police

EXCLUSIVE: GPS Sends Florida Driver Down W&OD Trail

By ARLnow.com

W&OD trail at Columbia Pike (photo via Google Maps)A Florida man has been charged with reckless driving after driving nearly a mile on the W&OD trail in Arlington yesterday (Wednesday) evening.

The man was in a rental car with his wife and kids when he drove northbound onto the trail at Columbia Pike, according to Arlington police spokesman Lt. Mike Watson. After receiving numerous calls from trail users, a police officer on a motorcycle caught up with the vehicle, a Chrysler 300 sedan, in Glencarlyn Park.

According to Watson, the man claimed that a GPS navigation system on his phone directed him to use the trail. The Florida resident was issued a court summons for reckless driving and was escorted off the trail and back onto local roads, Watson told ARLnow.com.

While trying to catch up with the errant driver, police officers marveled at the fact that he didn’t realize he was driving on a bike trail.

“He must think it’s the world’s smallest two-lane highway,” one said on a police radio channel. No one was hurt during the incident.

Last month, a McLean woman was arrested after allegedly driving five miles while drunk on the W&OD trail in Fairfax County, striking and seriously injuring a 65-year-old bicyclist in the process.

Also last month, gates were installed on the Capital Crescent Trail in Northwest D.C. to prevent drivers from mistaking it for a road. No such gate was in place where the man entered the W&OD trail yesterday.

Photo via Google Maps

Officer in Back of Car Surprises Thieves

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington County police carThree suspected burglars got an unpleasant surprise overnight when they allegedly tried breaking into a string of vehicles in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood. The problem? One of the vehicles was an undercover police car with an officer inside.

Due to a number of recent complaints about thefts from cars, the Arlington County Police Department sent a plain clothes surveillance team to the neighborhood. Around 1:30 a.m., officers saw three subjects acting suspiciously in the 1800 block of S. 28th Street. Police say they saw the suspects trying to open car doors and entering unlocked vehicles to steal items.

The three men then reportedly attempted to enter an unlocked, unmarked police car and were startled by an undercover officer in the back seat. Tactical units immediately moved in and arrested 22-year-old Hilary Edmond of Arlington and 18-year-old Robert Holt of Alexandria. With the assistance of a K-9 unit, police later arrested 23-year-old Enrique Vanterpool of Alexandria, who was found hiding under some brush. Vanterpool sustained a dog bite to the arm from the K-9 and was treated at the scene by medics.

Police believe the three men may have been involved in more than a dozen recent thefts from cars. Charges against the suspects continue to be compiled in this active case as the men are tied to more of the reported thefts.

An ACPD spokesman notes that so far it does not appear the suspects forcibly entered any of the vehicles they allegedly stole from; all the car doors were unlocked.

“People have to be aware if they are going to keep valuables in their vehicles that they should lock their vehicles and keep valuables out of sight,” said Lt. Mike Watson. “But people really shouldn’t even keep valuables in their vehicles.”

File photo

Crime Report: Diamonds Snatched

By ARLnow.com

On the eve of the Fourth of July, police say a man snatched a ring and a number of loose diamonds from a clerk at the Helzberg Diamonds store in Pentagon City Mall.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 07/03/13, 1400 block of S. Hayes St. At 7:45 pm on July 3 an unknown suspect grabbed a ring and loose diamonds from a clerk at the Helzberg Diamonds store. Suspect is described as a black male, 5’8, 170 lbs. wearing a long sleeved blue shirt and khaki pants.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Alexandria Mother Charged in Death of Infant Son

By ARLnow.com

Zoraida Magali Conde Hernandez (photo via ACPD)An Alexandria woman has been charged with felony child neglect in the death of her 8-month old son.

Police say Zoraida Magali Conde Hernandez, 32, allegedly left the infant in her car in a parking lot on the 200 block of N. Glebe Road while she went to work. The boy was in the car for 6 hours as temperatures hit sweltering levels on Friday.

Hernandez “noticed the baby was left inside his car seat when she arrived at a daycare to pick up one of her other children,” according to Arlington County Police. “The baby was unresponsive and she immediately drove to INOVA Alexandria hospital, where the child was pronounced dead a short time later.”

Hernandez was arrested and charged with felony child neglect by members of the Arlington County Police homicide/robbery unit yesterday. She is being held without bond in the Arlington County jail.

Photo via ACPD

UPDATED: Authorities Investigate Suspicious Truck in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Arlington bomb squad on the scene of a suspicious device in Courthouse (file photo)Update at 6:00 p.m. — Nothing hazardous was found inside the truck, according to a fire department spokeswoman. The scene is being cleared and roads reopened.

Arlington County police and bomb squad personnel are on the scene of a suspicious vehicle in the county-owned surface parking lot in Courthouse.

An Arlington sheriff’s deputy spotted the suspicious truck earlier this afternoon while walking from the area near the movie theater to the jail. It’s described as a Hertz rental truck.

Two adult men who were inside the truck are being questioned by police. The bomb squad is preparing to open the back of the truck to see what’s inside. It’s expected to be another hour or two before the scene can be cleared.

Police have shut down parts of N. Courthouse Road, 14th Street and 15th Street near the scene. The county’s Emergency Operations Center has been evacuated.

File photo

County Vehicle Strikes Pedestrian in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

A county-owned pickup truck struck a pedestrian in Crystal City A county-owned pickup truck struck a pedestrian in Crystal City

(Updated on 7/12/13) An Arlington County pickup truck struck a pedestrian in Crystal City this afternoon.

The county-owned Ford F-350 struck a female pedestrian on 12th Street between Army Navy Drive and Long Bridge Drive, according to scanner traffic. The woman was found under the truck and suffered non-life threatening injuries, including a leg and back injury.

