police

Police Investigate Armed Robbery on Custis Trail

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police Department badgeThe Arlington County Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that occurred on the Custis Trail near Ballston last night.

The incident happened on the bike trail near Glebe Road around 10:20 p.m.

According to police, two suspects knocked a man off his bike and stole his cell phone while brandishing a handgun. A U.S. Park Police helicopter was called in to search for the suspects, who fled on foot, but police were unable to track them down.

From a police press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating an armed robbery that occurred on the Custis Bike Trail yesterday evening.

At 10:20 p.m., two unknown subjects attempted to block the Nelly Custis bike trail when the first victim was riding by on his bicycle. The victim was able to get away, but noticed one of the subjects brandishing a handgun. Shortly after the first incident, a second victim attempted to pass by, but was knocked off of his bike by both suspects and a firearm was brandished. Both suspects then took the victim’s cell phone and fled eastbound on Custis Trail by foot. The victim was transported to the Virginia Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries that he sustained during the attack.

A U.S. Park Police helicopter and the Arlington County Police Department’s K-9 Unit assisted with efforts to locate the subjects, but both subjects remain at-large. The first suspect is described as a white male, around the age of 25 and approximately 5’8” tall and 185 lbs. Suspect one was wearing a dark puffy winter jacket and dark pants. The second suspect is described as a male of an unknown race, approximately 6’0” tall and 200 lbs. Suspect two was wearing a dark jacket and dark pants at the time of the incident.

If anyone has information on the identities and/or whereabouts of these individuals, please contact Detective Christine Everest of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703.228.4180 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Metrobus Involved in Accident on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Metro logoAn accident involving a Metrobus on Columbia Pike sent three people to the hospital tonight.

The wreck happened just before 7:00 p.m. at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Queen Street. According to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel, a driver in a white Kia pulled out from Queen Street in front of a 16G Metrobus heading eastbound on the Pike. The bus and the car collided head-on, police said. The Kia then spun around and made contact with another vehicle heading westbound on the Pike, causing minor damage.

Firefighters had to extricate the adult female driver and adult male passenger from the Kia. They were transported to George Washington University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The driver of the Metrobus was transported to Virginia Hospital Center, complaining of back pain, Stessel said.

As of 7:50 p.m., westbound Columbia Pike was still shut down and traffic was being diverted onto Washington Boulevard. The lanes were expected to reopen shortly after 8:00 p.m.

Plans Underway for Police Shooting Range

By Katie Pyzyk

Police Firearm Training Facility at Dulles (photo courtesy MWAA)Proposals are in the works for constructing a permanent firearms training facility for the Arlington County Police Department and Sheriff’s Office. The preferred plan involves upgrading and expanding a facility on the Dulles International Airport property, which Arlington police currently shared with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) police.

Arlington does not have its own facility for such training, and had been sharing Alexandria’s until 2008. At that time, it was determined that Alexandria’s use had grown to such a point that it could no longer accommodate the more than 350 ACPD members and more than 100 Sheriff’s Office members as well. Arlington has been using the MWAA police shooting range since then.

The Dulles facility is said to need upgrades and an expansion. Right now, it houses a 15 point outdoor range, but under the new plan would expand to include two 25 point firing ranges and a 300 yard rifle deck. The facility currently has no shelter from weather, no running water or fixed restrooms and no classroom space.

An alternative to upgrading the Dulles range would be to find enough land on which to build a training facility within the Arlington County limits. That, however, does not appear to be a viable option, according to Deputy County Manager Mark Schwartz.

“We don’t have the land to do it. Having a firing range within the confines of the county would present some difficulties,” said Schwartz. “Try to find 21 acres in Arlington and just think of the cost.”

Arlington County lists the project in its 2013-2022 Capital Improvement Plan. The proposed price tag of $12 million, $7 million of which would be provided by Arlington County, may seem daunting to some, such as former Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement. She spoke at the County Board Public Budget Hearing last Tuesday (March 26), likening the firing range to other county funded projects she considers wasteful, such as Artisphere, the aquatics center at Long Bridge Park and the Columbia Pike streetcar.

“The project’s justification says that the firing range is needed because the one currently in use at Dulles lacks running water, fixed restroom facilities and covered firing points,” she said. “Does providing those facilities actually cost seven million plus dollars? If so, the NRA has a state-of-the-art shooting range just off the I-66, Route 50 exit that offers training for law enforcement personnel. If this range works for the NRA, and they are highly successful, why won’t it work for Arlington police?”

