police

Arlington schools to involve police when students are caught sharing nude images of minors

By Jo DeVoe
Police outside Yorktown High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Public Schools will now involve the police anytime it learns of a student disseminating nude images or videos of kids and teenagers.

The Arlington School Board made the change last night (Thursday) when members approved a number of changes to a body of policies governing student conduct and discipline.

Now, school principals are required to notify the police when a student posts, distributes, displays or shares “material of a sexual nature” — specifically, “nude images or nude video of a minor,” according to the handbook. Students found doing this will also immediately receive an out-of-school suspension.

The offense joins a list of others requiring police intervention, including:

  • Sale or distribution of alcohol
  • Possession of weapons, including BB and airsoft guns
  • Physical assault on a member of the school staff or students with a weapon
  • Setting fires or using or possessing explosives or fireworks on school property
  • False alarms and bomb threats
  • School property theft or extortion

Virginia State Code requires schools to report to law enforcement certain incidents that occur on school grounds, school buses or during school-sanctioned activities, if they constitute a felony offense.

Per the state code, these offenses include assault that results in injury, sexual assault, abduction and stalking, conduct involving drugs and alcohol and possession of illegal firearms or explosives.

The law was amended last year so police intervention is no longer required for these offenses if they’re deemed misdemeanors.

The state list does not include the possession and distribution of nude images and videos of minors under the age of 18. Producing, publishing, selling or financing such content is, however, a felony offense for children and adults, and APS says it made the addition to align with these statutes.

The added offense was bundled in with a number of other changes aimed at making school discipline more “restorative” — that is, involving police less and seeking alternatives to traditional forms of punishment, which removes kids from school. This push within APS is concurrent with efforts in Arlington County to divert young people who commit certain crimes from the criminal justice system.

“There have been efforts at the staff level to bring a more restorative approach to our disciplinary policies for a very, very very long time,” said School Board Member Cristina Diaz-Torres of the bundle of new and revised policies.

“This has been a lot of important work to develop and it’s an important step forward,” she added. “This is a really, really momentous occasion to finally see it come to fruition.”

Board members voted on the same day that APS publicized its new Memorandum of Understanding governing when police can and cannot be in schools.

School Board members had voted last summer to remove School Resource Officers from school grounds and reimagine the relationship between the Arlington County Police Department and APS.

Although officers are no longer in schools on a daily basis, they are still dispatched for serious situations. Within the last year, police responded to what turned out to be false threats of a hostage situation at Yorktown High School in February and a false report of a school shooter at Washington-Liberty High School in October.

JUST IN: Man stabbed outside Sequoia Plaza complex after fight on bus

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Update at 11:30 a.m. — Arlington County police just released the following account of what happened in the department’s daily crime report.

 At approximately 3:34 p.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined that the victim and suspect were on a bus when they became involved in a verbal dispute. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation, during which the suspect brandished a knife and struck the victim. The victim then deployed pepper spray. The victim sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The suspect sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene by medics. Marvin Mullins, 46, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding.

Earlier: A stabbing has been reported outside Arlington County’s Sequoia Plaza office complex.

Initial reports suggest more than a dozen people were pepper sprayed, including a child, and a person was stabbed. Preliminary information from police indicates that the incident started as a fight on a bus around 3:30 p.m.

“It was determined that the victim and suspect were on a bus when they became involved in a verbal dispute,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The dispute escalated into a physical altercation, during which the suspect brandished a knife, causing a laceration to the victim. The victim then deployed pepper spray.”

“The victim, an adult male, has been transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition,” Savage continued. “Police remain on scene investigating and there are no outstanding suspects related to this incident.”

In addition to police, two ambulances and some additional fire department units were dispatched to the scene. At least one person was reportedly transported to the hospital, while those who were pepper sprayed were treated on scene.

Sequoia Plaza, on the 2100 block of Washington Blvd, hosts the county’s Dept. of Human Services headquarters — including behavior healthcare, child welfare and public health offices — as well the Arlington Public Schools administrative offices, also known as the Syphax Education Center.

