pulled up next to her in his vehicle and asked for directions. When the victim approached the vehicle to assist the driver, she observed the male suspect lean towards her and expose himself. The suspect then fled in his vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, with short blonde hair, approximately 6’1″-6’3″, 190-220 lbs., wearing a blue polo shirt and khaki pants. The vehicle is described as a gray, two-door, sports car. The investigation is ongoing.

Also on Friday, a separate indecent exposure incident was reported in the Virginia Square area, near W-L High School and Quincy Park.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2020-06120104, Washington Boulevard at N. Quincy Street. At approximately 10:42 a.m. on June 12, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was inside his residence when he looked out the window and observed the male suspect coming in and out of the bushes multiple times, while touching himself inappropriately. He attempted to confront the suspect, who fled on foot prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a black male in his late 40’s or early 50’s, approximately 5’8″, with a white beard, wearing a long sleeve khaki shirt with a blue t-shirt underneath, khaki pants, and a gray hat. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Coronavirus Cases at Arlington Nursing Home — “Rossie Bratten, a 21-year-old Virginia resident, is calling on nursing homes to be more transparent about COVID-19, claiming an Arlington facility caring for his mother never informed the family of positive cases at the site. Bratten claims they only called to be told their mother had tested positive.” [Fox 5, YouTube]

Construction Continuing at DCA — “The coronavirus pandemic has slowed air travel to a trickle, but it has not hindered Project Journey at Reagan National Airport. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority reports that the new 14-gate north concourse at Reagan Airport remains on schedule to open in July 2021.” [Washington Business Journal]

Bullet Hole Found in Roof of Douglas Park Home — “At approximately 2:31 p.m. on April 13, police were dispatched to the report of a missile into occupied dwelling. Upon arrival, it was determined that contractors performing maintenance on the victim’s house located a hole in her roof and recovered a bullet in the crawl space. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.” [Arlington County]

Sen. Ebbin Lauds Signing of Marijuana Bill — “The prohibition on cannabis has for too long had life long impacts on Virginians and disproportionately affected communities of color. Thank you @GovernorVA for signing my and @C_Herring’s bills to decriminalize marijuana.” [Twitter]

County Observes Sexual Assault Awareness Month — “Arlington County’s Project PEACE is recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) with virtual observances and daily online opportunities. During the COVID-19 public health crisis, survivors of sexual assault need support, champions and affirmation of their stories and voices.” [Arlington County]

Falls Church Man Charged with Brandishing Gun in Road Rage Incident

By ARLnow.com

A 20-year-old man was arrested earlier this week after getting mad at someone honking at him.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Police say 20-year-old Lizama Gamez of Falls Church was driving on S. Thomas Street in Douglas Park when an oncoming driver beeped their horn.

Gamez then “allegedly pulled alongside the victims and became irate, yelling at them and brandished a firearm,” notes an Arlington County Police crime report. “Arriving officers located the suspect vehicle in the area and the suspect was positively identified.”

Gamez is facing two misdemeanor counts of brandishing a firearm, as there were two people in the other vehicle at the time, police said. He has since posted bail, court records show, and was due in court for an arraignment this afternoon.

Police Investigate Tire Slashing Spree Near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) Arlington County Police are investigating a major vandalism spree in the area of Columbia Pike.

Police say nearly two dozen parked cars had their tires slashed over the weekend. It happened on the 4500 and 4600 blocks of S. Four Mile Run Drive and the 1100 block of S. Thomas Street, just south of the Pike in the Douglas Park neighborhood.

So far, police have no suspect description, only saying that the “investigation is ongoing.”

“Officers canvased the area for surveillance and witnesses with negative results,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area on Friday evening into Saturday morning or has any information related to the investigation is asked to contact police.”

More from a crime report:

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY – VEHICLE (series), 2019-05110081/05110088/05110096, 4600 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive/4500 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive/1100 block of S. Thomas Street. At approximately 7:28 a.m. on May 11, police were dispatched to the report of destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 8:30 p.m. on May 10 and 6:30 a.m. on May 11, the tires of approximately 22 vehicles parked in the area were slashed. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

Crime Report: Axe-Wielding Burglar in Douglas Park

By ARLnow.com

A burglar tried to break into a home in Douglas Park early Monday morning, at one point picking up an axe and rapping it against a glass window, according to police.

A resident was inside the home on the 4200 block of 16th Street S. at the time and called police. A suspect was soon located and arrested by officers. No one was hurt.

