DUI

Crime Report: Drunk Man Crashes Car Into Fire Station

By Ethan Rothstein

A Falls Church man crashed his car into Arlington’s Fire Station No. 9 earlier this week.

Yancy Carrera, 33, drove into the corner of the fire house at 4:05 a.m. Sunday morning, according to police. He was arrested charged with DUI and felony destruction of property.

A fire department official said no one was injured in the crash, which caused only cosmetic damage to the building. So far, there is no estimate on the cost of the repairs.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

FELONY DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, 09/22/13, 1900 block of S. Walter Reed Drive.  At 4:05 am, an intoxicated subject drove his vehicle into the corner of Fire Station #9. Yancy Carrera, 35, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested and charged with DUI and felony destruction of property. He was held with no bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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ACPD to Conduct DUI Checkpoint Tonight

By ARLnow.com
File photo

The Arlington County Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint tonight (Friday).

The department does not reveal the location of the checkpoint in advance. From an ACPD press release:

On Friday, September 20, 2013, the Arlington County Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint with assistance from the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. This enforcement effort, called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is in support of U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National crackdown program on drunk driving that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.

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 and possible testing for intoxication.

The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction for driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges.

NOVA Legal Beat: Refuse the Breathalyzer?

By ARLnow.com

NOVA Legal Beat logo

Editor’s Note: This new sponsored Q&A column is written by Mathew B. Tully of Tully Rinckey PLLC.

Q. One of my buddies was recently pulled over after having a few too many drinks — he lives 5 blocks from the bar and just made a bad call getting behind the wheel. He knew he was going to be over the limit — is it ever better to refuse a breathalyzer test than to take one when you know it will probably show you’re drunk?

A. Refusing a breathalyzer test may seem like a good idea if you’re facing the prospects of a breath test confirming what you already know — that you’re legally drunk and were driving. However, refusing a breathalyzer test is unlawful in Virginia and can have negative and severe implications. Additionally, most of the time there is already enough evidence to convict you of driving under the influence, so it won’t save you from being charged and convicted.

The penalty for refusal varies depending on your past record as it relates to DUIs. For a first offense, refusal is merely a civil offense but carries an immediate license suspension and up to a one-year license suspension from the court in addition to any penalties triggered by the DUI.

In addition to the suspensions, if you have a prior DUI conviction or refusal in the last 10 years then it turns into a Class 2 misdemeanor (punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine up to $1,000). If you have two or more such convictions in the last 10 years then refusal is a Class 1 misdemeanor (punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine up to $2,500). Those are pretty severe consequences for one decision, particularly in light of the fact that these penalties are on top of any you may receive for the DUI.

It is worth remembering that there isn’t a requirement that your blood alcohol content (BAC) be a certain level in order to be convicted of a DUI in Virginia. It is illegal to drive while showing any influence of alcohol or drugs that impairs your ability to drive. Evidence of your driving behavior, demeanor, field sobriety tests, and any odors of alcohol will become the basis of determining whether you are under the influence.

Additionally, the penalty you receive can be more severe in cases where there is a refusal and a conviction for driving under the influence. While you may be able to avoid the mandatory sentences that relate to higher BAC levels by refusing the test, you would simply be trading one set of penalties for another if you get convicted.

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Numerous Alcohol-Related Arrests on Saturday

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Thanks in part to pre-St. Patrick’s Day revelry, Arlington County Police had their hands full with alcohol-related offenses on Saturday.

The day’s festivities included the Four Courts Four Miler race in Courthouse Saturday morning and the Shamrock Crawl bar crawl in Clarendon that afternoon and evening.

There were a total of 6 arrests for Drunk in Public on Saturday, including 5 incidents in the Clarendon area, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. There were also 7 arrests for Driving Under the Influence on Saturday, he said. By contrast, a planned DUI checkpoint on Friday yielded no DUI arrests, according to Sternbeck.

There were also two significant fights reported on Saturday.

One incident happened just past 9:00 p.m., near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Garfield Street in Clarendon. The incident started, police say, when the victim accidentally spilled a beer on a woman in a restaurant. An altercation ensued and staff at the restaurant had to separate the parties. At that point, altercation spilled outside the restaurant.

During the fight, police say, the victim’s head struck either a low wall or a curb, producing a significant head wound. The victim was found conscious but bleeding heavily, and was transported to George Washington University Hospital. Two Alexandria men were subsequently arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding by Mob.