An ART bus and a large area just outside of the APS building has been cordoned off with police tape. A man can be seen in handcuffs nearby, according to ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
ART bus in traffic in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Crashed Car Still Along Riverbank — “Two months after a man’s car careened two hundred feet off George Washington Parkway in Virginia, the National Park Service is developing a plan to remove the vehicle from an embankment next to the Potomac River… Police tape surrounds the car, which remains resting upside down. The driver’s papers and personal belongings are still scattered next to the car, which has graffiti painted on it.” [Patch]

February Rents Up Slightly — “The median monthly rental for an apartment in the county last month was $1,982 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,399 for two bedrooms, according to data reported March 1 by Apartment List. Compared to the period immediately preceding the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020, Arlington rents are up 0.5 percent.” [Sun Gazette]

Clarendon-Based Axios Expanding — “This year, Axios is pouring $30 million into expanding its footprint, said Jim VandeHei, the chief executive. It is spreading into cities (Axios Local), industries (Axios Pro) and workplaces (Axios HQ)… It now has more than 400 employees, with 150 in its newsroom in Arlington, Va., and 2.2 million subscribers across its 34 national and global newsletters.” [New York Times]

Arlington Man Arrested for Abduction — “Victim One stated that she had been at an establishment in the 500 block of 23rd Street S. with the known suspect when they became involved in a verbal dispute. When Victim One attempted to leave with Victim Two and another witness, the suspect approached Victim One and allegedly began physically assaulting her before being separated by additional witnesses. The victims then went to retrieve Victim One’s vehicle from a garage in the 500 block of 12th Road S., when the suspect approached them, brandished a firearm and made threatening statements… A struggle ensued, during which the suspect attempted to prevent Victim One from leaving.” [Arlington County]

Comcast Upping Broadband Speeds — “Comcast announced today that it has increased speeds for its most popular Xfinity Internet tiers, providing an extra boost for millions of residential customers across 14 northeastern states from Maine through Virginia and the District of Columbia.” [Comcast]

Va. Tornado Drill Today — “Join us for the Statewide Tornado Drill TOMORROW at 9:45 AM! Practice sheltering from a #tornado: Go to a lower level of your home or office, away from windows. Get under sturdy shelter like a desk if you can.” [Twitter]

Record High Temperature Set — “For the second day in a row, record highs were set across the area. Highs of at least 80 in Washington, 76 at Dulles, and 78 at BWI are all records for the date. That 80-degree reading in the city is 10th-earliest on record.” [Capital Weather Gang]

It’s Tuesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 56 and low of 41. Sunrise at 6:31 am and sunset at 6:10 pm. [Weather.gov]

UPDATE: Theft suspect seriously injured after fall from Pentagon City mall garage

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated at 12:35 p.m.) A man suffered critical injuries after falling from the Pentagon City mall parking garage Monday afternoon.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. at the large parking garage on the 800 block of Army Navy Drive. 911 callers reported that the man fell about 50 feet to the concrete below.

“Crews arrived on scene and found an adult male suffering from life threatening injuries,” Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner told ARLnow Monday evening. “That individual was transported to an area hospital where he remains in critical condition. The details surrounding events prior to the injury are being investigated by ACPD.”

Police remained on scene for several hours investigating what happened.

On Tuesday, the Arlington County Police Department revealed in its daily crime report that the man was a shoplifting suspect who was allegedly fleeing from a security guard and attempting to jump over a railing when he fell.

From ACPD:

LARCENY (Significant), 2022-03070149, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 4:02 p.m. on March 7, police were dispatched to assist the Fire Department with an injury from a fall in the 800 block of Army Navy Drive. The investigation determined the suspect had entered a business, allegedly concealed merchandise under his coat and left without paying when an employee approached and offered assistance. A security guard entered the area and began to follow the suspect who then ran to the parking garage and attempted to jump over a railing before falling to the ground. Medics transported the suspect to an area hospital with serious injuries. A summons for petit larceny was obtained for the suspect.

JUST IN: Vehicle overturns on GW Parkway, may be linked to Georgetown robbery

By ARLnow.com
Overturned vehicle and police activity on the Spout Run entrance from the GW Parkway (Photo courtesy @airwolf782)

A vehicle possibly involved in a robbery in Georgetown has overturned on the GW Parkway.

The wreck happened around 3:15 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the Parkway, near Spout Run, leaving the vehicle on its roof.

Two occupants are out and said to be in police custody. An Arlington police K-9 unit was dispatched to the scene, initially to search for a person still believed to be on the run, though it’s unclear whether that is still the case.

Firefighters and medics, as well as police from several jurisdictions, are now on scene.

Public safety watcher Alan Henney reports that the people in custody are suspects in a robbery of an optical store in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. There have been a number of such robberies across the region in recent months, including at least two in Arlington.

The exit from the northbound GW Parkway to the Spout Run is currently closed as a result of the emergency activity.