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

BURGLARY, 2019-04080006, 4200 block of 16th Street S. At approximately 12:45 a.m. on April 8, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the male victim was inside his residence when he heard his screen door open. Upon investigating, he observed a male suspect inside the screened-in porch of his residence. The suspect allegedly attempted to open the door leading directly into the residence and then proceeded to knock on the door’s window pane with an axe located on the victim’s property. Arriving officers canvased the area and located a subject matching the description provided by the victim. Darrell Graham, 53, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Burglary. He was held on no bond.

Also in this week’s crime report were a pair of reported robberies.

ROBBERY (late), 2019-04060062, 1300 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 5:50 a.m. on April 6, police were dispatched to the late report of a robbery. Upon arrival, the male victim reported that at approximately 5:00 p.m. on April 5, a known suspect approached him and asked for the beverage he was drinking. When the victim refused, the suspect struck him and stole the beverage. The victim declined medical treatment. The suspect is described as a black male in his 40’s with black hair. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY (late), 2019-04030059, 4200 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 8:20 a.m. on April 3, police responded to the late report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 6:40 a.m. on March 28, the victim observed the known male suspect attempt to steal his friend’s bicycle. When the victim attempted to intervene, the suspect brandished a knife and threatened him. The suspect fled the scene on the bicycle. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 15-18 years old, with a slim build, wearing all black clothing and a black baseball hat. The investigation is ongoing.

New Craft Beer Bar “Rebellion on the Pike” Opening This Week

By Airey
1/5

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Arlington’s newest craft beer bar “Rebellion on the Pike” is opening this week.

An employee said it would be open Monday evening, though a phone for the business was not answered as of 5 p.m. A Facebook post from Monday afternoon says the bar was open over the weekend and will be “back open tomorrow after a good day of rest and restocking.”

Silver tables and chairs sit under the string lights of its outdoor patio area. Inside, black and brown wood furnish the bar. The bar is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weeknights and from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Located at 2900 Columbia Pike across from the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse, the Rebellion’s menu features a variety of sandwiches like “The Ronnie” which stuffs 1/3 pound of smoked pork on ciabatta with an Alabama white sauce and bourbon picked slaw, and the “Rebel Yell” with smoked turkey breast, bacon, tomatoes, and white American cheese on sourdough.

Rebellion also serves wings, salads, a variety of pork sandwiches, and “communal grub” like fried pork belly bites, and poutine with house beer cheese, per the menu.

The bar will feature 24 draft lines of craft beer, according to social media posts. A full drink list of the beers, wines, and spirits was not available in time for publication.

As of today (Monday), the bar’s website says it’s hiring.

Brian Westlye founded Rebellion and is the COO of the hospitality company that’s managing the bar. Westlye said in February he was “hopefully” opening by March 1, though most new restaurants in Arlington end up being beset by varying degrees of delays. Rebellion quietly opened its doors and served its first customers last week as part of a soft opening.

Wesley founded the first “Rebellion” in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. That location serves up a sizable whiskey list as well as burgers, beer, and cocktails.

Rebellion replaces “Brickhaus” which closed last year after owner Tony Wagner said it “never took off the way we expected and hoped it would,” after delays from a lengthy permitting approval process.

Last two photos via Facebook

UPDATED: Police Drag Man Out of Home After Alleged Drunken Conduct Around Child

By Alex Koma

(Updated at 5:15 p.m. on 12/12/18) An Arlington man is now facing several charges after he was allegedly spotted drunkenly stumbling in the road with a child, then fought with police officers who dragged him out of his home.

Arlington Police believe 45-year-old Stuart Behrens was “highly intoxicated” as he walked in the road along the 3600 block of 12th Street S. around 9 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 9).

Witnesses told police that he was walking with a child, before heading to a home in the Douglas Park neighborhood.

When officers arrived at the residence, police say Behrens refused to open the door. Officers forced their way inside, and as they attempted to arrest Behrens, “he actively resisted and refused to walk,” police say.

“As the officers carried him out, he kicked one officer multiple time[s],” the police said.

Police successfully managed to get him into a county cruiser, and subsequently charged Behrens with abuse and neglect of a child, assault on police, and obstruction of justice.

He’s now set for a hearing on those charges in Arlington General District Court on Jan. 16.

More details from an county crime report, which was updated after the original publication of this article.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2018-12090212, 3600 block of 12th Street S. At approximately 8:53 p.m. on December 9, police were dispatched to the report of a highly intoxicated male with a child stumbling in the road. Witnesses, who earlier observed the suspect allegedly passed out on the sidewalk, directed arriving officers to a residence where the male suspect was located inside. Despite repeated requests, the suspect refused to open the door and allow responding officers to check on the welfare of the child. While speaking to the suspect through a mailslot, officers observed him drop the child on the floor then walk up a steep set of stairs holding the child by the shirt. The suspect again refused lawful commands to open the door and allow officers to check on the welfare of the child. The officers forced entry into the residence, secured the child and took the suspect into custody. While attempting to escort the suspect out of the residence, he actively resisted and refused to walk. As the officers carried him out, he kicked one officer multiple time. The officers regained control and secured the suspect in the cruiser successfully. Stuart Behrens, 45, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Abuse and Neglect of a Child, Assault on Police, and Obstruction of Justice.

