police

Lyft offering free rides to curb alcohol-related crashes on Halloween weekend

By James Jarvis
2023 Halloween SoberRide flier (via Washington Regional Alcohol Program)

Lyft will offer free rides up to $15 next weekend to curb drunk driving as Arlington sees an uptick in alcohol-related crashes.

Organized by the Tysons-based nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the initiative, known as SoberRide, aims to prevent drunk driving during holidays, such as Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve when such behavior is more common.

Arlington saw two DUI arrests and three alcohol-related crashes over the last three Halloween weekends, according to data provided by ACPD.

Looking beyond Halloween, alcohol-related crashes have nearly doubled overall since 2020, surging from 96 to 172 in 2022, according to ACPD. DUI arrests have followed a similar trend, nearly doubling from 269 in 2020 to 425 in 2022.

Nationwide, drunk driving-related crashes on Halloween night claimed the lives of 159 people between 2017 and 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just over half of those fatalities, 55%, involved adults ages 21-34.

WRAP, which previously partnered with Red Top Cab of Arlington and other taxi companies, has partnered with Lyft since 2017 to combat those statistics.

Those interested in a free ride can enter a forthcoming promotional code into Lyft’s “Payment” tab. The code, for use only to those 21 and older, will be published on WRAP’s website at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. The code is valid from 4 p.m. on Saturday until 4 a.m. on Sunday.

The nonprofit will offer a minimum of 1,500 rides this Halloween, WRAP President Kurt Erickson tells ARLnow.

He noted that 943 people used the SoberRide code last Halloween, which is the second-highest number of people to use the code in the program’s history.

SoberRide saw its highest usage for Halloween 2019, when more than 1,200 people used the code to get a free ride.

The Arlington County Police Department, meanwhile, will be hosting a Halloween anti-drunk driving event on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. at the intersection of N. Hudson Street and Wilson Blvd. The event will highlight the impact alcohol has on motor skills.

N. Hudson Street between Wilson Blvd and 13th Street N. will be closed from approximately 6-11  p.m. for the event, according to an ACPD press release, excerpted below.

Celebrate with a Plan

Don’t let drunk driving haunt your celebrations – if you plan to drink, follow these simple tips for a safe and happy evening:

  • Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.
  • The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s 2023 Halloween SoberRide® program is offering free rides home, in partnership with Lyft, from 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 29.
  • If you see a suspected impaired driver on the roadway, report to your local law enforcement. To report a suspected impaired driver in Arlington County, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
  • Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

Always remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit the NHTSA website.

Road Closure

N. Hudson Street between Wilson Boulevard and 13th Street N. will be closed from approximately 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. to accommodate this event.

Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs in the area. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.

Arlington sees slightly elevated crime rates compared the region, per new report

By Jo DeVoe
Crime scene tape at shooting scene in Green Valley (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington has a slightly higher than average crime rate compared to the region overall, according to a new report.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recently released its annual report, in which it compiled crime statistics reported out by local police departments, including Arlington County Police Department.

Overall, MWCOG found the D.C. area is seeing 18.3 crimes per 1,000 people involving rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. This is higher than the 2021 rate of 16.8.

Arlington County’s rate increased from 15.9 to 19.7 and is now higher than the regional average, though the lowest in the region’s urban core, which also includes Alexandria and D.C. The former claims second-highest rate, at 20.8, and D.C. claims the highest crime rate, at 40.6.

Larger, more suburban counties tend to have lower crime rates, including Fairfax County, with a rate of 15.6 crimes per 1,000 people.

“This is something that you didn’t necessarily know the data point but you knew to be true: crime is increasing across the region and, right now, is at elevated levels that we haven’t seen in quite some time,” Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said during a meeting on Tuesday.

Crime rate in the D.C. area (via MWCOG)

Among Northern Virginia jurisdictions, Arlington saw a 25% increase in offenses, the median rise in crime for its Virginian neighbors.

“We’re all struggling and we’re not struggling any more than anyone else,” Dorsey said.

