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UPDATED: Two arrested trying to swim to freedom after car chase, crash and foot chase

Virginia State Police cruiser in Arlington (staff photo)

Two suspects led authorities on a three-hour-long pursuit by land and by water overnight.

The chase started around 1 a.m. in Crystal City, when a Virginia State Police trooper spotted a car with improper tags, which then fled from an attempted traffic stop. The chase made its way onto I-395 near the Pentagon, where the suspect’s car struck a police cruiser, according to Virginia State Police, after which the suspects fled on foot, chased by troopers.

The suspects ran toward Long Bridge Drive and eventually reached Roaches Run, where “the two subjects jumped into the water and began swimming” toward the GW Parkway, said VSP. A perimeter was established around the area and both the Fairfax County police and U.S. Park Police helicopters were called in to assist with the search for the suspects, who were by then trying to hide.

Arlington police and Park Police assisted on the ground during the incident.

Eventually, the suspects were spotted and, at 2:30 a.m., the Arlington County Fire Department’s water rescue team was dispatched to Roaches Run. The suspects were suffering from exposure to the cold water and were taken to a local hospital after being taken into custody by state troopers on an ACFD boat just before 4 a.m.

Update on 4/21/23 — Virginia State Police have released the following update on the investigation into Wednesday’s early morning chase, naming a male suspect who is now facing charges. A second, female vehicle occupant is so far not reported to be facing charges.

At approximately 12:59 a.m. Wednesday (April 19), a Virginia State Police Trooper alerted to a two-door Chrysler displaying improper registration (wrong license plates). When the trooper activated his emergency lights and sirens to attempt a traffic stop at 18th St. and S. Crystal Dr., the Chrysler refused to stop and sped away. A pursuit was initiated. The pursuit continued north on I-395 at which time state police attempted to contain the Chrysler as it was traveling on the right shoulder. The Chrysler struck one of the trooper’s vehicles, which caused both vehicles to spin around and collide a second time. The driver and passenger of the Chrysler then fled the scene on foot. With the assistance of Arlington County Police and Fairfax County Police resources, a search perimeter was established.

At approximately 1:55 a.m., troopers spotted the two subjects hiding near Roaches Run. As the troopers approached, the two subjects jumped into the water and began swimming across Roaches Run towards the GW Parkway. The U.S. Park Police responded to assist state police as the two subjects hid in the water to avoid detection and arrest.

Arlington County Fire and Rescue deployed its water rescue team and an adult male and a 23-year-old female were located and taken into custody without further incident. They were both transported to a nearby hospital for treatment due to their exposure to the cold water temperatures.

Bryant R. Mayo, 26, of Washington, DC, was charged with one felony count of eluding law enforcement and one felony charge of leaving the scene of a crash.

The incident remains under investigation.

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JUST IN: Two Arlington men killed in triple fatal Rock Creek Parkway crash

Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A triple fatal crash Wednesday morning in D.C. has claimed the lives of two young Arlington men.

U.S. Park Police just released the names of those killed. They include Jonathan Cabrera Mendez, 23, and Olvin Torres Velasquez, 22, both of Arlington.

The men were killed while riding in a Honda Accord with 42-year-old Mohamed Kamara of Burtonsville, Maryland. It is currently unclear whether Mendez and Velasquez knew Kamara or whether the Honda was being operated as a rideshare vehicle at the time of the crash.

The crash happened just before 1:45 a.m. on a curved section of the Rock Creek Parkway near P Street NW when a Lexus SUV slammed into the Honda. NBC 4, Fox 5 and other local news outlets reported that the Lexus had just fled an attempted traffic stop and had dozens of outstanding speeding violations associated with its license plate.

A man in the Lexus suffered injuries not considered life threatening, while a woman in the SUV suffered critical injuries, according to USPP.

More from today’s Park Police press release, below.

United States Park Police (USPP) officers have identified the victims of the crash that occurred on March 15 on Rock Creek Parkway involving a Honda sedan and a Lexus SUV.