From the ACPD daily crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING BY MOB, 03/09/13, 1400 block of N. Garfield Street. At 9:05 pm on March 9, an altercation inside a restaurant bar, continued into the street. A victim sustained a significant laceration to his forehead and was transported to GW hospital. DC Danh, 28, of Alexandria, VA and Donny Danh, 27, of Alexandria, VA, were arrested and charged with malicious wounding by mob. They were held without bond.

Early Saturday morning, in another alcohol-related incident, two people were arrested for assaulting a cab driver and an apartment concierge.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 03/09/13, 900 block of N. Randolph Street. At 4:13 am on March 9, two subjects exited a cab without paying and once confronted by the driver, physically assaulted him by punching and kicking him repeatedly. A residence concierge witnessed the attack and attempted to aid the victim, but was punched as well. Ramnik Aulakh, 30, of Arlington, VA, and Elizabeth Arias, 29, of Bowie, MD, were arrested and charged with malicious wounding, defrauding a taxi and drunk in public. They were held without bond.

ACPD to Conduct Sobriety Checkpoint on Friday

By ARLnow.com

Arlington DUI checkpoint on St. Patrick's Day 2010 (via ABC7)The Arlington County Police Department and Sheriff’s Office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint tomorrow (Friday) night.

The checkpoint is part of ACPD’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort, which is funded through federal grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The effort “focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.”

The checkpoint’s location is not announced in advance. According to an ACPD press release:

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 and possible testing for intoxication.

The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction for driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges.

Man on Long Road to Recovery after Being Struck in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

The man who was hit by a car while walking in Clarendon two months ago is making progress in his recovery, but there’s a long road ahead.

Just yesterday (Thursday), 27-year-old Michael Sizemore underwent another surgery to re-attach the section of skull that was removed to alleviate pressure on his brain. The accident had left him with a variety of serious injuries including a fractured skull, two broken legs and multiple lacerations. After being struck, Sizemore was in a drug-induced coma for days to give his brain time to heal. Sizemore’s father, Mark Sizemore, says yesterday’s surgery appears to have been successful.

“The injury to his brain was right above his left ear where the skull fracture occurred, and that’s your speech center,” Mark said. “The majority of the injury has affected him of course cognitively, and in his speech center. He is recovering his cognition and his speech is getting better every day.”

Doctors predict it will take about a year for Michael to rehabilitate his speech and his ability to walk. Mark said it seems as though his son understands what happened to him, but his focus is simply on getting back to living his life.

“Michael just wants to get back to living, is what he tells me. He’s not so much focused on what happened. I think that will come later,” Mark said.

Once he fully recovers, Michael is determined to return to his job as a lobbyist at the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, which advocates for organizations that help people with developmental delays, substance abuse problems and mental health issues.

“He tells me that almost every single day. That’s what we’re trying to work towards with his rehab,” Mark said. “I think he’ll do it. I think he’ll rehab to the point where he can get back to that job. That’s what drives him.”

Mark says his son and the rest of the family don’t harbor anger toward Tyler Bruce Wills, the man accused of striking Michael. They believe that justice will be served in due time.

“He realizes it’s really a random event that happened to him,” Mark said. “Michael is not looking for revenge against this person, he’s looking for justice to take care of that.”

Meantime, Wills remains in jail on charges of DUI and DUI Maiming. Wills waived his right to a preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for last week, and awaits trial. Police say due to results from the alcohol test and multiple witness accounts, the evidence against Wills is quite strong.

As for Mark, he credits the doctors at George Washington University Hospital with saving his son. That’s where Michael was taken immediately after the accident, and where he had his surgery yesterday. Mark said the situation could have turned out far differently had the hospital and its head trauma experts not been nearby.

“Thank God it was there, because they saved his life,” Mark said. “If my son had not been close to that place, he would not have lived. It was a miracle.”

UPDATED: Police Investigate Critical Pedestrian Accident in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) Arlington County Police are investigating a serious pedestrian accident on a busy street in the center of Clarendon.

An adult male was struck by a Honda Civic coupe heading eastbound on Clarendon Blvd, near the intersection with N. Highland Street, around 12:30 a.m., according to initial reports. The man suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported via ambulance to George Washington University Hospital.

Police shut down Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd to N. Garfield Street while detectives investigated the accident. Crowds of Clarendon bar-goers peered from behind yellow police tape at the bloody evidence marked at the scene, including the victim’s shoes, pants and shirt.