Property crimes drive the trends regionally, according to 5-year trends in the MWCOG report. That appears to be reflected locally, with an uptick of reported motor vehicle thefts: 412 thefts in 2022, up from 313 in 2021.

Property crime trends in the D.C. area (via MWCOG)

Carjackings are this year’s headline-grabbing offense, regionally, one that Dorsey stressed is thorny to tackle.

“There is a lot of interagency cooperation on these issues, but they are also quite difficult for police to bring to a satisfactory conclusion in terms of arrests and prosecutions,” Dorsey said.

Earlier this month Arlington surpassed the total number of carjackings from 2022, according to ARLnow’s count. While the county is seeing more carjackings, they are still less common than in D.C. and Prince George’s County, according to heat maps by the Washington Post.

One crime for which Arlington is an outlier, according to Dorsey, is assaults.

“We experienced a ridiculously huge increase in aggravated assaults in the year and are definitely a regional outlier, and not in a good way, with a 43% increase,” Dorsey said.

ACPD says “aggravated assault” is a category that includes distinct 20 felonies and three misdemeanor charges, spanning a broad range of crimes, including:

  • throwing items at occupied vehicles
  • brandishing firearms or similar-looking objects
  • child abuse
  • malicious wounding

The fact that 23 different charges encompass “aggravated assault” makes it difficult for community members to understand what exactly is happening in their community, says Chuck Miere, a Virginia criminal justice reform lobbyist who dug into ACPD data earlier this year.

“There’s very little transparency as to what gets counted year to year as falling into any of these categories because there isn’t a single ‘aggravated assault’ charge in Virginia,” he tells ARLnow. “There are a bunch of assault charges that can be aggravated.”

(more…)

NEW: Early morning barricade situation in Buckingham ends peacefully

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A 43-year-old Arlington man is in jail after an overnight barricade situation in the Buckingham neighborhood.

The incident started around 12:30 a.m. with what was reported as a woman’s ex-boyfriend kicking down her door and confronting her and her current boyfriend with a knife.

The suspect then returned to his home nearby, leading to a barricade situation that eventually ended peacefully after negotiations with police, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

More, below, from a press release.

The Arlington County Police Department is announcing the arrest of a suspect following an early morning barricade in the Buckingham neighborhood. Jermaine Chambers, 43, of Arlington, VA is charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding, Burglary with Intent to Commit Assault and Assault & Battery (x2). He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 12:23 a.m. on October 19, police were dispatched to the 4200 block of 2nd Road N. for the report of a possible assault with a weapon. Upon arrival, it was determined the known male suspect forced entry into the victim’s residence, brandished a knife, threatened and physically assaulted the female and male victims before fleeing the residence on foot. The male victim was treated on scene by medics for injuries considered non-life threatening. The female victim did not require medical treatment.

Officers searched the area for the suspect with the assistance of Fairfax County Police Department’s helicopter and determined he had returned to his residence in the 200 block of N. Thomas Street. Officers established a perimeter, made telephone contact and initiated negotiations with the suspect who refused to exit his residence and remained barricaded inside. Members of the Department’s Emergency Response Team responded to the scene, continued negotiations with the suspect and eventually took him into custody without incident.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Police investigating hammer and knife attack in Lyon Village

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A man was seriously injured after a hammer and knife attack in the Lyon Village neighborhood yesterday.

The Tuesday evening incident happened on the 1700 block of N. Calvert Street, a few blocks from Lyon Village Park, and involved two men who knew each other, police said.

Officers were not made aware of the attack until later that night, after the victim was treated at Inova Fairfax Hospital, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

More from ACPD:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2023-10170254, 1700 block of N. Calvert Street. At approximately 9:22 p.m. on October 17, police were dispatched to INOVA Fairfax Hospital for the late report of an assault that occurred in Arlington County. The preliminary investigation indicates at approximately 4:50 p.m., the male victim and male suspect, who are known to each other, became engaged in a verbal dispute during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a hammer. A witness separated the victim and suspect and a short time later, the suspect reapproached the victim, brandished a knife and struck the victim, causing a laceration. The suspect left the scene and the victim self-reported to the hospital with serious, non-life threatening injuries. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Reston man faces charges in Arlington sex crimes investigation

By ARLnow.com
Matthew Coble (photo courtesy ACPD)

A 21-year-old Reston man is facing charges after a sex crimes investigation involving victims under the age of 18.

