police

BREAKING: Yorktown High Teacher Charged with Indecent Exposure

By ARLnow.com

Yorktown teacher Thomas Lenihan and note to Yorktown HS families (photo, left, via FCPD)

A history teacher at Yorktown High School, has been charged with indecent exposure by Fairfax County Police after an incident in Tysons Corner Thursday night.

Police say Thomas Lenihan, 38, exposed himself to two teens in the locker room of the Sport & Health Club on Greensboro Drive. He was arrested on two counts of indecent exposure shortly thereafter.

Lenihan will be placed on administrative leave and will not return to Yorktown, families were told in an email, which also encouraged students who may have additional information about Lenihan to come forward.

More on the charges from the Fairfax County Police Department:

Officers were called to the 8200 block of Greensboro Drive, a Sports and Health Club, yesterday around 9:30 p.m. for a report of a man exposing himself to two juveniles in the locker room. The victims, 16 and 17 years old, told employees that a man had watched them in the shower and followed them around the locker room while exposing himself.

Officers located the suspect at the business and identified him as Thomas Lenihan, 38, of Falls Church. Lenihan is currently employed as a teacher in Arlington County at Yorktown High School. He was arrested, taken to the Adult Detention Center and charged with two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure. He was released on a $5,000 bond.

Anyone who might have witnessed this incident is asked to contact the Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131, or contact Crime Solvers electronically by visiting www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

TRAFFIC ALERT: Tree Down on Lee Highway Near Spout Run

By ARLnow.com
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Commuters heading westbound on Lee Highway and southbound on the Spout Run Parkway should expect significant delays due to a tree that fell on a car near the Lyon Village Shopping Center.

The tree fell on the car just past 6 p.m., at the height of the evening rush hour. A police officer arrived on scene shortly thereafter and reported that no one had been injured.

A traffic camera appears to show the tree down in the roadway and one lane of traffic squeezing by on the left.

https://twitter.com/travton/status/824768319676878848

Crime Report: Woman Bites Cop’s Leg in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)A woman was arrested last Thursday night and charged with biting an Arlington County police officer.

Police say the woman was in Rosslyn, arguing with someone she knew, but became “aggressive and hostile” after officers intervened.

From this week’s ACPD crime report:

ASSAULT & BATTERY ON POLICE, 2017-01190332, 1800 block of N. Nash Street. At approximately 10:06 p.m. on January 19, officers responded to the report of a dispute between two known individuals. While officers were interviewing the involved parties, the female suspect became verbally aggressive and hostile. As officers were attempting to secure her in handcuffs, the suspect allegedly bit one of the officers on the leg.  Idella Tah, 38, of an unknown address, was arrested and charged with assault on police. She is being held on no bond.

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

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Minor flooding along Pimmit Run in Arlington after a steady rain

Abingdon Closed Due to Asbestos Issue — Abingdon Elementary, which is undergoing an expansion and renovation project, is closed today due to an asbestos incident on Tuesday. “This afternoon an error was made by one of the subcontractors working on the Abingdon Elementary School project who did not appropriately handle the removal of asbestos,” parents were told in an email yesterday. “As a result, since it was close to dismissal time APS Facilities staff immediately contacted the school to have all students and staff shelter in place in their classrooms to limit movement throughout the school for the remainder of the day.” APS will conduct testing to determine whether the school can reopen Thursday.

Graffiti PSA From ACPD — Arlington County Police is reminding the public that graffiti on either public or private property should be reported to the police non-emergency line, at 703-558-2222. “Graffiti is not a new problem in Arlington but something ACPD needs your help with,” the department said. ACPD’s Gang Unit reviews all graffiti reports. [Arlington County]

Man Charged With Secretly Filming Sexual Encounter — A former Oregon congressional candidate has been charged in Arlington with secretly recording a video of himself having sex with a 22-year-old woman in his apartment. Jim Feldkamp, 53, most recently worked as an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and the woman was a student there, according to news reports. [Register-Guard, KVAL]

Metro Workers Meet at Arlington Church — A group of Metro workers met last night in an Arlington church to discuss planned budget cuts and service reductions. Said one former bus operator: “Virginia should be outraged. This is going to cause of catastrophe. All of these cuts in Virginia, it’s already gridlock.” [WJLA]

Favola Gets in Knife Fight in Richmond — State Sen. Barbara Favola (D) is speaking out against a bill that would make it legal for family members to give several types of knives — a switchblade, Bowie knife and a dirk — to children. Currently, family members can give kids guns but not those types of knives. “This is just bad public policy,” Favola said of the bill, which narrowly passed. “Why would you want to put our children at risk?” [Washington Post]

Multiple Injuries Reported in Columbia Pike Taxi Crash

By ARLnow.com
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Multiple ambulances are responding to a crash between a Red Top taxicab and a sedan in the middle of Columbia Pike at S. Dinwiddie Street.

The accident happened around 3:45 p.m., near the Arlington Mill Community Center. Several ambulances were dispatched to the scene for 3-4 people reporting injuries, none of which were considered serious, according to scanner traffic.

Columbia Pike is down to one lane in each direction and backups for westbound rush hour traffic extend nearly to George Mason Drive, according to traffic cameras. Drivers should expect significant delays in the area.

Update at 4:50 p.m. — The lanes have reopened, according to scanner traffic.

Police Investigating Body Found Near Windy Run Park

By ARLnow.com

Map of Windy Run Park (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) Police are investigating a dead body found between Windy Run Park, in north Arlington, and the banks of the Potomac River.

U.S. Park Police, as well as Arlington County police and firefighters, hiked to the scene after someone alerted authorities to a body spotted in the rocky, wooded area along the river and the GW Parkway.

