police chase

Arlington Teen Arrested After Wild Police Chase

By Katie Pyzyk

Police car (file photo)An 18-year-old Arlington resident has been arrested after allegedly leading police on a wild chase overnight, which ended up with an officer needing medical attention.

Police received a call around 12:40 a.m. on Wednesday saying that the suspect, later identified as Victor Solano, was attempting to drive his Chrysler 300 into the yard of a garden style apartment near the 4600 block of 20th Road N., near the Lee Heights Shops.

In the process of trying to back out of the yard, he reportedly struck two vehicles and then drove away. One of the struck vehicles was occupied and the person inside called 911, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Police saw Solano’s vehicle nearby and attempted a traffic stop, but he struck another vehicle and the police cruiser, then fled in his vehicle, according to Sternbeck. A police chase ensued.

Another officer saw Solano’s vehicle during the police pursuit and managed to stop him briefly between a police cruiser, a fence and a power pole near 16th Street N. and N. Culpeper Street. The officer got out of his cruiser and gave verbal commands, but Solano allegedly ignored the commands. Instead, police say Solano accelerated, jumped the curb and ran over the officer’s foot. He then allegedly struck the same police cruiser he had hit earlier and again fled.

Police say Solano eventually wrecked his vehicle around 18th Street N. and N. Cameron Street, then attempted to flee on foot. Two police officers took him into custody, and he was transported to Virginia Hospital Center with minor bumps and bruises.

The officer whose foot was run over was also transported to the hospital for X-rays. He sustained minor injuries but is expected to remain on duty. The officer who was in the cruiser that was hit twice did not sustain injuries.

Solano has been charged with DUI, reckless driving, felony eluding and assault on a police officer.

Police Chase Ends in Crystal City Wreck

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A police chase that started in D.C. ended with a wreck at a busy Crystal City intersection.

U.S. Park Police had chased the car from D.C. to Crystal City when, just before 8:30 p.m., it was broadsided by a Jeep at the intersection of Jefferson Davis Highway and 23rd Street S. The fleeing vehicle slammed into a gas pump at the Exxon station at the southwest corner of the intersection. Three men ran from the car, with one dropping a gun on the ground in the process.

The wreck caused a fuel spill but did not cause a fire. An occupant of the Jeep was transported to George Washington University Hospital with serious injuries, according to Arlington County Fire Department Battalion Chief Daniel Fitch.

While the suspects were fleeing, Fitch said, a U.S. Park Police offer was involved in a separate crash at Jefferson Davis Highway and 20th Street. The officer was injured and transported to Virginia Hospital Center.

A third accident, possibly caused by a driver distracted by the subsequent police search for the suspects, occurred at 25th Street and S. Fern Street. No injuries were reported in that crash.

According to NBC 4, two of the three suspects have been apprehended, while one remains at large. A police helicopter was brought in to help search for the suspects.

BREAKING: Vehicle Pursuit Ends on I-395

By ARLnow.com

traffic-cam(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) A vehicle pursuit has ended on I-395 near the 14th Street Bridge.

The pursuit began when the suspect vehicle rammed an Arlington County Police cruiser near N. Barton and Pershing Drive, in Lyon Park, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The vehicle, a late model Honda Accord, slammed into the front passenger side of the cruiser after the officer attempted to pull it over for a traffic stop, Sternbeck said. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, though Sternbeck described the damage as “significant.”

Arlington County officers then chased the vehicle to I-395. The chase ended after officers set up a “rolling roadblock” in the northbound lanes, just before the suspects crossed into D.C.’s jurisdiction.

Police activity is currently blocking all but one northbound HOV lane just before the 14th Street Bridge. Police have two suspects in custody, both District of Columbia residents, Sternbeck said. The men are expected to be charged with felony hit and run.

It is normally Arlington County Police policy to not pursue fleeing vehicles except in special circumstances.

Police Pursuit Ends in Front of Va. Square Metro

By ARLnow.com

A police chase ended in front of the Virginia Square Metro station early this morning.

Virginia State Police were pursuing a vehicle on eastbound I-66 around 1:15 a.m. when it  exited onto Glebe Road in Arlington. The fleeing driver was then involved in a collision with another vehicle near the intersection of Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive, according to scanner traffic.

The chase ended when the driver apparently tried to bail out near the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Monroe Street, in front of the Virginia Square Metro station. Police apprehended the man in front of the station’s elevator entrance, according to a witness. Arlington County police were not involved in the chase, ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said, but did arrive on the scene after the driver bailed out.

No injuries were reported as a result of the crash at Glebe and Fairfax. So far there’s no word on charges against the driver, nor what prompted him to flee.

