Video: Bystanders Walk Past Accident Victim While Getting on the Bus
The Arlington County Police Department has released video tonight from a Metro bus that stopped at the scene of fatal pedestrian accident earlier this month.
The video was taken on the evening of July 1. Just minutes prior to the start of the video, a man had been struck by a car on Columbia Pike near the intersection with Four Mile Run Drive, which was darkened due to power outages in the area following the June 29 derecho. The video shows the bus pulling up to the scene, which was next to a bus stop. The man’s bloodied body — blurred out by police — is lying on the sidewalk.
With the bus stopped, passengers file past the man’s body. Although someone had called 911 — lights from police cars heading to the scene can be seen in the background — not a single person stops to check on the man, who was either dead or dying. A woman carrying shopping bags walks right by, without hesitation. One man crosses himself after getting on the bus.
Police say they released the video in a “good faith effort” to get witnesses to the accident to step forward. Detectives are not looking to charge anybody in the video with any wrongdoing — they just want them to “come forward and say ‘this is what happened, this is what we saw,’” according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
“The intent is solely to get these witnesses to… assist police in the reconstruction of what happened that night,” Sternbeck said. “The intent is not to say these individuals are accountable for anything.”
Sternbeck noted that the driver of the striking vehicle “has been very cooperative,” but the case is still open. Charges could still be filed if the driver is thought to be at fault.
The victim of the accident has been identified by police as 35-year-old Edgar Francisco Aguilar of Arlington. He was pronounced dead on scene, according to Sternbeck.
Any witnesses are asked to contact Det. Icolari at 703-228-4240.
Man Stabbed During Street Fight Near Columbia Pike
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) A man nearly died after being stabbed multiple times with a broken beer bottle early this morning.
The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on the 1200 block of S. Scott Street, in front of the Wellington apartments, near Columbia Pike. Police say seven men had been drinking when a fight broke out between two of them in the middle of the street.
During the fight, one of the men was stabbed multiple times with a broken beer bottle. The man suffered stab wounds to his groin, leg and throat, and an arterial cut to his arm. The latter wound gushed blood, and police say all seven men were covered in blood by the time officers arrived on scene.
Officers arrived, secured the scene, and quickly applied a tourniquet to the wounded man, likely saving his life, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
The victim was transported to George Washington University Hospital in critical but stabilized condition. Three other men were treated and released from Virginia Hospital Center. Among them, one man required stitches above the eye and staples to the head to close lacerations caused by a beer bottle.
Two men have been charged with assault by mob, Sternbeck said. Another man, 27-year-old Onon Turmandakh of Arlington, was charged with malicious wounding and assault by mob.
Photos: Civil War Reenactors at Arlington Church
On Sunday a group of Civil War reenactors set up camp outside the Mount Olivet United Methodist Church at 1500 N. Glebe Road, part of a “living history” event intended to draw attention to the church’s role as a field hospital during the war.
The event included a display of medical tools and practices from the Civil War era, talks by actor portraying historic figures, and the opportunity to mix and mingle with the reenactors, who discussed the ins and outs and camp life.
Among the reenactors was Seth Black, a Thomas Jefferson Middle School student and avid Civil War buff who portrayed a wounded Union drummer boy, according to the Sun Gazette.
Photos courtesy Fred Dunn
Planning to Begin for New Pentagon City Metro Elevator
On Saturday, the Arlington County Board is expected to approve a contract to begin preliminary engineering for a new elevator at the Pentagon City Metro station.
With about 36,000 combined entries and exits per weekday, the Pentagon City station is the second busiest station in Northern Virginia — second only to Rosslyn — and the 10th busiest in the entire Metro system.
A study conducted by WMATA in 2010, at the request of Arlington County, concluded that a new elevator should be built on the west side of S. Hayes Street, near the Pentagon City mall, and across from an existing elevator on the east side of Hayes.
In a report, county staff says a second elevator will help improve access to the station for those with disabilities and for those with strollers and luggage, by eliminating the need to cross S. Hayes Street in order to use an elevator.
“Additionally, it will provide redundancy, in accordance with current WMATA design criteria, when one of the elevators is out of service for any reason,” staff added.
The contract for the initial engineering is worth $358,359, and is scheduled to be voted upon by the Board on Saturday. Once the preliminary engineering is completed, the county plans to proceed with a design-build construction process in order to save time and money.
The budget for the entire project includes $4.5 million in federal funds, $400,000 in state funds and $200,000 county bond funds.
Event: ‘Dog Days of Summer’ Walk and Yappy Hour
The Arlington Food Assistance Center’s Young Professionals Committee will be holding its second annual “Dog Days of Summer” dog walk and yappy hour fundraiser on Wednesday (July 18).
The event, which will benefit AFAC’s efforts to fight hunger, will take place after work in Clarendon.
Young professionals are invited to bring their dogs — and a $5 donation — to the (now closed) James Hunter dog park at the corner of N. Herndon Street and 13th Street around 6:00 p.m. The walk will start at 6:30 p.m., will wind through the residential neighborhoods around Clarendon, and will end by 7:30 p.m. with a “yappy hour” on the patio at Mexicali Blues (2933 Wilson Blvd).
Those without dogs are welcome to participate — and perhaps even adopt a pooch of their own.
“Although this is a dog walk event, walkers do NOT have to have a dog to participate,” organizers said in an email. “Volunteers from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington will… join the walk with dogs in need of loving homes.”
Those interested in participating are asked to RSVP to young.professionals@afac.org.
Morning Poll: Ban Rooftop Signs?
As part of its recommendations for revising the county sign ordinance, the Arlington Planning Commission is recommending a ban on new signs placed higher than 40 feet on building walls, according to the Arlington Mercury.
If the recommendation is ultimately adopted by the County Board, it would effectively ban all new high-rise rooftop signs — popular with developers and businesses, especially in high-density commercial zones like Rosslyn and Crystal City.
Do you agree with the Planning Commission?
Flickr pool photo by Pderby
Morning Notes
Four Mile Run Rapist Still on the Loose — Arlington County police are still looking for a man who raped a woman on the Four Mile Run Trail two weeks ago. Police are issuing warnings to women who use the trail, in English and in Spanish. Officers are also patrolling the trail on bike and motorcycles. [WJLA]
Marymount, O’Connell Teaming Up for Baseball Field — Marymount University will be adding a varsity baseball team to its athletic program after striking a deal with Bishop O’Connell High School to use the school’s baseball field. Marymount will fund the renovation of the O’Connell’s field to NCAA standards, in exchange for partial use of the field. Marymount hopes to have the baseball team ready for its first season by Spring 2014. [Sun Gazette]
N. Va. Critical to Obama Re-Election — The road to the White House runs through Northern Virginia, according to some political watchers. Experts say President Obama must score a big victory in Northern Virginia in order to capture the Commonwealth, one of three crucial, hotly-contested swing states. As a result, residents can expect a bombardment of political ads this fall. [WUSA 9]
Flickr pool photo by Damiec