On Wednesday, March 15 at 1:43 a.m., USPP officers were dispatched to a crash on the Rock Creek Parkway near P Street NW. The three occupants in the Honda were pronounced dead on the scene. The deceased were later identified as Mohamed Kamara, 42, of Burtonsville, MD, Jonathan Cabrera Mendez, 23, of Arlington, VA, and Olvin Torres Velasquez, 22, of Arlington, VA. The Lexus was occupied by an adult woman and adult man. The adult woman was transported to the hospital with injuries later considered life-threatening and the adult man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

USPP detectives are working in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as the crash remains under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact the USPP Tip Line at (202)379-4877 or email [email protected].

Park Police helo helps to nab Arlington armed robbery suspect

U.S. Park Police helicopter over the Potomac (file photo)

Arlington police got an assist from their Park Service counterparts on an armed robbery Monday morning.

The incident happened in the Crystal City area around 7:15 a.m. According to a crime report, a man with a gun stole cash from an unnamed business, then fled on foot.

The U.S. Park Police helicopter was called in and the suspect was located across the river in East Potomac Park, where he was arrested. He was armed with a BB gun, police determined.

More from ACPD:

ROBBERY, 2022-11280044, 2400 block of Richmond Highway. At approximately 7:16 a.m. on November 28, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, approached the counter, brandished a weapon, and demanded money from the employee. The suspect then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash. A perimeter was established and the area was searched with the assistance of the U.S. Park Police Helicopter. The suspect was located near East Potomac Park in Washington D.C. and taken into custody without incident. During a search of his person incident to arrest, a BB gun was recovered. [The suspect], 31, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged in Arlington County with Armed Robbery, Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of a Firearm while Active Subject of a Protective Order. He is being held by U.S. Park Police on separate charges.

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BREAKING: One dead after car plunges into Potomac

(Updated at 11:25 p.m.) At least two people have been pulled from the water on an icy cold night after a car drove into the Potomac along the GW Parkway.

The crash was first reported around 9:30 p.m., near Columbia Island Marina and the Humpback Bridge. It was not immediately clear how the car ended up in the water.

Initial reports suggest that one person was quickly able to get out of the water, possibly with the assistance of U.S. Park Police. They were taken to a local hospital via ambulance.

Another person was reported to be trapped and was taken to a hospital in critical condition after a rescue operation and CPR being performed on shore. NBC 4 reported tonight that that person has died.

Arlington County firefighters and D.C. fireboats assisted with the rescue operation alongside Park Police. Rescuers also searched the water for a possible third victim, according to scanner traffic.

“The two occupants were located and removed from the vehicle in the water,” ACFD said via social media. “Both were transported to area hospitals, one with life-threatening injuries.”

The northbound lanes of the Parkway are expected to remain closed until after midnight, according to Arlington Alert, likely as a result of the crash investigation. As of publication fire department personnel were in the process of clearing from the scene.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: GW Parkway blocked in Arlington after crash

Major backup after GW Parkway blocked by crash (via Google Maps)

The northbound lanes of the GW Parkway were Friday afternoon blocked after reports of a “major” crash near the second scenic overlook.

The Arlington County Fire Department is among those that responded to the crash, south of Chain Bridge in Arlington. So far there’s no word on injuries nor the exact nature of the crash.

Northbound traffic was diverted onto Spout Run Parkway, but a significant number of drivers may have gotten stuck in the backup after Spout Run.

Drivers on the southbound GW Parkway were also seeing delays near the crash scene due to the emergency response.

Update at 1:50 p.m. — All lanes have reopened, according to U.S. Park Police.

Photo via Google Maps

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JUST IN: Northbound GW Parkway closed after serious crash

File photo

Update at 10:15 p.m. — All lanes have reopened.

Earlier: Northbound lanes of the GW Parkway are closed for an investigation after a serious crash.

The crash happened along the Parkway, just north of N. Glebe Road, around 5:30 p.m.

One person was trapped in a vehicle and rescued by firefighters. They were brought via ambulance to a local hospital.