The victim was transported to a local hospital. A police investigator took photos of the scene to document the incident. Firefighters were later called to the scene to wash blood from the pavement.

It’s unclear which county agency the truck belongs to. An Arlington County Police spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Police Arrest Peeper, Seek Additional Victims

By Katie Pyzyk

Michael Tomlin Michael Tomlin

Police have arrested a man accused of several recent peeping incidents, and they’re asking other potential victims to come forward.

On Sunday afternoon, 48-year-old Michael Tomlin allegedly hid in a stall of a women’s restroom in a movie theater and was caught looking over the stall at a juvenile victim. Tomlin reportedly fled when the girl’s father confronted him. The father immediately contacted authorities with a description of the suspect, and the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit found Tomlin yesterday in the 4300 block of N. Carlin Springs Road.

Tomlin has been arrested and charged with Trespassing and Peeping Tom. He is being held at the Arlington County Detention Facility on a $5,000 secured bond.

Tomlin has a history of criminal behavior and has served jail time for peeping tom incidents. He was released from jail in May, and has been tied to three peeping incidents since then, including one at Ballston Common Mall last month and the Clarendon Barnes and Noble in May. Police believe he may be responsible for other peeping incidents and they’re asking other victims to come forward.

Anyone who recognizes Tomlin from his recent booking photo (above left) or previous booking photo (above right) and may have information about him or additional crimes he may be involved with is asked to call Detective Jamey Trainer at 703-228-4185 or email [email protected]. Information can also be reported anonymously by contacting the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS.

Road Closures for Fourth of July

By Ethan Rothstein

fireworks-timkelleyThe Arlington County Police Department will close a number of roads for the Fourth of July holiday on Thursday to accommodate the crowds moving throughout the county.

Memorial Bridge and Memorial Circle will be closed all day, from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Below are the other closures to expect.

From 3:00 to 11:00 p.m.:

  • N. Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Route 50 (access to the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood will be from the Rhodes Street bridge)
  • Marshall Drive from Route 110 to N. Meade Street
  • EB N. Fairfax Drive from N. Pierce Street to N. Fort Myer Drive
  • Exit ramp from westbound Route 50 to N. Lynn Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Exit ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N. Meade Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Long Bridge Drive from Boundary Channel Drive to 10th Street S.

From 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

  • EB Route 50 at N. Pershing Drive (detour at N. Barton Street or Washington Blvd)
  • Columbia Pike between S. Orme Street and S. Joyce Street
  • S. Joyce Street from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike

“Independence Day event attendees are strongly encouraged to use public transportation,” police said in a press release.

“The Rosslyn Metro stop on the Orange Line is approximately five blocks north of the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial is within walking distance of the Pentagon City Metro station,” the release continued. “Arlington County will also be running shuttle buses to Long Bridge Park from the Crystal City and Pentagon City Metro stations.”

Ft. Myer Soldier Drowns in Potomac

By ARLnow.com

U.S. Army logoA soldier who was stationed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall has been found dead in the Potomac River.

Vincent Crapps, 24, is believed to have drowned after diving off cliffs on the Virginia side of the river. After an extended search and rescue effort, his body was found by Montgomery County (Md.) Police this afternoon.

Crapps was a member of the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment, better known as the “Old Guard.”

From a Montgomery County Police press release:

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Homicide and Sex Section are investigating a drowning that occurred on Saturday.

On Saturday, June 29, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Montgomery County Fire & Rescue received a call for a possible drowning of a 24-year-old male in the Potomac River near Bear Island. Montgomery County Fire & Rescue began a rescue mission. Montgomery County Police search and rescue officers responded to the area to provide assistance on land.

Today, following an extended joint operation, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue recovered the victim’s body in the water at approximately 2:25 p.m. Montgomery County Police search and rescue officers were on scene during these recovery efforts. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Montgomery County Police detectives are leading the investigation into the victim’s death. Investigation has revealed that the victim was diving off the cliffs on the Virginia side of the river when his friends noticed him go under the water and not surface. His friends called 911.

The victim has been identified as Vincent Crapps of the 3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia.

Weekend Crime: Alcohol-Related Incidents in Clarendon, Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

New Arlington police carIntoxicated bar- and pool-goers kept police busy over the weekend.

On Saturday, Arlington County police made 13 alcohol-related arrests in Clarendon during the All-American Bar Crawl, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Among the arrests were two for assault on a police officer and one for a man who attempted, unsuccessfully, to throw a chair through the front window of a business.

Sternbeck said calls for police in Clarendon were “steady” throughout the evening, up until about midnight. “Multiple” fights were reported during that time.

On Sunday, meanwhile, police were called to a pool on the 1600 block of S. Eads Street — at the Crystal Towers apartment complex — for an intoxicated man who allegedly exposed himself.

The 29-year-old Arlington resident exposed himself to about 25 people, including children, while sitting in a chair poolside, Sternbeck said. A lifeguard asked the man to leave, and police arrested him for indecent exposure at his apartment.

Police Need Help Locating Charity Jar Burglar

By Katie Pyzyk

Police have released photos of a man accused of carrying out a burglary at a local food mart with the hope that the public can help them find the suspect.

Surveillance cameras caught the suspect breaking into the Dominion Hills Food Mart (6035 N. Wilson Blvd) around 1:15 a.m. on June 14. The suspect apparently used rocks to break the glass out of the front door to get inside the store. Once inside, he allegedly took merchandise including Newport cigarettes and cash from a collection jar intended for charity.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male with a stocky build and black curly hair. He was wearing a dark blue “Old Navy 94” hooded sweatshirt at the time of the incident.

Anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective James Stone of the Arlington County Police Department’s Burglary/Larceny Unit at 703-228-4245 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

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