The driver of the Honda, identified by police as 22-year-old Tyler Bruce Wills of Bowie, Md., was arrested on scene and charged with DUI and DUI Maiming. He’s currently being held without bond. Charges against Wills may change depending on the status of the victim, said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The victim, a 27-year-old man from Collinsville, Va., has been undergoing surgeries and remains in critical condition, according to Sternbeck. The victim suffered a fractured skull, two broken legs, a broken arm, numerous lacerations to his body, and a big laceration to his face. A friend was with the victim at the time of the accident and was able to notify his family, Sternbeck said.

Unconfirmed witness accounts suggested the victim was crossing just outside the crosswalk and was struck by the car, which was traveling through the intersection at what was described as a relatively high rate of speed. The victim flew through the air and came to rest, motionless, on the pavement, a witness said.

As of 2:15 a.m., a police accident reconstruction team was taking photos and using measurement devices to piece together a more definitive account of how the accident happened.

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ACPD to Conduct Sobriety Checkpoint on Friday

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police will be conducting  a sobriety checkpoint on Friday, Sept. 21 as part of the nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” drunk driving enforcement effort.

Together with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office, ACPD officers will set up a checkpoint at an undisclosed location Friday night.

“Officers will stop all vehicles passing through the checkpoint and ask to see the licenses of drivers,” the police department said in a press release. “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 and possible testing for intoxication. The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction for driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges.”

Fairfax Man Convicted in Ballston Hit and Run Case

By ARLnow.com

A Fairfax County man has been convicted and sentenced to more than four years in prison for a hit and run pedestrian accident that left a young woman seriously injured.

John Reynolds was 24 at the time of his arrest in March 2011. He was accused of hitting a 22-year-old woman with his car while driving drunk on Fairfax Drive, near the Ballston Metro station, on December 30, 2010. Reynolds sped away from the scene of the near-fatal accident, but detectives were able to use debris from his car to track him down and arrest him.

Reynolds — who studied psychology and criminal justice at Old Dominion University — was charged with hit and run and DUI maiming. Following a three-day trial that started on Monday, an Arlington County jury found Reynolds guilty on both charges yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. Today the jury sentenced Reynolds to 4 years and 3 months in prison, plus a $2,500 fine.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jay Burkholder, who prosecuted the case with fellow Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Clarke, said Reynolds’ “level of intoxication” played a role in the jury’s decision-making. Reynolds did not testify at the sentencing hearing, Burkholder said.

The victim of the accident suffered what Burkholder described as “very serious” injuries to her hip and legs. She also suffered nerve damage.

“Due to some fantastic doctors at Inova Fairfax Hospital she survived and is walking today,” Burkholder said. “She is doing much better, but will always face some physical challenges from this crime.”

Reynolds is being held at the Arlington County jail pending a formal sentencing hearing in September, when a judge will have the option of suspending part of his sentence.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Meriweather Pleads to DWI Charge — Washington Redskins strong safety Brandon Meriweather has pleaded no contest to the charge of driving while intoxicated in Arlington. As part of the plea, Meriweather was assessed a fine, a driver’s license suspension, and a 180 day jail sentence — though the jail time was suspended. ARLnow.com was the first to report in April that Meriweather had been arrested for DWI following a traffic stop on I-66 in Arlington. [Washington Post]

Heat Advisory Issued — A heat advisory will be in effect from noon to 8:00 tonight. Heat index values are expected to reach around 105 degrees, which brings the risk of dehydration and heat-related illnesses. [Weather Channel]

District 45 Special Election Scheduled — The special election to replace Del. David Englin, who resigned in June, will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the special election date yesterday. [Virginia.gov]

Green Pig Bistro Reviewed — Washingtonian Magazine reviews Clarendon’s Green Pig Bistro (1025 N. Fillmore Street) and dubs it a “hipster farmhouse.” In addition to the food, the restaurant’s staff also receives attention in the article: “That dude with the mohawk and baroque tattoos? That’s the sous chef.” [Washingtonian]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

EXCLUSIVE: Brandon Meriweather Arrested by ACPD

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 8:35 p.m.) Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather was arrested on suspicion of DWI by Arlington County police early this morning, ARLnow.com has learned exclusively.

Meriweather was initially stopped for speeding on westbound I-66 in the area of N. Ohio Street at 2:54 a.m., according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Officers detected an odor of alcohol on his breath and performed a field sobriety test, which Meriweather failed, Sternbeck said.

The two-time Pro Bowl strong safety refused a breathalyzer test, was arrested and spent the night in the Arlington County jail, according to Sternbeck. Police say Meriweather claimed he was driving home from a club in D.C., but couldn’t remember the name of the club.

After starting his pro football career with the New England Patriots in 2007, Meriweather spent last season with the Chicago Bears before signing a two year, $6 million contract with the Redskins on March 15, 2012.

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