police

Photos: Trash Truck Smashes into Cars Near Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
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(Updated at 12:10 p.m.) A trash truck smashed into a half dozen cars near Rosslyn this morning.

The crash was reported just after 11 a.m., at the intersection of N. Nash Street and the Arlington Blvd access road, in Ft. Myer Heights.

The truck was going up the steep hill on N. Nash Street when it lost its momentum and started rolling down, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Ben O’Bryant.

On the way down it struck five vehicles, destroyed part of a stone wall and came to a stop in an apartment building parking lot. It also pushed at least one vehicle over a retaining wall and onto the street and sidewalk below.

Police and firefighters are on scene and the intersection is closed to traffic during the cleanup. The driver of the truck is currently being evaluated for injuries, O’Bryant said.

Photos via @idlelupino, Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Petition in Support of Affordable Housing Project — The website Greater Greater Washington is helping to promote a petition that intends to counter resident complaints about a proposed affordable housing project on the former Red Cross site along Route 50. Neighbors are concerned that the project might “defile” the Buckingham neighborhood, with increased traffic and school overcrowding and a loss of green space. [GGW, GGW]

‘A Friend’ Writes Thank You Note to ACPD — From the Arlington County Police Department Twitter account: “To the citizen who left this unexpected note on one of our cruisers, thank you. ACPD is grateful for the support we receive from the community and small gestures like this mean a lot to our officers.” [Twitter]

Arlingtonian Places 23rd at Boston — Among other impressive finishes by Arlington residents at the Boston Marathon on Monday, Graham Tribble finished 23rd with a time of 2:30:06, the fastest among the D.C. area contingent at the prestigious race. [RunWashington, Patch]

High Schools Students Learning How to Spot Fake News — “At Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, outside Washington, some high school seniors are bent over their laptops, engaged in a digital course called Checkology that helps them figure out what makes news and information real, misleading or just plain false.” [Voice of America]

Elementary Girls Heading to Int’l Problem Solving Competition — “An all-girls engineering team from Glebe Elementary School is heading to the 2018 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals where they will compete with students from nearly 25 countries… The team of fourth graders from Glebe, who are all ages 9 or 10, became state champions last weekend at the Virginia Odyssey of the Mind competition, which was held April 14 in Newport News.” [Arlington Public Schools]

ACPD Forms ‘Restaurant Liaison Unit’ — The Arlington County Police Department has formed a “Restaurant Liaison Unit” to work with local bars to tamp down on drunken and sometimes violent incidents. One Clarendon bar in particular had police responding to it for a call almost every other day in 2017. [Washington City Paper, Twitter]

Glebe Lane Closure Causes Backups — Commuters heading northbound on Glebe Road today faced major backups due to a lane closure near Ballston. Washington Gas has been performing emergency repairs in the roadway since Wednesday. [Twitter, Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Rex Block

Crime Report: Pepper Spraying, Knife Brandishing in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:05 p.m.) Two people were pepper sprayed and had a knife pulled on them in Rosslyn Saturday night.

The suspect was someone the pair knew and the incident happened after an argument, police said.

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

MALICIOUS WOUNDING BY CAUSTIC AGENT (late), 2018-04140296, 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on April 14, police were dispatched to the late report of a malicious wounding. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 10:20 p.m., following a dispute between known individuals, the suspect sprayed the two victims with a caustic agent. The suspect subsequently brandished a knife before fleeing the area. Neither victim required medical treatment. Warrants for Malicious/Unlawful Wounding by Caustic Agent and Attempted Malicious/Unlawful Wounding were obtained for the suspect.

Early Monday morning, two men broke into Nova Armory in Lyon Park. Nothing was stolen from the gun store, police said.

BURGLARY, 2018-04160016, 2300 block of N. Pershing Drive. At approximately 1:53 a.m. on April 16, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that two unknown suspects forced entry to a business, causing damage. Nothing was reported missing from the business. The suspects fled prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a black male, approximately 5’10”-6’0″and 150-175 lbs., wearing a skullcap, gray pants and a dark jacket. Suspect Two is described as a black male, approximately 5’7″-5’9″ and 150-175 lbs., wearing a jersey. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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ACPD Releases Sketch of Attempted Abduction Suspect

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police have released a composite sketch of a man who allegedly tried to abduct a woman in the Ballston area on April 1.

