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An anonymous Russian has taken over the 9/11 Memorial 5K website, leading to a drop in registrations

By Hallie LeTendre
1/4

(Updated at noon) An anonymous Russian buyer has taken the website for Arlington’s annual 9/11 Memorial 5K hostage, undermining registration for this year’s race.

When the domain name lapsed, this buyer took over the page, translated it into Russian and demanded a large sum of money from the race committee to return it, Race Director Joshua Milfeit told ARLnow.

Instead of paying, the committee decided to abandon the old “.com” web domain and buy a new “.us” domain of the same name, said Milfeit, who is also a captain with the Arlington County Fire Department.

The 5K is hosted yearly by the Arlington County police and fire departments, sheriff’s office and the Emergency Communications Center. So far, some 200 runners are registered, compared to around 1,000 sign-ups typically seen by the end of June, Milfeit said.

“We’re all fire and police, none of us are professionals at this type of thing. Now our registration is super low for this year because people can’t find us on our new website,” Milfeit said.

The original Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K website was taken over and translated into Russian

In light of this year’s confusion, the early-bird registration deadline has been extended through the month of July. Those who register before then will pay $40 per person for a spot in the race, plus a race shirt, a bib and a finisher’s medal, Milfeit said.

There is an option when registering to sign up as an individual or in a team, with all children under the age of 12 getting a $10 discount applied at checkout.

All proceeds made from registration sign ups will be donated to the Bouldercrest Retreat, a mental health facility for military and first responders.

“We cut them a $50,000 check last year,” Milfeit said.

Jose Quiroz organized the race until becoming Acting Sheriff, after former Sheriff Beth Arthur announced her early retirement. Milfeit volunteered to take on the position of race director when Quiroz had to focus on his campaign to be the next permanent Sheriff. He prevailed in last week’s Democratic primary.

Milfeit says the 5K is an important tradition for him and his colleagues.

“Fire service is all about tradition and this is one of the true traditions Arlington police, fire and 911 communication center members can all do together,” Milfeit said.

The race will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 at the DoubleTree Hotel (300 Army Navy Drive) in Pentagon City. The course loops around the Pentagon and runners cross the finish line near where they started.

Donated post-race snacks and water will be available at the finish line. A post-race party will feature a DJ, a beer truck pouring free drinks and food trucks with food for sale.

For those who can’t attend the race, a donation page has been set up to help the event reach its $25,000 goal. There is also an option to register as a virtual runner, a feature that came about after the 2020 race was made completely virtual due to Covid-19.

In the last two decades, the 9/11 Memorial 5K has donated close to $1 million to 9/11-related charities, including the Pentagon Memorial Fund, Project Enduring Pride and the National Police Suicide Foundation.

ACPD: After breaking into car, would-be thief opens home’s garage door

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A would-be thief or thieves used the electronic opener inside a car they rummaged through to open a home’s garage door, according to police.

The incident happened early Tuesday morning on the 2500 block of Military Road, near Cherrydale.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report, below.

BURGLARY, 2023-06270025, 2500 block of Military Road. At approximately 2:28 a.m. on June 27, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) gained entry into two of the victim’s vehicles, rummaged through the interiors and utilized a garage door opener to open the garage. No items were reported damaged or stolen from the garage or vehicles. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

In June 2021, Arlington police warned that they were seeing a rise in home and vehicle thefts that occur overnight when suspects find garage door openers in unlocked cars. The department said at the time that it assigned additional officers to north Arlington neighborhoods, where the crimes were taking place, adding that they arrested a group of suspects on the first night of deployment.

More than a dozen mirrors stolen from cars parked in S. Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

Residents of several south Arlington neighborhoods woke up Monday morning to find mirrors stolen from their parked cars.

The thefts happened at some point Sunday or Monday, in the Barcroft and Douglas Park neighborhoods, as well as the Shirlington area. An unknown thief or thieves stole the glass from side view mirrors of 14 vehicles, and damaged the mirrors of another three.

More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

LARCENY FROM AUTO/VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series) (Late), 2023-06260040/2023-06260075/2023-06260135/2023-06260177, 4400 block of 4th Street S./ 2500 block of S. Arlington Mill Drive/2100 block of S. Quebec Street/2800 block of S. Wakefield Street. At approximately 7:34 a.m. on June 26, police were dispatched to the late report of destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined between 12:00 p.m. on June 25 and 1:00 p.m. on June 26, the unknown suspect(s) stole the glass from the sideview mirrors of 14 vehicles and damaged the glass of the sideview mirrors of three vehicles in the area. No other items were reported damaged or stolen. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

This is not the first such theft in the county. Last month four vehicles in north Arlington had side view mirror glass stolen in a theft spree, while a fifth vehicle was damaged.