The charges stem from “criminal incidents that occurred in 2020,” Arlington County police said. ACPD says they’re now seeking other potential victims of the suspect, identified as Matthew Coble.

Coble was already on the radar of law enforcement. In July, an Arlington jury found Coble guilty of Aggravated Sexual Battery of a mentally incapacitated or physically helpless individual in a public park. His sentencing in that case is currently set for Dec. 15.

More on the latest charges and the search for additional victims, below, from an ACPD press release.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating a suspect charged with sex offenses against a teenage juvenile and is seeking possible additional victims.

On September 18, police received information regarding criminal incidents that occurred in 2020 and immediately initiated a comprehensive investigation. As a result, Matthew Coble, 21, of Reston, VA was charged on October 13 with Indecent Liberties with a Child (x3) and Production of Child Pornography. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond. Additional information regarding the investigation is restricted from release in accordance with Virginia Code § 16.1-301 and Virginia Code § 19.2-11.2.

Based on the investigation, detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with past inappropriate encounters with this suspect or who has additional information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective P. Pena at 703-228-4183 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Two nabbed in foot chases after vehicle theft attempt from Amazon HQ2 garage

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police vehicle responding to assist with foot chase in Pentagon City on Oct. 16, 2023

A pair of suspects led Arlington County police on extended foot chases through Pentagon City yesterday afternoon.

Police first responded to a parking garage below Amazon’s HQ2 building around 3:30 p.m. Monday after security observed suspects in ski masks trying to break into a car.

The suspects were later spotted in the area and took off running. Personnel from some federal law enforcement agencies with nearby offices — the DEA and the U.S. Marshals Service — helped police spot the fleeing suspects, according to scanner traffic. Both suspects were apprehended around 4:30 p.m.

More, below, from today’s ACPD crime report.

ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2023-10160155, 500 block of 14th Road S. At approximately 3:30 p.m. on October 16, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined security personnel were inside a parking garage when they heard an activated car alarm and observed the two male suspects wearing ski masks allegedly tampering with the steering column of the vehicle. Security personnel verbally confronted the suspects and they exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. A lookout was broadcast and officers canvassed the area for the suspects. A short time later, officers located the suspects in the area of S. Fern Street and 12th Street S. and attempted to detain them during which both suspects ran from the area. Following foot pursuits, both suspects were located and taken into custody. During the course of the investigation, burglarious tools were recovered from the scene. No injuries were reported. [Suspect 1], 18, of Fort Washington, Md. was arrested and charged with Attempted Grand Larceny Auto, Possession of Burglarious Tools, Destruction of Property, Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Wearing a Mask in a Public Place to Conceal Identity. [Suspect 2], 18, of Alexandria. Va. was arrested and charged with Attempted Grand Larceny Auto, Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Wearing a Mask in a Public Place to Conceal Identity.

Amazon delivery driver arrested for alleged assault in Penrose

By ARLnow.com
1/5

An Amazon delivery driver is facing charges after allegedly beating up a man in the Penrose neighborhood.

The incident happened Wednesday afternoon in a private townhouse development across the street from Penrose Square.

“At approximately 3:07 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2300 block of 9th Street S., for the report of an assault with injury,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect, a delivery driver, was making deliveries in the area when he became involved in a verbal dispute with the male victim over a parking issue that escalated to a physical altercation during which the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim.”

”A witness separated the suspect and victim, who both remained on scene. The victim sustained minor injuries,” Shorb added.

Scanner traffic suggests that the victim was found bleeding and was evaluated by medics. Shorb said the suspect, a 30-year-old resident of Capitol Heights, Maryland, has been charged with assault and battery.

