serious injuries

Driver Charged in Serious Crash on N. Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 1:25 p.m.) The person behind the wheel of a car that careened down a hill and onto N. Glebe Road is now facing a criminal charge.

The crash happened this past Wednesday night near the Old Glebe Road overpass. It left the vehicle’s two passengers trapped and seriously injured, including one with life-threatening injuries. Firefighters used hydraulic tools to remove them from the heavily-damaged vehicle.

As of today both were still in the hospital, with one listed in stable condition and the other in critical condition, according to Arlington County Police.

Police say the driver — who walked away from the crash and suffered only minor injuries — has been charged with driving under the age of 21 after illegally consuming alcohol, a misdemeanor. The driver’s identity “is not releasable… in accordance to Virginia law,” according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage, implying that he or she is under the age of 18.

“This remains an active criminal investigation,” Savage said. “Anyone with information related to this incident and/or personal surveillance that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Detective J. Cox of the Critical Accident Team at 703-228-0491 or [email protected].”

Fundraiser Underway to Support Wakefield Grad Injured in Car Crash

By Vernon Miles

Wakefield High School’s “Warrior Nation” and other friends of recent grad Truc Tran are rallying online to raise money online for the medical care of a student who was badly injured in a car crash last month.

Tran graduated from Wakefield in 2019 and is a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) studying biochemistry. Her friend Ileana Mendez, who created the GoFundMe for Tran’s family three days ago, said Tran excelled academically and is kind and sincere.

According to the GoFundMe page:

On February 23rd, 2020, Truc was driving back to VCU from her home in Arlington when she was involved in a terrible car accident along with her roommate and her friend. Truc was laying down on the back seat, with no seatbelt on. She suffered the worst injuries out of everyone in the car and had to be taken [to] a different hospital.

The page says that Tran suffered severe brain damage, collapsed lungs, and a broken spine. She was admitted to the cardiovascular ICU unit and given sedation.

“Truc is now at the Trauma ICU, being closely monitored and everyone is waiting for more updates on her condition,” Mendez said on the page. “She was slowly taken off the sedation and was able to open her eyes and move her shoulders and head a little. However, since the brain damage was too severe, the doctors are unsure if Truc will be able to be more responsive than how she is right now — only able to blink, move her fingers, toes, and her shoulders.”

Mendez said the broken spine will require additional surgery on top or two previous operations that attempted to fix the damage to her lungs.

“Truc’s family needs as much help as possible,” Mendez said. “Her parents are unable to work in this situation and they still have to take care of Truc’s little sister. It would be extremely appreciated if you could donate as much as you can in order to be able to cover for Truc’s stay at the hospital and for the recovery that lays ahead. The goal is to reach $500,000 as soon as possible, but whatever amount is reached we’ll be grateful for.”

As of 2 p.m. the fundraiser had raised more than $18,000.

The page has been shared throughout the Wakefield High School community.

https://twitter.com/kayonce923/status/1237394378273873921

Photo via GoFundMe

State Police: Six Highway Workers Injured in I-66 DUI Crash

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Six highway workers along I-66 in Arlington were injured, four seriously, after an alleged DUI driver plowed into their work zone overnight.

The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on I-66 near the N. Quincy Street overpass. Virginia State Police say the driver of a GMC Yukon veered into an active work zone, striking the half dozen workers before slamming into a light pole.

The driver was arrested for DUI and two passengers who allegedly tried to flee the scene were apprehended by Arlington County Police nearby, according to VSP. The six workers and two of the GMC occupants were brought to local hospitals, but all are expected to survive.

Initially, some of the injuries were reported to be critical and potentially life-threatening. A task force of Arlington and Fairfax County medics treated and transported the eight injured people.

More from VSP:

At 12:29 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 5), Virginia State Police responded to a crash within a Highway Work Zone in the westbound lanes of I-66 at Quincy Street near Exit 72 in Arlington County.

A GMC Yukon traveling west on I-66 swerved into the active Work Zone and struck six highway construction workers. The vehicle continued off the right side of the I-66 and crashed into a light pole.