Many modern side view mirrors house sensors and other electronics that could be worth more than a thousand dollars, making them attractive to thieves.

ACPD: Bystanders intervene as suspect fights officer in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
Police on scene of assault in Clarendon on Sunday, June 25 (photo courtesy Matthew Hurtt)

A man allegedly assaulted a police officer in Clarendon last night, prompting bystanders to intervene.

The incident happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday. Police were initially dispatched to N. Danville Street near the Starbucks for a report of a potential domestic violence incident between a man and a woman.

The suspect reportedly started fighting with the first arriving officer before her backup arrived, according to scanner traffic, leading to numerous officers throughout the county speeding to the scene to assist.

Before they arrived, however, several bystanders “attempted to assist the officer as the suspect continued to struggle,” an Arlington County police spokeswoman said. The suspect was eventually taken into custody and now faces multiple charges, including assault on police and DUI.

More, below, from ACPD.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-06250225, 2600 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 7:45 p.m. on June 25, police were dispatched to the report of a dispute. The preliminary investigation indicates the male victim observed the suspect yelling at an individual inside a vehicle and banging on the vehicle’s window before the suspect entered the driver’s seat and turned the vehicle on. The victim was recording the incident with his cell phone when the suspect allegedly exited the vehicle, approached the victim and knocked his phone out of his hand. As the responding officer attempted to detain the suspect, he became combative and struggled with and assaulted the officer. Bystanders attempted to assist the officer as the suspect continued to struggle. With the assistance of additional arriving officers, the suspect was taken into custody. [The suspect], 26, of Annandale, VA was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Assault and Battery, Driving under the Influence and Obstruction of Justice. He was held on a secure bond.

JUST IN: Community activist charged with sexual assault

By ARLnow.com
Elder Julio Basurto speaks during the County Board recessed meeting in 2021 (via Arlington County)

A man well known as a local community activist has been charged with sexual assault.

Julio Basurto, 42, was arrested as part of an investigation into a sexual assault that happened early in the morning of Sunday, May 21, Arlington County police said this afternoon.

According to ACPD, Basurto picked up a woman from outside of a bar in Clarendon, then sexually assaulted her part-way through the ride. He was not working as a rideshare driver at the time, police noted.

Prior to his arrest last week, Basurto was frequently quoted by local news outlets — including ARLnow — as a community activist, often going by his church title: “Elder Julio Basurto.” He was outspoken on local issues from drug overdoses in schools to conditions in affordable apartment complexes.

Basurto worked as an interpreter, including for Arlington Public Schools, according to his LinkedIn profile. He served on an APS advisory committee, received an award from a prominent local nonprofit for his tenant advocacy, and was highlighted by a County Board member on his website’s endorsements page.

Arlington police are now actively investigating whether Basurto might have assaulted others.

“This remains an active criminal investigation possibly related to other assaults in the area,” police said in a press release. “Anyone who may have experienced a similar incident or who has had past inappropriate encounters with this suspect is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line.”

Sources tell ARLnow that Basurto’s personality took a dark turn in recent months, leading to a fallout with another local activist. Basurto has no criminal record in Arlington beyond traffic violations over the past few years, according to court records.

The full ACPD press release is below.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is announcing the arrest of a suspect in a sexual assault investigation. Julio Basurto, 42, of Arlington, VA is charged with Abduction and Forcible Sodomy. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 6:40 a.m. on May 21, police met with the adult female victim who reported a sexual assault inside an unknown vehicle. The investigation determined that during the early morning hours, the victim exited a nightlife establishment and was in the 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard when the suspect approached in a black vehicle and the victim entered. During the course of the ride, the suspect sexually assaulted her before she was able to exit the vehicle. The suspect was not operating as a rideshare driver or in a for-hire status.

During the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed evidence and conducted witness interviews. The review resulted in additional information that led detectives to identify the suspect and obtain warrants for his arrest. He was taken into custody without incident on the evening of June 22.

This remains an active criminal investigation possibly related to other assaults in the area. Anyone who may have experienced a similar incident or who has had past inappropriate encounters with this suspect is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

Basurto’s most recent Twitter post was of a bible verse.

Arlington police can now refer kids to restorative programs outside the juvenile justice system

By Jo DeVoe
A police officer plays a game of pickup basketball with local kids in 2018 (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) A new youth program could divert youth who commit misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies from the juvenile legal system.

Arlington police will be able to refer offending juveniles to local programs aimed at holding youth accountable outside of the court system, according to a press release from the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA).

“Community-based diversion is critical to community policing because it recognizes young people’s capacity for change,” the organization said in a statement. “Community-based diversion also reduces the possibility of collateral consequences arising from legal system involvement, which can have lasting, and often unexpected, effects on a youth throughout their life.”