Photo courtesy @airwolf782

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Men play basketball at Westover Park under the lights (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Prison for Convicted Drug Trafficker — “An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking… Pills distributed by the conspiracy twice on December 20, 2020, contributed to the mixed drug overdose death of a 20-year-old female in Arlington, whose blood was later determined to contain fentanyl.” [Dept. of Justice, Twitter]

ACDC Lowering Participation Age — “Seventeen-year-olds would be able to participate in operation of the Arlington County Democratic Committee under proposed bylaw amendments. The change, part of a larger swath of amendments to be voted on in April, would allow those under 18 to participate in ACDC activities, including caucuses, if they would turn 18 before the next Election Day.” [Sun Gazette]

History of Columbia Gardens Cemetery — “Columbia Gardens, long run by the Thomas family, is the resting place of historic personages: car dealer Bob Peck, Sen. Robert Byrd, guitarist Roy Buchanan, and a host of prominent locals with names like Ball, Marcy, Mackay and Lyon. Retired superintendent Ned Thomas Jr. confirmed the story his great-grandfather (a co-founder) relayed: ‘Someone in the War Department knew World War I was coming and that Arlington cemetery was basically full,’ he told me. So the partners thought a new cemetery in Arlington would make a lot of money.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Marymount Boosts Local Economy — “A new study suggests Marymount University pumps $236 million annually into the local economy, directly and indirectly, and is responsible for a cumulative payroll of about $90 million. The study, released by the university, looks at both the direct impact of the university on local economic conditions, and indirect impacts, such as spending by students.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Monday — Rain in the evening. High of 75 and low of 57. Sunrise at 6:33 am and sunset at 6:09 pm. [Weather.gov]

Driver gets stuck in ‘green’ median near Discovery Elementary

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Arlington County police are on scene of an unusual accident in the Rock Spring neighborhood, near Discovery Elementary and Williamsburg Middle schools.

The driver of a car apparently drove into a ditch in the median, just past the intersection of Williamsburg Blvd and N. Harrison Street, around 1:45 p.m. The car became stuck and is now awaiting a tow.

No injuries have been reported and for now the road is not blocked.

The vegetated median along Williamsburg Blvd helps with stormwater management. It was previously constructed as part of the county’s “green streets” initiative.

In more consequential traffic news, just prior to this accident Virginia State Police and Arlington County firefighters were pulling up to a multivehicle crash on southbound I-395 near the Pentagon. At least one injury was reported.

As of 2 p.m. the crash and emergency response were still blocking lanes, causing a significant backup for drivers heading over the bridge and into Arlington.

Arlington detectives honored for recovering $89,000 of stolen goods

By Matt Blitz
Detectives Parsons and Galiatsos honored by a national task force for organized retail crime (Image via Twitter/ACPD)

Two Arlington County detectives are being recognized for leading an investigation that led to $89,000 of stolen merchandise being recovered.

The TJX National Task Force for Organized Retail Crime, formed by the parent company that owns department store TJ Maxx, honored Arlington detectives Tim Parsons and Diane Galiatsos earlier this week for their part in arresting a man and recovering tens of thousands of dollars of stolen property.

In December, police got a tip from the task force about an employee stealing merchandise from a business on the 1100 block of S. Joyce Street in Pentagon City, ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.

Perhaps not coincidentally, that’s the same block as the T.J. Maxx in Pentagon City, though ACPD typically does not reveal the identity of businesses that have been victims of crimes.

A police investigation was launched and resulted in an employee being arrested and charged with embezzlement and larceny with the intent to sell. The police recovered $89,000 of merchandise.

The case remains active and in the court system, notes Savage.

“Det. Parsons and Det. Galiatsos are an inspiration to your organization. The professionalism and participation put forth in this case sets an example for other Law Enforcement Agencies to follow,” the award reads. “With the highly impactful nature of this case and the quick closure, we at TJX are very thankful for the ongoing partnership with the Arlington County Police Department.”

Organized retail crime is defined as two or more persons illegally obtaining retail merchandise in large quantities as “part of an unlawful commercial enterprise,” according to Loss Prevention Magazine.

Since police statistics do not specifically track organized retail crime, Savage said she could not provide ARLnow with data about its prevalence in Arlington. However, last year the county experienced a wave of a crime, with a seemingly organized group of burglars breaking into numerous cash-based local businesses to steal money and items.

Besides TJX, ACPD also partners with the Mid Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance (MAORCA) to share information on these types of crime in the region.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Police Holding St. Paddy’s Event — “On Friday, March 18 from 8-10 p.m., join officers on N. Hudson Street at Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon for the Don’t Press Your Luck anti-drunk driving event. This event is free and open to the public and is designed to highlight the effect alcohol has on motor skills.” [ACPD]

Sub Suspended for Russia Rant — “Arlington Public Schools has suspended a substitute teacher who, during a Spanish class, expressed approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and urged students to read Russian-run propaganda outlets. The substitute, John Stanton, 65, made the comments during an eighth-grade Spanish lesson on Friday at Swanson Middle School.” [Washington Post]