There were three occupants in the GMC. The driver and a passenger in the GMC fled the scene on foot. State police and Arlington Police apprehended the two near the scene.

Arlington County Fire transported a total of eight individuals. Four of the highway workers are still being treated at Fairfax Inova for serious, but non-life threatening, injuries. Two other highway workers and the two male GMC passengers were transported to George Washington University Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

The driver of the Yukon, Kevin L. Blyther, 44, of Centreville, Va., has been charged with driving while intoxicated, one felony count for failure to stop at the scene of a crash involving an injury and one count of driving on a suspended/revoked license. Blyther is being held at the Arlington County Adult Detention Center.

There was a Virginia State Police vehicle positioned in the work zone with its blue lights flashing and the work zone was equipped with additional safety equipment and amber flashing lights to alert motorists of the active Highway Work Zone.

The crash remains under investigation.

This is not Blyther’s first serious run-in with the law. In 2017, he was arrested in Centreville following what police described as a six-hour barricade situation and domestic assault.

VDOT, meanwhile, is thanking social media users for an “outpouring of support” for the contractors who were struck.

JUST IN: Serious Pedestrian Crash on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

A man is fighting for his life after being struck by a driver on Columbia Pike.

The crash happened Thursday morning at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Carlin Springs Road, just over the Arlington border in Fairfax County.

Police say the victim suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene and is talking to detectives who are investigating the crash, per Fairfax County Police.

Two westbound lanes of Columbia Pike are blocked as a result of the investigation.

Man Seriously Hurt in Early Morning Fire

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A man was burned and seriously injured in an early morning fire in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood Tuesday.

The fire broke out in a detached, two story garage and apartment on the 2300 block of S. Hayes Street. Firefighters arriving on scene around 2:30 a.m. found heavy smoke and flames coming from the structure, but were able to eventually extinguish the fire.

One man was transported to a burn center in serious condition and a firefighter was taken to a local hospital for dehydration, according to the Arlington County Fire Department. The main house on the property did not catch fire, but the Red Cross is assisting its two occupants, ACFD said.

Firefighters from Arlington, Alexandria, Reagan National Airport and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall all helped battle the flames.

Photos via Arlington County Fire Department

UPDATED: Woman Killed by Falling Tree Limb Along Walter Reed Drive

By ARLnow.com
1/3

(Updated at 5:35 p.m. on June 30) A woman was killed by a falling tree limb on the 2600 block of S. Walter Reed Drive this afternoon.

The incident happened shortly before 2 p.m. Initial reports suggest a portion of a tree fell and landed on an older adult woman, who was knocked unconscious and trapped underneath.

Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Ben O’Bryant tells ARLnow a large tree limb fell and struck the woman on the bike path that runs along the street. First responders freed the woman and rushed her to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, O’Bryant said, but she later died at the hospital.

Arlington County Police are asking anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed what happened to call 703-558-2222.

Thursday evening, Arlington County released a statement about the incident, which happened on county-owned parkland, offering condolences to the woman and her family.

Arlington County is heartbroken that a community member was struck by a falling tree limb in a park this afternoon.  Our condolences and thoughts are with the family.

The incident occurred around 1:45 p.m. when a woman was walking along a path in Lucky Run Park. Apparently, a tree limb fell from an 80-foot oak and struck her. Firefighters responded to the scene and transported her to a local hospital with serious injuries. She was later pronounced deceased.

Safety is our number one priority. The County is investigating further to determine as many details of what happened as possible.

A resident tells ARLnow the woman lived nearby and had recently retired.

Map via Google Maps

UPDATED: Road Closures Following Critical Car vs. Motorcycle Crash on Route 1

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:35 p.m.) Police and firefighters are on scene of a potentially serious motorcycle crash at the busy intersection of Route 1 and S. Glebe Road, near Crystal City.

The driver of a car struck a motorcycle shortly before 11 a.m. Images from the scene show medics treating the injured motorcycle rider and preparing to place him or her on a stretcher, while a car with a shattered windshield and significant front-end damage sits nearby.