CYFA works Arlington County’s juvenile court services unit to provide a variety of youth-led programs, through which kids who acknowledge wrongdoing can make amends and rejoin their communities.

It offers programs such as “Youth Peer Court,” in which trained teens occupy the roles of prosecutor and defense attorney, judge and jury and help develop a plan the juvenile follows to repair the harm he or she committed.

Now, police will be able to refer kids to that program and another, in which kids learn how to facilitate conversations about issues impacting teens by those harmed and those doing the harm.

The nonprofit says its new partnership with ACPD, in the works since 2019, is a “radical change” in how Arlington County addresses delinquent behavior in kids and prevents them from being involved in the formal juvenile legal system.

Until recently, for instance, police officers were in Arlington Public Schools. The intent was to maintain school safety and provide mentorship, though there were community concerns that the school presence resulted in racial disparities in juvenile arrests.

For the police department, the CYFA partnership is a new way to stay involved in the lives of children without involving the full weight of the courts.

“ACPD recognizes that using restorative justice programs for particular incidents involving youth provides an opportunity to divert youth from the criminal justice system while still holding them accountable for their actions and providing persons who have been harmed an opportunity to be actively involved in the resolution of their case,” department spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.

The two organizations will work together to educate locals about how to also utilize these two programs when police are not involved, CYFA says.

The nonprofit says the partnership advances the aims of the county’s Police Practices Group, which suggested more than 100 ways to reform policing in Arlington.

“It creates space to reframe police response from adversarial to solution-focused and provides an opportunity to shift cultural and societal reliance on police resources,” CYFA said.

In a Facebook post, the organization provided a “shoutout” to several officers within ACPD for their work to stand up the program, as well as to Chief Andy Penn and Deputy Chief Wayne Vincent “for their tremendous work on strategic planning.”

The organization additionally thanked County Manager Mark Schwartz and the Arlington County Board for supporting its efforts.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Shove seriously injures innocent bystander near East Falls Church Metro

By ARLnow.com
File photo

An enraged man shoved an innocent bystander, seriously injuring them, after an argument with someone else on a bus.

That’s according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report. The alleged incident happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday near the East Falls Church Metro station.

The 29-year-old suspect was latest arrested.

From ACPD:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-06200252, 2000 block of N. Sycamore Street. At approximately 8:07 p.m. on June 20, police were dispatched to an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect was engaged in a verbal dispute on a bus. After exiting, the suspect allegedly pushed the victim, who was not involved in the initial dispute, to the ground before fleeing the scene on foot. The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital. The suspect was located in the area and detained with the assistance of the City of Falls Church Police Department. He sustained minor injuries and did not require medical attention. [The suspect], 29, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding.

NOW: Police searching for pursuit suspect near Air Force Memorial

By ARLnow.com
Police vehicles seen near the Air Force Memorial amid a search for a pursuit suspect

Virginia State Police, assisted by Arlington County police, are searching the area around the Air Force Memorial for a suspect who fled a pursuit and crash.

Initial reports suggest that state police gave chase to a suspect seen driving the wrong way in or near the Pentagon south parking lot. That suspect then crashed his vehicle at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Joyce Street, but fled on foot.

Police have established a perimeter and have called in the Fairfax County police helicopter to try to track down the suspect, according to scanner traffic and a flight tracking website.

The search was still in progress as of 11:45 p.m.

JUST IN: Woman stabbed to death in Virginia Square apartment building

By ARLnow.com
File photo

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) A man is in custody and a woman is dead after an early morning stabbing in Virginia Square.

The grisly incident happened around 5 a.m. at Terwilliger Place, the recently built apartment building on the American Legion Post 139 site at 3445 Washington Blvd.

Police were called for a stabbing at an apartment that had a history of domestic violence calls, according to initial reports, then arrived to find a horrific crime scene in a hallway and an unresponsive, critically injured woman.

The man was arrested by officers in the lobby, according to scanner traffic. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were still on scene investigating as of 8 a.m. This is the second reported homicide in Arlington so far this year, after one in the Buckingham neighborhood in March.

Arlington County police issued the following press release about the homicide this afternoon.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing the arrest of a suspect following an investigation into a domestic-related homicide in Ballston-Virginia Square. Alimamy Fornah, 35, of Arlington, VA has been charged with Murder.

At approximately 4:58 a.m. on June 19, police were dispatched to the 3400 block of Washington Boulevard for the report of a stabbing. The preliminary investigation indicates the victim and suspect were inside their shared apartment when they became involved in a verbal dispute, during which the suspect stabbed the victim resulting in lacerations. Responding officers located the critically injured victim in the hallway of the residential building and immediately attempted lifesaving measures before she was pronounced deceased on scene. The suspect was located in the building and taken into custody without incident. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries considered non-life threatening.

