police

ACPD Planning Sobriety Checkpoint Friday

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police Department badgeThe Arlington County Police Department will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in the county Friday night.

ACPD says any driver suspected of DUI will have to pull over for additional observation and testing.

From a press release:

On Friday, March 4th, 2016, the Arlington County Police Department will conduct a joint sobriety checkpoint.  These enforcement efforts are in support of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National crackdown program on drunk driving that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.

Officers will stop all vehicles passing through the checkpoint and ask to see the licenses of drivers.  Any driver suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be directed to a safe area off the roadway for further observation and possible testing for intoxication.

The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction for driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges.

Media Denied Access to Lyon Park Community Meeting About Gun Store

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 12:25 p.m.) Members of the media were denied access to a Lyon Park community meeting about the controversial plan to open a gun shop in the neighborhood Sunday night.

The meeting was attended by County Board Chair Libby Garvey, Vice Chair Jay Fisette, County Manager Mark Schwartz, Police Chief Jay Farr and Del. Patrick Hope. The owner of the planned gun store at 2300 N. Pershing Drive, Nova Armory, was reportedly out of town and unable to attend.

An ARLnow.com reporter who tried to attend the event, at the privately-owned Lyon Park Community Center, was not allowed in the building. A community member shut the door when the reporter tried to ask about the prohibition on media. Those working the door at the event checked IDs and only allowed Lyon Park and Ashton Heights residents inside.

A short time after seeking access, the reporter and almost a dozen other non-community members — an Arlington resident who runs an anti-gun-store Facebook page and several members of the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League — were removed from the Lyon Park property by police upon a neighborhood representative’s request.

Initially, on Friday, the meeting was advertised as a public County Board meeting, as required by law when a majority of the County Board is planning to attend. On Saturday, that public notice was rescinded.

“Notice is hearby given that the County Board of Arlington County, Virginia, will NOT meet on Sunday, February 28, 2016 in the Lyon Park Community Center, 414 North Fillmore Street., at 7:00 P.M. or as soon thereafter for the purpose of attending a Lyon Park Community meeting to discuss NOVA Armory’s plans to open a firearms store at 2300 Pershing Dr,” the public notice read.

ARLnow.com reached out to the elected officials who attended the meeting, asking about what was discussed, but thus far none has responded on the record. On Friday, Arlington County issued a statement saying that due to state law, the county “does not have the authority to prohibit these sales or businesses.”

(Also in attendance at the meeting: Lyon Park resident, Planning Commission member and Democratic County Board challenger Erik Gutshall, who has said he’s “deeply concerned” with plans for the store.)

John Goldener, president of the Lyon Park Citizens Association, spoke to ARLnow.com after the meeting, which ran from 7-9 p.m. and was attended by about 140 residents, he said.

Goldener declined to provide details about the discussion, saying that the civic association purposely excluded outsiders because the meeting was intended to be a safe space for community members to discuss the gun store.

“All I can tell you is what the meeting was about,” Goldener said. “This was an opportunity for people in the community to have a safe, civil discussion.”

“The civic association’s role here is to be a facilitator,” Goldener added. “We don’t take a stance on this particular issue.”

(more…)

Man Arrested for Aug. 2015 Sexual Assault in Buckingham

By ARLnow.com

Santos Efrain Vasquez-Lopez (photo courtesy ACPD)Arlington County Police have made an arrest in the Aug. 1, 2015 sexual assault of a woman in the Buckingham neighborhood.

It was initially believed that the Aug. 1 case may have been related to another series of sexual assaults last summer. A suspect was arrested in October and charged in some of those crimes. (That suspect, Melvin Perez Bonilla, is still in jail and due in court today to face charges in a July 25 assault on N. Scott Street, police say.)

Investigators now believe that separate suspects were each responsible for a separate series of assaults.

Police say the man just taken into custody, 19-year-old Santos Efrain Vasquez-Lopez, may have also sexually assaulted women along the W&OD Trail. ACPD is asking anyone with information about him to come forward.

From a press release:

The Arlington County Police Department arrested and charged a 19 year-old subject with abduction with the intent to defile for his role in a sexual assault incident last summer. Santos Efrain Vasquez-Lopez, 19, of Arlington, VA is currently being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

The attack occurred on August 1, 2015 in the 4300 block of N. Pershing Drive at approximately 11:26 p.m. As the 25-year-old victim was walking home, the suspect grabbed her from behind and pushed her to the ground. The suspect held her down, covered her mouth, and attempted to remove her shorts. The victim was able to bite one of the suspect’s hands before he fled the area on foot.