Colleagues of the driver resumed his deliveries after the arrest. One who spoke to ARLnow claimed the driver — who was operating an unmarked white delivery van — was harassed by a resident who questioned what he was doing in the private community.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott contributed to this report

UPDATED: Police searching for suspect after slashing in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
Response to slashing incident on 19th Street N. in Rosslyn

Update on 10/13/23 — Arlington County police have released the following crime report about the incident. The suspect remains at large.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-10120097, 1800 block of N. Lynn Street. At approximately 10:56 a.m. on October 12, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect and male victim were involved in a verbal dispute, during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a knife, resulting in a laceration. Responding officers located the victim in the 1000 block of 19th Street N. and immediately began rendering emergency medical assistance. Medics transported the victim to an area hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The suspect fled the scene following the assault and a canvass of the area for the suspect yielded negative results. The suspect is described as a white male with a slim build, approximately 25-35 years old, 5’9”-6’0” tall with black facial hair and wearing all black clothing. The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier: Arlington police and medics are on scene of a slashing incident in Rosslyn.

A victim suffered a severe arm injury after a man slashed him with a knife, initial reports suggest. It happened around 11 a.m. and the victim was found near the intersection of 19th Street N. and N. Kent Street.

Police applied a tourniquet to the victim’s arm and he’s now being transported via ambulance to a local hospital, according to scanner traffic.

ACPD is also investigating a report that a knife-wielding man — perhaps the same suspect — chased another victim in the area. That victim reportedly fled into the McDonald’s on N. Lynn Street and hid in the bathroom prior to police arrival.

While officers sort out what happened they requested that the H-B Woodlawn building in Rosslyn be placed in “secure the school” mode, according to scanner traffic.

Arlington police offering $20k for identity of person sending harassing emails to female ACFD personnel

By Jo DeVoe
File photo

Arlington police are investigating a series of harassing emails sent to a group of female Arlington County Fire Department employees this summer.

To move the inquiry along, the police department has offered a $20,000 reward to the first person within ACFD who provides information that leads to the identification and arrest of the anonymous sender, per a copy of the reward notice shared with ARLnow.

The reward notice is labeled as “confidential” and not for dissemination outside of public safety personnel.

In June, several female ACFD employees received anonymous emails that amounted to criminal harassment, the notice said.

“The emails continued throughout the month of June until they were sent en masse to Arlington County Fire Department staff,” it says. “These emails have impacted additional personnel outside of those who directly received the emails.”

ACPD began its criminal harassment investigation the same month, police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. She said the county subsequently funded a reward to support the ongoing investigation and the notice was sent to ACFD personnel.

The notice comes on the heels of an August report by WTOP detailing harassment that some 30 women in ACFD allege they have endured for several years. The report is based on a letter, shared with the news outlet, in which the women call attention to “a troubling pattern of misconduct and a culture that jeopardizes our safety and well-being.”

WTOP says the letter describes years of “anonymous emails and text messages, often sexual in nature,” sent to women employees, as well as specific instances where some employees were sexually harassed or assaulted.

ACPD has received previous reports of harassing communications, Savage confirmed to ARLnow. The notice likewise links the emails sent this June to “previous unsolved cases involving anonymous, sexually explicit messages.”

This is all the information Savage says ACPD can share for now, however.

“To ensure the integrity of the ongoing criminal investigation, no additional details are available for release at this time,” she said.

Brian Lynch, president of the firefighters union, Local 2800, condemned the harassing emails as “straight up unacceptable” and praised the women who came forward, noting many actively participate in union efforts.

“No one should be subjected to this vile conduct,” Lynch said in a statement to ARLnow. “Our entire union stands behind the victims here. As evidenced by the email reported on by WTOP, harassment is a problem that has gone on too long in our department, and too many members have been suffering in silence.”

ARLnow asked the fire department how long it has known about harassing emails, if it instructed the alleged victims to file police reports, whether ACFD is investigating the new allegations and if it has concluded any prior inquiries.

ACFD Capt. Nate Hiner confirmed the department is investigating “allegations raised by employees,” but did not otherwise respond directly to ARLnow’s questions.

Hiner also provided the following statement, which matches what WTOP previously received from the county.