Photo courtesy Drew Murray

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Contractor Says ART Drivers Weren’t Fired — The contractor that operates the Arlington Transit bus service says 23 striking drivers were suspended pending an investigation, not fired, as the drivers claim. ART reports that it is operating this morning with minimal delays on most bus lines. [Washington Post, Arlington Transit]

No Republicans Stepping Up for Board Race — County Board incumbents Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada are still without a Republican challenger. Today is the local GOP’s self-imposed deadline to find a candidate for the race. [Washington Examiner]

Activist Wants to Make Board Race About Libraries — Local activist Shelley Wade has one goal this fall: to make sure Walter Tejada gets slightly more votes than Mary Hynes. Wade is waging her one-woman campaign to draw attention to the fact that the Board only approved a partial restoration of library hours this year (effective July 5), rather than the full restoration she was hoping for. [Sun Gazette]

Man Wanted in Arlington Arrested After Chase — A man wanted for property crimes in Arlington has been arrested after a wild police chase that started in Loudoun County and ended with a three-car crash in West Virginia. [WJLA]

Shelves Stocked at New Pike Giant — The shelves of the new Giant on Columbia Pike have been stocked. The store has a grand opening set for Friday, June 24th, but may quietly open its doors before that date. [Pike Wire]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Crime Report: Creeps, Bigots and Car Chases Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a young man with a “baby face” exposed himself to a woman in Clarendon, followed her, and then ran off.

INDECENT EXPOSURE 04/05/11, 1000 block of N. Highland Street. On April 5 at 1 am, a woman was walking home when an unknown man jumped out from behind a tree. He exposed himself to her and followed her for a short time. The suspect is described as a white male around 20 years old, 5’8”, 140 lbs, with a “baby face”. He was wearing a dark sweater, jeans, and round gold framed glasses.

On Wednesday, March 30, a teenager in the Leeway Overlee area was spit on and called a racial slur by another teen.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY 03/30/11, 2400 block of N. Harrison Street. On March 30 at 5:25 pm, a teenager spit on the leg of another teenager and called him a racial slur. The suspect is described as a 17 year-old white male, 5’10” and 250 lbs. He was wearing jeans, a black baseball cap and black framed glasses.

Last Thursday two guys tried to flee from the police in the Penrose area. One of the suspects was caught and charged with pot possession and felony eluding.

ASSAULT ON POLICE-ARREST 03/31/11, 2300 block of S. 2nd Street. On March 31 at 2:30 am, police conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle drove off while the officers were touching the vehicle. The driver and passenger fled on foot and left their car at a dead end. One subject was apprehended. Raymond Harris, 39, of Danville, was charged with Possession of Marijuana and Conspiring to Commit Felony Eluding. He was held without bond.

See the rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

(more…)

Crime Report: Grand Theft Auto Edition

By ARLnow.com

This week’s Arlington County crime report has an item that sounds like it could have happened in the video game Grand Theft Auto. Police say two men in a stolen car led them on a chase and then crashed.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO-ARREST 10/25/10, 4500 block of Fairfax Drive. On October 25 at 11:30 pm, two men were seen in a stolen vehicle. When police attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled and crashed. Both suspects were apprehended. Gustavo Lopez, 18, of Annandale, was charged with Eluding, Possession of Burglarious Tools, and Grand Larceny of an Automobile. Jesse Rodriguez, 21, of Arlington, was charged with Eluding and Grand Larceny of an Automobile. They were both held without bond.

Elsewhere, a dispute over a parking spot escalated to the point where police say one man drew a weapon.

BRANDISHING-ARREST 10/21/10, 5200 block of Lee Highway. On October 21 at 8:30 am, a man brandished a handgun at another man after an argument regarding parking. James Garvie, Sr., 72, of Arlington, was charged with brandishing a Weapon. He was released on a summons to appear in court.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

(more…)

BREAKING NEWS — Police Pursue Stolen Car into Old Town Alexandria Following Armed Robbery

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:50 p.m.) Two men in a stolen SUV led Arlington police on a rare car chase into the pedestrian-clogged streets of Old Town Alexandria.

The chase began after a lookout for a dark red SUV was broadcast from an apparent armed robbery that occurred at the Best Western on South Glebe Road around 8:00 p.m. The suspect “implied” a weapon during the robbery, according to Arlington Police spokesperson Crystal Nosal.

Officers spotted the vehicle on Route 50 then chased it from the George Washington Parkway, past National Airport and into Old Town Alexandria.

The driver of the stolen vehicle caused a Volvo to crash at Cameron and North Royal Streets, then slammed into a wall next to a parking lot, police said. The two passengers in the Volvo suffered minor injuries.

After the crash, one suspect fled into nearby Alexandria City Hall. A terrified cleaning crew ran out of the building as police surrounded the area and a U.S. Park Police helicopter hovered overhead.

“Alexandria police officers and police K-9s went inside and located him,” Nosal said. “He was injured by a K-9 bite and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.”

The second suspect stayed in the vehicle and was taken into custody by Arlington police.

“The driver booked,” said Jack Coopersmith, a witness. “The guy in the back — they had shotguns on him and everything, and they took him down.”

The vehicle is believed to have been carjacked in Prince George’s County earlier this morning.

1/8

(more…)