Investigators assigned to the Tactical Unit and detectives assigned to the Special Victims Unit were able to identify a suspect matching the description provided by the victim. Police were able to secure DNA analysis results from the state lab, confirming Vasquez-Lopez’s involvement in the incident. Tactical Unit officers took Vasquez-Lopez into custody at his residence in the late evening hours of February 24, 2016.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating Vasquez-Lopez’s possible involvement in a series of assaults along the bike trail last summer and additional charges may be pending. Anyone who has information regarding this incident or concerning Vasquez-Lopez is asked to call Detective Bercovicz at 703.228.4235 or email [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Hall Park (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

ACPD Shrouding Badges for Fallen Officer — The Arlington County Police Department is shrouding its badges to pay respect to Ashley Guindon, the rookie Prince William County police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Saturday. [Twitter]

Tourism Tax Authorization Passes Legislature — With bipartisan lobbying help from County Board member John Vihstadt (I), a measure reauthorizing Arlington’s hotel tax surcharge has passed the Virginia General Assembly. Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) still must sign the bill into law, and Arlington will have to get it reauthorized in two years due to a sunset clause. The tax will help fund Arlington’s tourism promotion efforts. [InsideNova]

Laich Traded to Toronto — Just a couple of days after he left a server a big tip at Don Tito in Clarendon, long-time Washington Capital Brooks Laich has been traded to Toronto. Laich and celebrity fiancée Julianne Hough were often spotted hanging out at Arlington bars like Don Tito and A-Town. [WJLA]

Wakefield on It’s Academic — Wakefield High School was scheduled to compete on an episode of the local TV quiz show It’s Academic on Saturday. [Twitter]

‘Treasure Island’ Reviewed — Arlington-based theater company Encore Stage and Studio has garnered positive reviews for its production of “Treasure Island,” which runs through March 6. [DC Metro Theater Arts]

Shirlington’s ‘Hula Girl’ Makes Mai Tai for Fox 5 — Mikala Brennan, the owner of Hula Girl Bar and Grill in Shirlington, stopped by Fox 5 midday show Friday to show viewers how to make her signature Hula Girl Mai Tai. [Fox 5]

It’s a Leap Day — Who knows, maybe you’ll see Leap Day William today. [YouTube, Wikipedia]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

TRAFFIC ALERT: State Police Investigating Crash on I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Virginia State Police are investigating a serious single-vehicle crash on I-66 near East Falls Church.

The wreck happened early this afternoon in the westbound lanes near the Sycamore Street exit. Photos show a dark gray sedan with heavy front-end damage on the side of the road, next to a crumpled-up guardrail.

One lane is blocked and westbound traffic is backed up to Glebe Road. Drivers should also expect delays approaching the crash in the eastbound lanes.

“Seek alternative routes,” Arlington County Police said, in a tweet.

ACPD Announces Big Pot Bust

By ARLnow.com

Dat T. Ngo (photo via ACPD)(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) The Arlington County Police Department says two arrests have been made in connection to a “large-scale” marijuana distribution network in the area.

In a press release, below, ACPD said the network sent parcels filled with marijuana from California to businesses and homes in the D.C. area. Thus far those businesses have not been identified, though police say warrants were executed at “various businesses and residences throughout the region.”

Two suspects — Dat T. Ngo and Kien V. Luong — have been arrested. Ngo was taken into custody at a nail salon in a Bethesda shopping center, ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said. Drugs were seized from his vehicle, Bethesda Beat reported, citing a witness account.

Luong was arrested in Los Angeles, where he lives, and is awaiting extradition.

“This is an ongoing and active investigation [spanning] multiple states,” Savage said. “It’s likely we’ll see additional arrests in the future.”

From ACPD:

 In August 2015, a joint investigation was initiated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Arlington County Police Department regarding the importation of marijuana into the Washington Metropolitan Region. As a result of this intensive investigation, a large-scale distribution network was identified as sending parcels from California to businesses in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

On Tuesday, February 23, 2016, Dat T. Ngo, of Alexandria, VA, was arrested by Montgomery County Police on an outstanding Arlington County warrant. Subsequent to his arrest, search warrants were executed at various businesses and residences throughout the region. The Northern Virginia Financial Initiative with Washington/Baltimore HIDTA also provided assistance. Search warrants were also executed in the State of California with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles Police Department. Kien V. Luong of Los Angeles, CA, was arrested on an outstanding Arlington County warrant and was being held at the Los Angeles County Jail awaiting extradition to the Commonwealth.

Man Arrested for Strolling Down Street Naked Thursday Morning

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA man who allegedly took a stroll down S. Harrison Street sans clothing yesterday morning was arrested and now faces a pair of criminal charges.

Police say 55-year-old Donald Lee Duncan was spotted walking naked along the 800 block of S. Harrison Street, in the Arlington Mill neighborhood, around 10 a.m.

Duncan, an Arlington resident, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and being drunk in public.

File photo

The Right Note: Secret Police?

By Mark Kelly

 Mark KellyThe Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The Virginia General Assembly is considering a bill to grant police and sheriff’s departments virtually unlimited latitude to refuse to release the names of its officers via Freedom of Information Act requests.

Senate Bill 552 passed the Senate on a 25-15, bi-partisan vote. It would classify all officers names as personnel records, exempting them from mandatory disclosure. By all accounts, it is the most sweeping measure of its kind in the country.

Governor McAuliffe has thus far been silent on the bill. The House of Delegates is holding hearings today.

