A bicyclist was struck by a car on Columbia Pike near the intersection with South Jefferson Street around 11:30 this morning.
The cyclist, who was reportedly alert and conscious after the accident, is being transported to a local hospital.
The fire department temporarily shut down the westbound lanes of Columbia Pike while treating the victim.
No word on the extent of the cyclist’s injuries or whether charges will be filed against the driver.
Update at 12:25 p.m. on 10/19 — The victim, 89-year-old Louise Gabel of Falls Church, died last night. Police are still investigating the incident. So far, no charges have been filed against the bus driver.
An elderly woman is in critical condition after being struck by an Arlington County school bus.
It happened at 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Carlin Springs Road and 8th Road South. Police say the woman was crossing the intersection when she was struck. She’s currently in critical condition at a local hospital.
Twelve children were on board the bus at the time of the accident, police said. They were not injured.
“The accident is still under investigation, and more details will be released when available,” police said in a statement. The school system is planning to release a statement letter to parents regarding the accident later today, according to Arlington Public Schools spokesperson Frank Bellavia.
The bus has been impounded by police pending the investigation.
Flickr pool photo by afagen
A serious pedestrian accident has shut down all lanes of Glebe Road between North Carlin Springs Road and North Henderson Road, near Ballston Common Mall.
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Glebe Road and was taken to a local trauma center, according to Arlington police spokesperson Det. Crystal Nosal.
Update at 4:20 p.m. — The northbound lanes of Glebe Road have reopened. Traffic heading northbound from Glebe and from North Randolph Street is being allowed to enter the Harris Teeter parking lot.
Update at 4:30 p.m. — An accident investigation is underway. Police with surveying equipment are taking measurements and detectives are taking photos of the striking vehicle, a large commercial Chevy pickup truck with Maryland tags.
Witnesses tell ARLnow.com that the victim was a younger man, possibly a young father, who had just left Harris Teeter with a bag of diapers. The man’s injuries appeared to be life-threatening, witnesses said. Multiple witnesses said the man may have been trying to cross the intersection of Glebe Road and Randolph Street against the light.
Update at 4:50 p.m. — The striking vehicle has been taken away by a tow truck. One southbound lane of Glebe Road has been reopened.
(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a car at the intersection of North Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive just after 1:00 this afternoon.
Bystanders who witnessed the aftermath of the accident say the victim was an older man. He was bleeding from the face when police arrived on scene, but was conscious and was able to sit up before being loaded onto an ambulance, they said.
After the man was taken to the hospital, emergency personnel hosed down the road to wash away the blood.
There was no visible damage to the striking vehicle, a red Toyota. It’s not clear whether the man was crossing the street in a crosswalk when he was struck. A police officer was taking photos of the scene about a half-hour after the accident.
This is the second pedestrian accident on that particular block of Fairfax Drive so far this week. A pedestrian was injured in a two-car accident that also knocked down a light pole on Tuesday.
Around 5:30 last night, a cyclist was apparently struck by a vehicle on Clarendon Boulevard in Courthouse, near the new Fire Works Pizza. Bystanders described the accident as minor, but seeing the man loaded into an ambulance was yet another reminder of the dangers bicyclists and pedestrians face on local roads.
In Virginia, 84 people died and more than 2,000 people were injured while walking or biking on roadways last year.
To help reduce risky driver and bicyclist behavior, the state is holding its second annual Bicyclist and Pedestrian Awareness Week, starting on Sunday.
“Lack of knowledge and risky behaviors often leads to crashes between roadway users,” the Arlington Police Department said in a statement announcing its participation in the week-long safety campaign. “Taking time to learn the laws and safety tips can save a life, especially with area schools starting back up and many students walking, cycling and driving on the roadways.”
Drive Smart Virginia has more information on traffic safety laws.
Arlington Woman Injured in N.Y. Police Car Accident — An Arlington woman was seriously injured while bicycling Monday morning in Whitney Point, N.Y. Police say the woman, 47-year-old Mary Smith of Arlington, ignored a stop sign and ran into a police cruiser that was turning left in an intersection. Smith hit the cruiser’s windshield and suffered head and neck injuries. More from WBGH in Binghamton, N.Y.
Another Arlington Cemetery Revelation — In 2008, an Arlington National Cemetery spokesperson was fired after she brought concerns about numerous problems at the cemetery to a top local Army commander, according to an internal document obtained by Salon.com. The revelation contradicts testimony by Army Secretary John McHugh, who told the House Armed Services Committee that Army brass was unaware of the severe mismanagement at the nation’s most sacred military burial ground.
Marine Corps Marathon Registration Still Available — Back in April, registration for this year’s Marine Corps Marathon sold out within six days. But in addition to the initial 30,000 slots, several thousand slots are still available for anyone willing to help out one of the marathon’s charity partners. The marathon provides bibs to more than 80 charities. Anyone who missed the initial registration can get a bib from one of the charities, in exchange for a commitment to meet certain fundraising requirements and goals.
Flick pool photo by danimal824,
A pedestrian was struck by a Envirocab taxi just before noon today. It happened just outside the Nordstrom at Pentagon City mall.
The cab driver remained on scene and was talking to police. At one point he showed officers a small dent and scratches on the front passenger’s side bumper.
The victim was taken to a local hospital via ambulance. His or her condition is unknown.
Lee Highway was shut down in the area of North Glebe Road this morning due to a pedestrian accident.
Police say a 31-year-old man and his son, a toddler, were attempting to cross Lee Highway around 9:00 when they were struck by a large vehicle, possibly a truck or a van. They were not crossing in a crosswalk, police said.
The man suffered a broken arm when he was hit by a side mirror. The child suffered a head injury when the man fell. The child is in critical condition, police said. (Updated at 3:15 p.m.)
The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene and is not expected to face any charges, although the accident remains under investigation.
The eastbound lanes of Lee Highway were closed for an extended period of time while investigators reconstructed the accident. The photos below show diagrams that investigators spray painted on the road.
A woman was hit by a Metrobus while waiting at a bus stop on South Buchanan Street in Arlington’s North Fairlington neighborhood around 10:00 this morning.
The woman was leaning over near the curb when the bus struck her in the head, Metro spokesperson Ron Holzer said.
She suffered minor cuts and was taken to a hospital, according to Holzer.
Witnesses said the woman was bleeding from the forehead when paramedics arrived.
A small crowd of commuters gathered near the scene, waiting for the bus to go back in service as Arlington police officers and Metro personnel talked to the driver and took notes.
Holzer could not say whether the driver was put on administrative leave after the accident.
An Air Force officer was hit by a car around 5:35 p.m. today in Pentagon City.
It happened underneath the I-395 overpass on 12th Street South, near South Clark Street. The victim, a man approximately 30 years old, was conscious but suffering from a head injury when first responders arrived on scene.
A witness saw the man fly across the street after being hit by an older model Honda or Toyota. Other military personnel rushed to his aid after the accident.
The driver, a woman, stayed on the scene. Her car’s windshield was smashed, the witness said.
Earlier today, in a separate incident first reported on our Twitter feed, an 88-year-old man was struck by an SUV as he tried to cross West Broad Street near North Washington Street in Falls Church. He’s now in intensive care at Inova Fairfax Hospital.
The man was not in a crosswalk and no charges have been filed, according to the Falls Church News-Press.
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on N. Glebe Road and Pershing Drive around 10:00 Thursday night. The victim’s injuries may be life-threatening, authorities said.
Police said the victim was unconscious and bleeding from the head when they arrived.
A sobriety test was performed on the driver of the striking vehicle. It’s unclear whether the driver will face any charges.
A video from the scene, after the jump.