Arlington County will continue to work with staff, hear their concerns, and take necessary actions to strengthen the safety and security of our workforce. Employees and volunteers of Arlington County have various avenues to report any concerns, issues, or allegations including the Office of Human Rights. Arlington County appreciates those who have raised concerns and supports those who are affected by the allegations.

Dorsey: We ‘unequivocally… condemn all of the violence that has been targeted at non-combatants’

By ARLnow.com
Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey speaks at a work session on Oct. 10 (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Arlington’s first public statement on the Israel-Hamas war came during a County Board work session Tuesday afternoon.

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey spoke about the latest Middle East violence — which has left more than 1,000 dead on both sides of the Gaza border after starting with a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli civilians — at the start of a work session on commercial resiliency.

Dorsey’s full statement is below.

I should also note before we begin our work session this afternoon, we convene under the specter of escalating violence and war in the Middle East. We know that that is something that personally affects many in this community. And while this is not the time or the forum to get into a deeper discussion on factors that are concerning the Middle East, we can say unequivocally that we condemn all of the violence that has been targeted at non-combatants and civilians that has caused many to be kidnapped and many to be murdered, and we hope that the violence de-escalates quickly without further loss of significant life to civilian populations there. That’s all I’m prepared to say at this point, and unfortunately, there’s no great segue to talking about our subject matter today.

Last night the mayors of neighboring D.C. and Alexandria posted photos of a bridge and city hall, respectively, lit up in blue in solidarity with Israel.

Asked whether extra security measures are being put in place in light of the Middle East conflict, Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the department is monitoring the situation.

“There are currently no known threats in Arlington County and our officers are on duty conducting proactive patrols throughout Arlington,” Savage told ARLnow. “We have been, and will remain, in contact with Jewish faith-based communities in Arlington regarding any public safety needs or concerns they may have.”

“Our department continues to monitor the conflict and remains connected with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners on information sharing,” she continued.

Early morning armed carjacking pushes Arlington past 2022 total

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

The 15th carjacking of the year in Arlington — based on ARLnow’s count of public crime reports — happened early Monday morning in the Green Valley neighborhood.

The incident happened around 3:20 a.m. on the 3200 block of 24th Street S., near the Shelton apartment complex.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

CARJACKING, 2023-10090040, 3200 block of 24th Street S. At approximately 3:21 a.m. on October 9, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was inside his parked vehicle when the male suspect approached on foot, brandished a firearm and demanded he exit the vehicle. The victim exited the vehicle and the suspect entered and fled the scene in the vehicle. No injuries were reported. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 6’0”-6’1”, with facial hair wearing a puffy jacket, jeans and a black mask. The victim’s vehicle is described as a black 2017 Lincoln Premiere with Virginia license plate TXN5943. The investigation is ongoing.

The last reported carjacking in Arlington happened on Sept. 21. With this latest incident, Arlington has now exceeded the 14 total carjackings reported in 2022.

Also in the latest ACPD crime report, two Hyundais were stolen while the airbags were taken from six Honda vehicles.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO/ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO/VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series) (Late), 2023-10080168/2023-10080171/2023-10080175, 1900 block of S. Eads Street/2000 block of Richmond Highway/1100 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 12:47 p.m. on October 9, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 5:00 p.m. on October 7 and 12:00 p.m. on October 8, the unknown suspect(s) stole two vehicles and caused damage to a third vehicle in the area while attempting to steal it. The stolen vehicles are described as a white 2018 Hyundai Sonata with Virginia license plate UCX2840 and a white 2014 Hyundai Sonata with Virginia license plate UMR4355. There are no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

LARCENY FROM AUTO/ATTEMPTED LARCENY FROM AUTO/DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (Series) (Late), 2023-10080121/2023-10080182, 2300 block of 25th Street S./2400 block of 24th Road S. At approximately 9:56 a.m. on October 8, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 3:00 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., the unknown suspect(s) caused damage to the driver side door handles of eight vehicles in the area and stole airbags from six of the vehicles. No additional items were reported stolen from the vehicles. All involved vehicles are Honda models. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

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