Partnering with the NRA is not feasible, according to Schwartz.

“That comment, I could spend an hour telling you why her suggestion was impractical,” Schwartz said. “I really think the perception would be that this is a ‘nice to have thing.’ I don’t think the county manager or the police chief or sheriffs think this is a ‘nice to have thing.’ This is a very basic part of their training and skills that they need to have.”

ACPD Deputy Chief Jay Farr added that the current cost is a good deal when taking into consideration that MWAA is footing $5 million of the total bill, in addition to supplying the land, which Schwartz estimates to be worth at least $5 million.

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ACPD K-9 Dies Suddenly

By Katie Pyzyk

ACPD K-9 DutchMembers of the Arlington County Police Department are mourning the loss of one of their K-9 partners.

Dutch suddenly became ill on Sunday (March 31) and passed away later that day after undergoing emergency surgery.

Dutch joined the K-9 Unit in September of 2007 and was certified in multiple disciplines including tracking, police dog I certification (apprehension, obedience, agility and search) and narcotics detection. He had located narcotics on a number of occasions and assisted with apprehending multiple suspects.

In a press release, ACPD said, “Dutch will be greatly missed by his handler and all the members of the K-9 Unit.”

Last year, ACPD lost Lobo, one of its retired K-9 members.

Police Seek Colonial Village Burglary Suspect

By ARLnow.com

Colonial Village burglary suspect (photo courtesy ACPD) Colonial Village burglary suspect (photo courtesy ACPD)

A thief stole eight laptop computers from the Colonial Village Apartments last month, and police are hoping that the public can help catch him.

Police released surveillance photos of the suspect this afternoon. According to a press release, the suspect stole the laptops from the clubhouse, located near the Courthouse Metro station, on two separate occasions.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Burglary Unit is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a burglary suspect captured on a surveillance camera.

On separate occasions, once on March 23rd and again on March 25th, the subject entered the clubhouse of the Colonial Village Apartments and stole laptop computers. A total of eight laptops were stolen from the clubhouse, which is located in the 2100 block of N. 18th Street. The suspect remains at-large.

The subject is described as a black male, slender and tall. The subject walks with a slight limp. During both incidents, he was wearing a black jacket with blue jeans, black boots and a red bandana covering his face. He is known to carry a dark colored Northface backpack.

If anyone has information on the identity and/or whereabouts of this individual, please contact Detective James Stone of the Arlington County Police Department’s Burglary/Larceny Unit at 703.228.4245 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Crime Report: Mustachioed Man Pistol-Whips Ball Thrower

By ARLnow.com

Sig Sauer handgun (photo via Sig Sauer)Police are looking for a man who allegedly pistol-whipped a ball-throwing bar-goer near Clarendon.

The incident took place around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 23. Police say a group of friends were returning from a bar and throwing a ball around, when the ball struck a black Range Rover that was driving by.

The owner of the SUV — described as a skinny man with a moustache and a foreign accent — got out of the vehicle and allegedly pistol-whipped the victim. The suspect then fled the scene and the victim was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 03/23/13, 3300 block of N. Wilson Boulevard. At 3:33 am on March 23, three friends walking home from the bar were throwing a ball between them when it struck a moving vehicle. The driver of the black Range Rover stopped and brandished a handgun. The subject exited his vehicle and struck the victim in the right cheek with the firearm. The subject fled the scene and the victim was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’10” tall with a thin build and a mustache. He had dark hair and spoke with a foreign accent.

Also in this week’s crime report, a woman is accused of stabbing her husband twice with a kitchen knife. The alleged incident took place in an apartment three blocks from the Courthouse Metro station.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 03/20/13, 2100 block of N. 18th Street. At 6:15 pm on March 20, a subject and her husband got into a physical altercation. The subject stabbed the victim twice with a kitchen knife. The victim was stabbed once in the left side of his chest and once in his left arm. The victim was transported to George Washington Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Shavonne Duncan, 46, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with malicious wounding. She is currently being held without bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Man Beaten for Drawing Genitalia on Roommate’s Face

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated 1:45 p.m. on 12/23/21) A prank turned violent in the Lyon Village neighborhood on Saturday (March 23) when a man reportedly was beaten for drawing a penis on his roommate’s face.

The alleged incident happened on the 3100 block of 17th Street N. According to Arlington County Police, 31-year-old James [redacted] fell asleep on his couch after a night of drinking. He woke up around 5:30 a.m. and became furious when he discovered the permanent marker drawings on his face, police said.