Police say a woman was walking along the 600 block of N. Oxford Street on a Sunday afternoon when a man “grabbed her from behind and attempted to pull her towards his vehicle.” The woman managed to get away and called police.

Police distributed a sketch and a description of the suspect Wednesday afternoon.

“The suspect is described as a black male in his 20’s, approximately 5’9″ to 6’0″ tall with shoulder-length deadlocks with red tips,” ACPD said in a press release. “He was wearing a black shirt, light gray zip up hoodie and dark gray sweatpants at the time of the incident.”

“Anyone with information on the identify of this suspect is asked to contact Detective G. Sloan at 703.228.4198 or at [email protected],” the press release added.

Police Release Video of Sneaker Store Theft and Arson Suspect

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Police Department has released surveillance video of a man suspected in an arson case along Columbia Pike.

The man is accused of breaking into the Legend Kicks and Apparel store early last Friday morning, stealing merchandise and then setting the store on fire. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze after being alerted to it by a passerby.

In the video released by police (above), the man can be seen ambling down Columbia Pike after exiting the store. A bag full of apparently pilfered merchandise breaks as he approaches the camera. As the man bends down to pick it up, a portion of his rear end is blurred by police.

Legend Kicks is a relatively new store but had quickly grown a loyal customer base, particularly among younger people.

“They were getting quite a following by ‘sneakerheads’ in the area,” one nearby resident told ARLnow.com. “They had some very valuable stock. It’s such a shame.”

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

Two Arrested for ATM Skimming Scheme in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Two Florida residents have been arrested after police say they were seen using a card “skimming” device on an ATM machine in Shirlington.

Gheorghe Cosmin-Dacian and Cristian Roman, both 35 years old, were arrested during a subsequent traffic stop and now face multiple charges.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

FRAUD (Significant), 2018-04100224, 2700 block of S. Quincy Street. On April 10, police were conducting a follow-up investigation after a skimming device had been located on an ATM in the 2700 block of S. Quincy Street earlier that day. Officers observed one of the suspects, who had been previously captured on surveillance, approach the ATM multiple times. The suspect then fled the scene in an awaiting vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the two occupants were taken into custody. Gheorghe Cosmin-Dacian, 35, and Cristian Nicola Roman, 35, both of Jacksonville, Florida were arrested and charged with identity theft, credit card theft, credit card forgery and unlawful use of payment card scanning devices. The suspects were held without bond.

Update at 6:40 p.m. — The photo above has been corrected. Police inadvertently sent a photo of a different individual with the same name as one of the suspects.

Shopper in Pentagon City Confronts Alleged Dressing Room Peeper

By ARLnow.com

A shopper at a store in the Pentagon City mall confronted a man after she found a cell phone in her dressing room with its camera pointing upwards.

Police say the confrontation happened around 8 p.m. Wednesday. The man denied involvement and walked off.

“The investigation is ongoing,” police said.

More from the Arlington County Police Department:

UNLAWFUL FILMING, 2018-04110221, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 7:57 p.m. on April 11, police were dispatched to the report of a peeping tom. Upon arrival, it was determined that while the female victim was in a dressing room, she observed a cell phone on the floor with its camera pointing upwards. The victim confronted the male subject in the dressing room next to hers who denied involvement in the incident. The subject fled the scene prior to police arrival. The subject is described as an Asian male, approximately 5’9″, with a heavy accent, clean shaven with scars on his face, wearing a dark jacket, dark jeans, and carrying a backpack on his back. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flooding Closes Roads, Prompts Warning — Updated at 8:45 a.m. — Many Arlington residents may be bleary-eyed this morning after being woken up twice overnight: once by thunder, and another time by a Flash Flood Warning that sounded on many phones. Heavy rain caused flooding that prompted the temporary closure of I-66 in Arlington and the HOV lanes of I-395 just before the 14th Street Bridge. A Flood Warning remains in effect until 11:45 a.m. as additional rain is expected this morning. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