The victim has been identified as Shontae Crawford, 37, of Arlington, VA. Cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

This is the second homicide in Arlington County in 2023. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).  For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

A man of the same name and approximate age as Fornah was arrested in 2013 and charged with abducting a then-26-year-old woman and her young son from a preschool in Prince William County.

Pike Blues Fest, prostate cancer run/walk are happening this weekend

By ARLnow.com
Crowds at the 2019 Columbia Pike Blues Festival (courtesy of the Columbia Pike Partnership)

The annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival is this Saturday and will result in some road closures.

From our previous article:

The annual summer music festival is set to take place on June 17 this year and will span several Columbia Pike blocks. It will feature a collection of performances, local food, beer, and family-friendly activities, as it usually does.

This year’s headliner is Judith Hill, a singer and songwriter featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” She’s performed and worked with John Legend, Josh Groban, Prince, and Michael Jackson and has self-produced several of her own albums.

Also playing at the festival are Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers, local blues guitarist Bobby Thompson, Gayle Harrod Band, and Spice Cake Blues.

A number of local restaurants will be providing food and drinks, including New District Brewing.

Arlington County police will be on scene, helping with road closures and traffic control.

From an ACPD press release:

The 2023 Columbia Pike Blues Festival will take place on Saturday, June 17, and will begin at approximately 1:00 p.m. The following roadways will be closed from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in order to accommodate the event:

  • S. Walter Reed Drive, from 9th Street S. to Columbia Pike
    Southbound Walter Reed Drive, from 7th Street S. to 9th Street S. – local traffic only and handicapped drop-off for the event.
  • 9th Street S., from S. Highland Street to S. Walter Reed Drive
  • 9th Road S., from S. Garfield Street to S. Walter Reed Drive.

Another sizable event, the 2023 Zero Prostate Cancer 5k Run/Walk, is planned on Saturday and will result in morning road closures in Pentagon City.

From ACPD:

The 2023 Zero Prostate Cancer 5k Run/Walk will take place on Saturday, June 17. The following roadways will be closed in order to accommodate the event:

From approximately 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

  • S. Joyce Street, between 15th Street S. and Army Navy Drive

From approximately 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

  • Army Navy Drive, between S. Joyce Street and 25th Street S.

Race attendees and spectators are encouraged to use public or other forms of multimodal transportation, as street parking around the event will be limited. Paid parking is available in the garage at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for those choosing to drive.

“The public should expect to see an increased police presence in the area, and motorists are urged to follow law enforcement direction, be mindful of closures, and remain alert for increased pedestrian traffic,” the police department said of the events. “Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary ‘No Parking’ signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.”

Pedestrian crash near Ballston prompts a stop sign and temporary police presence

By Jo DeVoe
1/16

On a Thursday morning two weeks ago, there was a notable police presence at the intersection of N. Vermont Street and N. Carlin Springs Road.

Officers were watching for people blowing through a new stop sign, which was added in late May at the site of a crash where a driver struck a mother pushing her baby in a stroller.

This is the latest update for the intersection, which has been an “ongoing” location for investigations due to the high number of crashes there, according to Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien.

Now, instead of two stop signs, the intersection has four.

“We made several improvements in early 2021 and have been monitoring the intersection,” O’Brien said. “Due to recent crashes and an updated safety analysis, we analyzed the intersection for an all-way stop and found that it met the conditions. The signs were installed end of May and we are continuing to monitor the intersection.”

Previous improvements included installing “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs on the existing stop signs and installing additional “Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk” neon warning flags and upgraded existing pedestrian warning signs, DES spokesman Peter Golkin said.

Everything, basically, but adding new stop signs.

Now, with the new all-way stop in place, DES is working with the Arlington County Police Department to educate drivers about the traffic change, she said.

“This includes in-person education from officers and variable messaging signage,” she said.

In the relatively short time that ARLnow was out there two weeks ago, three or four drivers who blew the stop sign were pulled over. Now two weeks into June, the variable messaging sign boards alerting drivers to the change are still up.

As part of the county’s goal to end serious and fatal crashes by 2030, known as Vision Zero, this intersection has been investigated as both a “hot spot” and as part of the county’s “high-injury network,” two designations for places with high rates of crashes.

Meanwhile, ACPD has its own list of dicey intersections, collectively known as “Traffic Accident Reduction Program” or TARP intersections, to determine where to send officers and other resources.

These “are generally higher frequency crash locations where enforcement is determined to be useful in reducing overall crash volume,” says ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Some of these crash-prone intersections have pedestrians crossing multiple wide traffic lanes, or roads that merge with highways, along faded crosswalks. In others, cars have to navigate atypical traffic patterns.

The police department’s list of crash-prone “TARP” intersection includes the following. (more…)

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