Police say that [redacted], suspecting his roommate, ran upstairs to where the roommate was sleeping and jumped on top of him, repeatedly punching him in the face. The commotion awakened a third roommate, who managed to separate the two.

The victim reportedly waited about an hour and a half to call the police while deciding whether or not to press charges. He did end up calling for help and police charged [redacted] with malicious wounding. The injured man’s eye was swollen shut and bleeding, so the third roommate drove him to the hospital for treatment, according to police.

Cops say the roommates admitted they sometimes play pranks on each other while intoxicated.

Video: USS Arlington Arrives in Port

By ARLnow.com
Credit: U.S. Navy

The USS Arlington arrived at its homeport in Norfolk in Friday — a prelude to the ship’s commissioning on April 6.

The Arlington, which will carry an expeditionary force of Marines and vehicles to hot spots around the world, arrived in port to the sound of sirens. Arlington and Pentagon first responders were on hand for the event, and sounded their sirens in tribute to the 184 people who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon.

Three new San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships — the USS Arlington, USS New York and USS Somerset — were named in honor of the victims of 9/11.

“The newest addition to the fleet, Arlington and its crew are a tangible tribute to honor the victims, heroes, and survivors,” the Navy said in a press release. “Her strength and fortitude are not only reflected in the ship’s crest and motto, but in the fact that her crew of 400 Sailors and Marines have worked diligently to ensure she is ready to execute the mission of the Navy, representing America, and Arlington County, around the world.”

The Arlington is “designed to be the most survivable amphibious vessel ever put to sea,” the Navy said.

“The ship combines 21st century amphibious shipbuilding and warfighting technologies to support current and future Marine Corps aircraft and landing craft, and will be capable of taking nearly 1,200 Sailors and Marines into harm’s way,” the Navy said.

Numerous Arlington first responders and elected officials are expected to attend the ship’s commissioning on April 6.

Photos courtesy U.S. Navy and Frank O’Leary. Video courtesy U.S. Navy.

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BREAKING: Vehicle Pursuit Ends on I-395

By ARLnow.com

traffic-cam(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) A vehicle pursuit has ended on I-395 near the 14th Street Bridge.

The pursuit began when the suspect vehicle rammed an Arlington County Police cruiser near N. Barton and Pershing Drive, in Lyon Park, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The vehicle, a late model Honda Accord, slammed into the front passenger side of the cruiser after the officer attempted to pull it over for a traffic stop, Sternbeck said. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, though Sternbeck described the damage as “significant.”

Arlington County officers then chased the vehicle to I-395. The chase ended after officers set up a “rolling roadblock” in the northbound lanes, just before the suspects crossed into D.C.’s jurisdiction.

Police activity is currently blocking all but one northbound HOV lane just before the 14th Street Bridge. Police have two suspects in custody, both District of Columbia residents, Sternbeck said. The men are expected to be charged with felony hit and run.

It is normally Arlington County Police policy to not pursue fleeing vehicles except in special circumstances.

Car Flips on Roof Near Bishop O’Connell High

By ARLnow.com
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A car flipped its roof near Bishop O’Connell High School this afternoon.

The accident occurred at the four-way intersection of N. Van Buren Street, 28th Street N. and N. Little Falls Road, one block away from Bishop O’Connell in the East Falls Church neighborhood. The one-vehicle wreck ended with the four-door Saab on its roof and a street sign ripped from the ground.

There appeared to be at least two male occupants of the car, both of whom were high school students. No injuries were reported.

Crime Report: Indecent Exposures

By ARLnow.com

Police are looking for a man who was allegedly masturbating while following a woman with his car.

The incident happened last Friday night in the Douglas Park neighborhood. From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 03/15/13, 1300 block of S. Monroe Street. At 7:30 pm on March 15, a victim observed an unknown subject masturbating while seated inside a vehicle with the door open. As the victim walked away, she noticed the subject following her in his car. The subject then parked and proceeded to exit the car and follow the victim by foot. The victim then ran into a Post Office to escape the subject, and the subject fled the scene. The subject is described as a 40-year-old black male, approximately 5’8″ tall and 200 lbs. He had dark skin, short black hair, no facial hair and a muscular build. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a beige long sleeved shirt and dark pants.

Last Thursday, police say a man was arrested for exposing himself to a woman at Arlington Central Library.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 03/14/13, 1000 block of N. Quincy Street. At 5:30 pm on March 14, a subject exposed himself to a female victim inside the Central Library. The suspect was located a couple hours later in the area. Patrick Robert Rooney, 67, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure. He was held with no bond.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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