BREAKING: Arlington Man Arrested After Sexual Assault, Homicide in Douglas Park

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) An Arlington man has been arrested and now faces accusations of a litany of crimes from sexual assault to murder to robbery after a night of violence in the Douglas Park neighborhood.

The reported crime spree started shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday in the area of Doctor’s Run Park, south of Columbia Pike.

Police say 27-year-old Michael Nash was sexually assaulting a woman along the 1300 block of S. George Mason Drive when a witness, 54-year-old Arlington resident Patricio Salazar, tried to intervene. The suspect then allegedly struck Salazar, who was knocked unconscious and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Nash fled the scene and robbed a woman of her cell phone as he fled, according to police. Officers and a police helicopter searched the area and eventually apprehended Nash near the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. George Mason Drive.

Nash is now facing multiple charges, with additional charges pending. This was the second reported homicide in Arlington so far this year.

More from ACPD:

Arlington County Police announce the arrest of an Arlington man following an overnight homicide investigation. Michael Nash, 27, was arrested and charged with Abduction with the Intent to Defile, Forcible Sodomy and Animate Object Sexual Penetration. Additional charges are forthcoming. Mr. Nash is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 9:21 p.m. on October 18, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of S. George Mason Drive following the report of multiple 9-1-1 calls. The preliminary investigation determined that the suspect was walking in the area with a known female victim when he began to physically and sexually assault her. A male witness observed the assault and attempted to render assistance to the victim. The suspect physically assaulted the witness leaving him unconscious. The witness, Patricio Salazar, 54, of Arlington, VA was transported to George Washington University Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Following the assaults, the suspect fled the scene on foot. The suspect came into contact with two additional victims whom he tried to rob of a cell phone. The victims fought back and the suspect again fled the scene on foot. The suspect then successfully robbed a female victim of her cell phone.

During the course of the investigation, detectives from the Department’s Homicide/Robbery and Special Victims’ Units developed a possible suspect description. Members of the Tactical Unit located the suspect and took him into custody without incident in the area of Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive.

The investigation into this homicide remains ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective J. Trainer of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4185 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Map via Google Maps

Power Outage Along Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

More than 1,000 Dominion customers along Columbia Pike were without power around lunchtime Friday.

The outage is mostly affecting the Douglas Park neighborhood and the Glebe Road corridor between the Pike and Walter Reed Drive. A number of traffic signals, including the lights at the busy intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road, are reported to be out.

In total, as of 11:45 a.m. Dominion was reporting 1,246 customers without power in Arlington County.

Update at 12:10 p.m. — Power has been restored, according to Dominion’s website.

Image via Dominion Power

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cemetery Flyover Planned Today — Expect to see a military flyover today around 1:45 p.m., in support of a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. [Twitter]

Grant to Pay for Reforestation — “Arlington County government officials will accept about $9,700 in federal funds to restore nearly four acres of riparian buffer along Four Mile Run. The grant will fund purchase of more than 1,000 tree and shrub seedlings to be planted in areas that have been treated for removal of invasive plants.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Man Convicted of Murder — “On Friday, April 13, 2018, a Charles County jury, after a 5 day trial, convicted Bryan Javier Aquice, 25, of Arlington, VA. of the First Degree Murder of Michael Beers.” [Southern Maryland News Net]

Disgusting Discovery Prompts Call to Police — A woman called police after she reportedly found a used condom on the hood of her car in Arlington’s Douglas Park neighborhood. [Twitter]

Nearby: New Company HQ in Falls Church — Investment firm Kiddar Capital will be relocating its headquarters to a new office building in the City of Falls Church. [Washington Business Journal]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Vehicle Overturns in Douglas Park

By ARLnow.com

A man was able to crawl out from an overturned car in the Douglas Park neighborhood Tuesday night.

The vehicle crashed just before 9 p.m. on the 1700 block of S. Quincy Street, several blocks south of Columbia Pike. The man, believed to be the driver, was briefly trapped in the vehicle but was able to “self-extricate” after firefighters arrived on scene, according to scanner traffic.

The man was evaluated for injuries by medics.

A fire department spokesman said via Twitter that drivers should be cautious on roads, which are “already slick” ahead of Wednesday’s predicted snowstorm.

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