Supporters claim the bill is necessary to protect our law enforcement officers from the threat of deadly retaliation. Opponents, both on the left and right, warn it goes far beyond safety and essentially would create “secret police” in Virginia.

The bill is being heavily scrutinized as it should be. Any time an agency that exercises the police powers of our government wants to become in any way less transparent and less accountable, it warrants the most intense public scrutiny.

Clearly, the safety of our law enforcement officers is critical. No one would argue, for example, that an undercover officer should have his or her identity revealed while they are in harm’s way.

However, this bill appears to have come about because a news organization was interested in whether officers with disciplinary problems in one department were finding work in departments elsewhere. If so, Virginians are right to be concerned about its origin along with its potential implications.

Our law enforcement officers deserve our respect and deserve to do their dangerous jobs in the safest manner possible. At the same time, the public deserves the strongest levels of accountability from those who can deprive them of their liberty. In fact, the bill’s supporters should be concerned such secrecy could erode public trust with law enforcement.

The bottom line is, there are serious questions about whether this legislation is warranted, and the Members of the General Assembly and the Governor must carefully consider all of its implications.

Mark Kelly is a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Three Men Arrested for Assaulting Uber Driver With Beer Bottle

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsThree men were arrested Saturday night after allegedly attacking an Uber driver with a beer bottle.

The incident happened just before 11 p.m. on Washington Blvd near Columbia Pike. It started, police say, after the driver picked up six passengers, then later noticed that they were drinking alcohol from open containers inside the vehicle.

“The driver could smell alcohol,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The driver asked the passengers to stop drinking; when they refused, the driver pulled over to the side of the road near an I-395 on-ramp and “terminated the fare,” forcing all six to get out, according to Savage.

A verbal confrontation ensued. At one point, three of the passengers — all 20-something men from Woodbridge, Va. — approached the vehicle again to retrieve property they had left inside, Savage said. At that point, one of the men punched and shattered a passenger-side window, and another man struck the driver in the face with a beer bottle, police allege.

The men also allegedly tried to take the keys out of the vehicle ignition, breaking them in the process.

The three men then split with the other three passengers and walked away, Savage said. Police, working with the driver and witnesses, obtained a description of the men. A short time later, police officer on scene noticed three men in an approaching taxicab. The officer pulled over the cab, identified the men and took them into custody.

“Justin Allen Norconk, 26, of Woodbridge VA, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding and assault by mob,” according to an ACPD crime report.” Lance Daniel Ingram, 25, of Woodbridge VA, was arrested and charged with assault by mob. Jeffery Eugene Rowe Jr., 26, of Woodbridge VA, was arrested and charged with destruction of property. All three suspects are being held without bond.”

The Uber driver was treated on scene for cuts to his face.

Update at 6:05 p.m. — Uber says the two riders who split the fare for the ride have been deactivated from the platform pending an investigation. “We’ve been in touch with the driver-partner and stand ready to assist the authorities with their investigation,” said a spokeswoman.

“We are deeply committed to the safety of drivers on the Uber platform,” the company said. “Drivers benefit from many of the same transparency and accountability features that riders do, such as providing feedback and ratings for every trip, which deter bad behavior from passengers.”

Police: Man Robs 7-Eleven, Arrested Two Days Later Trying to Rob Another

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)An alert Arlington County police officer may have prevented a repeat convenience store robber from striking again.

Police say the officer saw a vehicle driving with its lights off just before 1 a.m. this morning (Thursday) in Lyon Park. The officer then saw a man running from the 7-Eleven parking lot at 2704 Washington Blvd, toward the car. The man was stopped and a black ski mask was found in his possession.

Police believe the man, 21-year-old Arlington resident Camron Richards, was about to rob the 7-Eleven when another car pulled into the parking lot, spooking him. He was charged with attempted robbery in connection with the incident.

Arlington police have also charged Richards with the robbery of a 7-Eleven on S. Carlin Springs Road, near Kenmore Middle School, on Tuesday afternoon. During that robbery, a suspect wearing a black ski mask used force to steal cash.

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said there have been a series of 7-Eleven robberies across Northern Virginia recently, prompting an FBI investigation.

Shot Fired During Home Invasion Robbery in Ashton Heights

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsEight people were robbed and a shot was fired during a home invasion robbery in Ashton Heights early this morning.

The incident happened around 2:40 a.m. on the 700 block of N. Lincoln Street, not far from the Arlington Arts Center and the Virginia Square Metro station.

Police say eight people were hanging out in a home recording studio when one went outside to smoke a cigarette. As that individual went back inside, two men entered the house and told the crowd that they were being robbed. The victims initially thought it was a joke, and that’s when one of the suspects fired a gunshot into the ceiling, according to Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The victims were robbed of cash and electronics. Police believes they were targeted by the robbers.

“This appears to be a targeted incident and we do not believe there is a threat to the public at large,” Savage said.

“Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 5’9″ with a thin build wearing all black clothing with white scarf,” according to a crime report. “Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 5’8″ with a thin build wearing all black clothing. Investigation is ongoing.”

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