Crystal City ‘Makes Parking Garages Cool Again’ — Some national press for the Crosshairs Garage Races in Crystal City: “Unbeknownst to the few at street level, there’s a crowd gathering in a parking garage below an unremarkable office building. Inside, giant speakers blast rock music. Cow bells ring. There’s whooping and hollering, there’s pie and beer–and there are bikes everywhere.” [Citylab]

County Employee Recognized for Preventing Abuse — “Cheryl Fuentes, who has been working in the Arlington County government for more than a quarter-century changing the lives of parents and children, was honored as Arlington’s 2018 ‘Ally in Prevention’ by Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia.” [InsideNova]

APS Finalists for WaPo Awards — Hoffman-Boston principal Kimberley Graves and Thomas Jefferson Middle School teacher Timothy Wyatt Cotman, Jr. are among the finalists for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year awards. [Washington Post]

ACPD to Hold Award Ceremony — “The Arlington County Police Department will hold its annual Principles of Government Service Awards (PGSA) Ceremony on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, at 7 p.m. The ceremony recognizes the achievements of police personnel in service to the community and highlights the Department’s dedicated pledge of duty, honor and commitment.” [Arlington County]

Photo courtesy Kathleen Branch

Here are the Roads that Will Be Closed for Races This Weekend

By Anna Merod

Two 5K races will be prompting road closures in parts of Arlington on Saturday morning.

The 2018 Bishop O’Connell 5K race will take place between 7:30-10:30 a.m. The following roads will be closed for the race, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

  • Williamsburg Blvd. will be closed to eastbound traffic from N. Underwood St. to N. Sycamore St.
  • Little Falls Rd. will be closed from Sycamore St. to Washington Blvd.
  • 26th St. will be closed from N. Sycamore St. to Washington Blvd.
  • Underwood St. will be closed from N. 24th St. to Williamsburg Blvd.

The 2018 Bunny Hop 5K race will take place from 7-10 a.m. For that race, ACPD said the following roads will be closed.

  • Pershing Drive, from N. Highland Street to N. Oakland Street
  • Irving Street, from N. 9th Road to N. 2nd Road
  • Jackson Street, from Rt. 50 to N. 2nd Road
  • Highland Street, from N. 9th Street to N. 9th Road
  • 5th Street, from N. Irving Street to N. Oakland Street
  • 9th Road, between N. Irving Street and N. Highland Street
  • 9th Street, Between N. Irving Street and N. Highland Street
  • 2nd Road, between N. Irving Street and N. Jackson Street

Part of the Bunny Hop 5K will run through the Columbia Gardens Cemetery. Visitors will be able to walk through the cemetery, but car traffic will be directed by race personnel. There will also be parking restrictions along N. Irving Street between 6th Street N. and 9th Road N..

For both races, residents will be escorted through traffic closures and are encouraged to park their cars in driveways to reduce road congestion.

Photos courtesy Arlington County

Police Looking for Man Seen Masturbating Near Elementary School

By ARLnow.com

Police were called to the area around Abingdon Elementary School in Fairlington yesterday for a report of a man seen masturbating in his car.

The incident happened around 2 p.m. and initial reports suggested the man was staring at the school when spotted by the witness. He drove off before police arrived.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-04120144, 28th Road S. at S. Abingdon Street. At approximately 2:06 p.m. on April 12, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was walking in the area when she observed an unknown male suspect masturbating inside his vehicle. The suspect fled the area prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 30’s. He was driving a blue sedan. The investigation is ongoing.

There have been a number of similar incidents recently, but it is unclear whether any are linked.

“All cases of indecent exposure are assigned to the Special Victims Unit for follow-up investigation and they will work to determine if the case is linked to any other reports in Arlington County,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.com.

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