Drivers should expect delays near the intersection due to blocked lanes. As of around 11:30 a.m., southbound Route 1 is currently blocked and eastbound S. Glebe Road is being diverted onto S. Eads Street, according to scanner traffic. A traffic camera at the intersection that initially showed the crash scene appears to have been turned off.

The rider’s injuries “are considered critical but non-life threatening,” according to Arlington County Police. Detectives are in the process of documenting the scene and investigating the cause of the crash.

Police to Close Busy Intersection for Crash Investigation

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) Arlington County Police will close the busy intersection of S. Glebe Road and Columbia Pike for two hours over the weekend as part of a crash investigation.

The closure is scheduled from about 6-8 a.m. Saturday, ACPD said in a statement today. Detectives will be conducting “follow-up investigation pertaining to a critical multiple vehicle crash,” which happened last Friday afternoon.

One person was seriously injured and trapped in their vehicle as a result of the crash, according to scanner traffic at the time.

“One victim was transported to an area hospital with critical, but non-life threatening injuries,” said ACPD spokeswoman Kirby Clark. “No other significant injuries were reported.”

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Critical Accident Team will close the intersection of South Glebe Road and Columbia Pike on Saturday, June 22 in order to conduct a follow-up investigation pertaining to a critical multiple vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 3:14 p.m. on June 14.

The following road closures will be conducted in order to restrict access to the intersection from 6:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 a.m.:

  • South Glebe Road, northbound at South Monroe Street and southbound at 9th Street South
  • Columbia Pike, eastbound at South Monroe Street and westbound at South Highland Street

Access to businesses within the area will not be impacted, but vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic in some areas will be restricted.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area during the specified time and seek alternate routes. To access points north and south, motorists may use South George Mason Drive and South Walter Reed Drive. To access points east and west, motorists may use Route 50 and South Four Mile Run Drive.

The investigation into the circumstances of this crash remain ongoing and anyone with additional information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective B. Ames at [email protected] or 703-228-7073. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash Partially Blocks Busy Columbia Pike Intersection

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Police and firefighters are on scene of a major crash at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road.

The westbound lanes of Columbia Pike and at least one northbound lane of Glebe are blocked by the crash and the emergency activity. Drivers should expect significant evening rush hour traffic impacts in the area.

Initial reports suggest three vehicles were involved and at least two people were injured, one of whom suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a local trauma center.

Photos (1, 2) courtesy @LAGATAF1NA/Twitter

Three Juveniles Arrested for Alleged Mob Attack in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Three juvenile suspects are facing an array of charges after police say they attacked someone in a Ballston park Wednesday afternoon.

Officers were flagged down by the victim around 1 p.m., according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

Police say the victim was meeting three people he or she knew in a local park, on the 1300 block of N. Vermont Street near Washington-Lee High School, when the trio “assaulted the victim and stole his personal belongings, resulting in serious, but non life-threatening injuries that required medical treatment.”

Per ACPD:

The victim left the park and sought assistance from an officer he located nearby. During the course of the investigation, police located two of the suspects in the area. The first suspect was taken into custody without incident. The second suspect disobeyed lawful commands and actively resisted, yelling verbal profanities and striking the officer, causing injury that required medical treatment. The third suspect was apprehended later by members of the Tactical Unit without incident. Petitions for Robbery by Force and Assault or Battery by Mob were sought for the first and third juvenile suspects. Petitions for Robbery by Force, Assault or Battery by Mob, Assault & Battery on Law Enforcement and Possession of Marijuana were sought for the second juvenile suspect.

Citing laws protecting the privacy of juvenile suspects and victims, a police spokeswoman declined to say whether they were students or to provide other information.

Police Investigating Serious Motorcycle Crash on Route 50

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) The ramp from eastbound Route 50 to the Roosevelt Bridge is closed due to a serious crash involving a motorcycle.

The exact circumstances around the crash are unclear, but initial reports suggest a motorcyclist lost control and crashed into a guardrail around 12:40 p.m., potentially suffering broken bones and other injuries.

The rider was transported via ambulance to a local trauma center in critical condition, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Ben O’Bryant. Arlington County Police later clarified that the rider’s condition was critical, but with non-life-threatening injuries.

Map via Google Maps

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