The body is that of a man, according to Park Police spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Rose, contradicting initial reports that the deceased was female. Rose did not have any additional information.

Photo via Google Maps

JUST IN: Bomb Squad Investigating Suspicious Packages at Americana Hotel

By ARLnow.com

Bomb squad called to incident at Yorktown High School (file photo)Arlington’s bomb squad is on scene at the Americana Hotel in Crystal City for a suspicious package investigation.

Police requested the bomb squad respond to the hotel, at 1400 Jefferson Davis Highway, just before 5:45 p.m. to investigate several suspicious packages. Additional fire department units were requested to the scene around 6 p.m.

Police were initially called to the hotel for a suspicious person.

“There was a report [that a] male subject was acting suspiciously,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.com. “He had left the scene prior to police arrival.”

The man “left some packages behind in a hotel room,” Savage said. “In an abundance of caution, the ACFD Bomb Squad is going to investigate the packages.”

Update at 7:20 p.m. — The scene has been cleared, police said via Twitter.

File photo

Arlington Teens Arrested for Car Break-ins

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Two Arlington men in their teens have been charged with a series of car break-ins near Virginia Hospital Center.

The pair were arrested Saturday night after trying to flee from officers, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. They’re accused of breaking into at least three vehicles and stealing items.

From the crime report:

GRAND LARCENY x2 (significant), 2017-01210264, block of N. 16th Road between N. Greenbrier and N. Harrison Street. At approximately 9:52 p.m. on January 21, officers responded to the report of suspicious subjects tampering with autos in the area. Upon arrival, one subject was observed exiting a vehicle and another subject was observed nearby. As officers exited their vehicle, the subjects fled the scene on foot. One subject was caught quickly and the other was stopped by perimeter units in the area. Charles Edward Contreras, 19, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with three counts of trespassing of a motor vehicle, two counts of grand larceny, and petit larceny. He is being held on no bond. Antonio Vincente Shivers, 18, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with three counts of trespassing of a motor vehicle and petit larceny. He is being held on a $2000 secured bond.

Holiday Season Package Thefts Down

By ARLnow.com

ACPD package theft infographicReported package thefts dropped by 17 percent this past holiday season compared to a year ago, according to Arlington County Police.

There were only 19 package thefts reported to police in October, November and December of 2016, according to ACPD. During that same period in 2015, 23 package thefts were reported.

The number of package thefts in December specifically was higher: 12 reports in 2016 versus 8 reports for 2015. However, police say there was no series of package thefts, like there was in 2014 when one suspect was accused of at least 40 thefts.

Arlington police have been encouraging residents to have their packages shipped to secure locations or to take other steps to prevent criminals from stealing their holiday gift shipments.

“Package thefts are crimes of opportunity as criminals target packages left unattended,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The Arlington County Police Department recommends removing the opportunity for crime by: tracking your package so that you know when to expect it at your doorstep, requiring signature for your packages, having someone you trust accept the package, utilizing in store pickup or lockers and/or holding packages at mail facilities for pickup.”

To help spread awareness, the department created the graphic above, used its social media channels to distribute information and had its district teams reach out to residents at meetings.

Traffic Changes, Increased Police Presence Planned for Inauguration Day

By ARLnow.com

Capitol dome at night with the Pentagon in the foreground

Getting around in Arlington on Inauguration Day tomorrow shouldn’t be much of a challenge, but there will be important changes of note for those heading into the District.

VDOT has announced the following traffic changes for Friday:

  • I-395 HOV northbound lanes will close at 3 a.m. on January 20. HOV lanes on I-395 will re-open southbound upon the conclusion of the Inaugural parade.
  • HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-66 (as well as on I-395 when the lanes reopen Friday evening).
  • Memorial Bridge will be open to pedestrian traffic and authorized vehicle traffic only.

The Key Bridge and Chain Bridge will be open to all traffic, as will the I-395 main lanes and I-66.

Metrorail, meanwhile will open at 4 a.m. and will run at near-rush hour service levels through 9 p.m. The Pentagon Metro station and several stations in the District, however, will be closed for security reasons.

Arlington County has additional resources and guides for those taking transit or walking into D.C. for the inauguration.

ACPD says there are no known credible threats but is stepping up security around the county, including in Metro stations.

“Arlington County Police have increased patrols for Friday,” the department said. “There are no credible threats in the area but as with all large scale events, the public is encouraged to remain vigilant.”

“Traffic in Arlington County will be impacted on Friday and motorists should be prepared for congestion, delays and detours,” ACPD added. “Use of public transportation is encouraged. If you must drive, be sure to have a full tank of gas before you leave, or you may become stranded while waiting in traffic.”

Though many bridges are open, once drivers get into the District they will have to contend with major detours and closures, including the closure of numerous streets around the White House, the Capitol and the inaugural parade route.

Additional inauguration resources are available on the Arlington County website.

Crime Report: Woman Opens Window, Sees Man Exposing Himself

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)A woman opened her window last night only to find a man exposing himself several feet away.

The incident happened around 10 p.m. on the 1400 block of S. George Mason Drive, south of Columbia Pike.

Police say the suspect, a white male wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants, ran away after the window was opened.

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

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2017-01170265, 1400 block of S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 10:07 p.m. on January 17, officers responded to the report of an indecent exposure. A female victim opened a window inside her residence and observed a male subject, several feet from the window, exposing himself. The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction. He is described as a white male, wearing a blue t-shirt, grey sweatpants, and a dark colored winter hat. The investigation is ongoing.

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

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