How to Help Ukraine — “Arlington and Ivano-Frankivsk were formally declared sister cities on March 4, 2011… The Arlington Sister City Association has identified the following trusted organizations as providing a variety of services to the Ukrainian people. Please consider helping our friends during this difficult time.” [Arlington County]

Local Foster Dog Delivers — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “If you order through UberEats, keep an eye out – Orlando might be your delivery-dog! Orlando loves joining his foster mom on delivery runs, and always sings along to the songs on the radio. We give him a 5-star rating!” [Twitter]

‘Freedom Convoy’ May Be Coming — “The U.S. protesters inspired by the self-styled ‘Freedom Convoy’ that occupied downtown Ottawa for weeks headed out from Southern California last week for a cross-country trip to the D.C. region. They plan to arrive this weekend, and Virginia State Police describes the convoy as a “still-fluid situation.” [Washington Post]

It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 46 and low of 26. Sunrise at 6:37 am and sunset at 6:06 pm. [Weather.gov]

Three arrested after theft, scuffle with police in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Two men and one woman are behind bars after police say they stole items from a Pentagon City store and tried — unsuccessfully — to flee from officers.

The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday on the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. (That’s the same block as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall, though Arlington County police typically do not name the businesses that have been the victims of crimes.)

What started as a retail theft escalated to an assault on police after officers were able to quickly locate the suspects, according to a crime report.

“Police were dispatched to the report of a larceny in progress. Upon arrival, officers observed the three suspects fleeing from the business and gave them commands to stop,” said an ACPD crime report. “As the officers were taking Suspect One into custody, he resisted arrest and attempted to flee the scene. A struggle ensued, during which Suspect Two acted disorderly and attempted to strike the officers as they took Suspect One into custody.”

“Additional units arrived on scene and took into custody Suspect Two, as well as Suspect Three who was located on the metro platform,” the crime report continues. “During the course of the investigation, Suspect Three provided false identifying information, however the officers were able to subsequently properly identify him.”

One officer was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries, ACPD said.

Stolen merchandise was allegedly recovered from two of the suspects. A 21-year-old man, 36-year-old woman and 23-year-old man are now facing charges ranging from petty theft to assault on police to identify theft.

JUST IN: Man receives life sentence for rape of massage therapist

By ARLnow.com
A 2018 surveillance image of Columbia Pike rape suspect Salodus Zeloter Hicks (photo courtesy ACPD)

A D.C. man convicted of raping a massage therapist in a Columbia Pike apartment building in 2018 has been sentenced to life in prison.

It was the second rape conviction for 63-year-old Salodus Zeloter Hicks, thus leading to the lengthy sentence from Arlington County Circuit Court Judge Louise DiMatteo.

Hicks was arrested less than a week after the crime, after a 16-hour standoff at a home in Northwest D.C. Arlington County police were assisted by D.C. police and the FBI; Hicks was safely apprehended after he finally surrendered.

In a statement, Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn called Hicks “a sexual predator [who] will never have the opportunity to target another member of our community.” Arlington’s top prosecutor, Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, said the sentence “is severe, but warranted.”

More from a county press release, below.

After being found guilty by an Arlington County jury in September, Salodus Zeloter Hicks, 63, of Washington D.C. was sentenced on Friday, February 25, 2022, to life in prison plus 12 months for a rape that occurred in 2018. Judge DiMatteo imposed a sentence of life in prison on the charge of rape (2nd offense) and 12 months on the charge of assault & battery.

At approximately 4:02 p.m. on September 17, 2018, police responded to the 5500 block of Columbia Pike for the late report of a rape. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim and suspect made contact through an online advertisement for massage therapy. After the suspect arrived for the massage appointment, he asked for sexual services and when the victim refused, he strangled and raped her.

Following the assault, the suspect fled the scene but was captured on surveillance video. A press release requesting the public’s assistance helped identify Hicks as the suspect. On the evening of September 26, 2018, detectives attempted to execute search and arrest warrants on the suspect at his residence in NW Washington, D.C. The suspect refused to exit the residence and following a 16-hour barricade, he surrendered and was taken into police custody with assistance by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department. Once in custody, the search warrant was executed and additional evidence linking him to the rape was recovered.

“Mr. Hicks never made any statements about what occurred, but the evidence did all the talking for him,” said Chief Andy Penn. “The persistent investigative work and prosecution led to an ultimate sentence that ensures a sexual predator will never have the opportunity to target another member of our community.”

“I’m grateful to the survivor for her courage in testifying against her attacker, and to the police and our trial team for their dedication in investigating and prosecuting the case,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. “A life sentence is severe, but warranted, because Mr. Hicks previously had been convicted of rape. Our duty first, last, and always is to protect the community from the sort of harm Mr. Hicks caused while affording him a fair trial, and we did that.”

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