The northbound lanes were still closed as of 6:15 p.m. and are expected to remain closed for an extended period of time for a crash investigation, according to U.S. Park Police. Traffic is being diverted onto Spout Run Parkway.

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Two arrested after gunfire in D.C. leads to brief chase in Arlington

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Two people are in jail in Arlington after police say gunshots were fired from their vehicle in the District.

The arrests happened around 11:45 a.m., along southbound I-395 near S. Glebe Road. The incident started when an off-duty U.S. Park Police officer allegedly saw shots fired from the suspects’ vehicle — reportedly a U-Haul truck — at another vehicle.

“An off duty United States Park Police officer reporting for duty observed a vehicle discharge a firearm at another vehicle in the District of Columbia,” a Park Police spokesperson tells ARLnow. “Both vehicles fled the initial scene. The off duty USPP officer called in the incident to report it to on duty personnel.”

“USPP officers located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on southbound 395 in the area of Army Navy Drive,” the spokesperson continued. “The vehicle fled the initial stop before coming to a second stop for officers in the area of southbound 395 prior to Glebe Road. Two individuals were placed under arrest and transported to Arlington County Jail to be presented before a magistrate.”

A gun was found and the investigation is “ongoing,” the spokesperson said.

Arlington County police assisted Park Police during the incident, an ACPD spokeswoman confirmed. Several lanes of I-395 were temporarily blocked while the arrests were made.

More via social media, below.

Hat tips to Dave Statter and Alan Henney

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DEVELOPING: Rescue underway after car careens into woods along GW Parkway

Update at 3:25 p.m. — The driver has successfully been rescued and is being transported to a local trauma center with serious injuries, per scanner traffic.

Earlier: Firefighters are working to rescue an injured driver after their car careened off the northbound GW Parkway and into a thick patch of woods, just north of Spout Run.

The vehicle is reported to be some 50 feet into the woods, on the embankment that leads down to the Potomac River. Firefighters had difficulty locating it after Arlington County’s dispatch center received a 911 call from the driver, who reported having a leg injury; the U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter helped to locate it, according to scanner traffic.

The driver is said to be conscious and alert as rescuers figure out the best way to get him or her to safety.

Fire boats from Alexandria and D.C. also in the area, ready to assist if rescuers need to bring the driver down to the river instead of up to the Parkway.

The northbound GW Parkway is closed in the area as a result of the emergency activity, according to an Arlington Alert. Google Maps shows heavy traffic on the GW Parkway backing up to the Roosevelt Bridge.

This is not the first time a car has driven well into the woods between the Parkway and the river. Earlier this year the Parkway was partially closed to allow for the removal of two crashed cars in the woods.

Map via Google Maps

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Five Arrested in D.C. After Armed Robbery in Pentagon City

Five people were arrested after an armed robbery outside the Harris Teeter store in Pentagon City.

The robbery happened around 4 p.m. Wednesday, in a parking lot near the grocery store. Five people, including at least one who was armed with a handgun, assaulted and stole cash from victims with whom they had arranged a sale of sneakers, according to police.

“At approximately 4:11 p.m., police were dispatched to the 900 block of Army Navy Drive for the report of an armed robbery,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspects and victims met at this location for the pre-arranged sale of sneakers. During the encounter, the suspects brandished a firearm, assaulted the victims, stole an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene in a vehicle prior to the arrival of officers.”

The vehicle, a dark-colored Jeep, was soon located by police heading into D.C. on I-395. It was followed by officers until U.S. Park Police stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Street NW in the District.

Five people, all ages 19 and 20, were taken into custody and charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, Savage said. They’re currently being held in D.C.

One of the victims suffered a reported head wound during the robbery and was treated by medics on the scene.

 

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Weekend Crash on GW Parkway Leads to Arrest

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(Updated at 9:20 a.m.) A man who was allegedly involved in a significant crash on the GW Parkway was later stopped by police while walking along N. Glebe Road.

The multi-vehicle wreck blocked the GW Parkway in both directions between Spout Run Parkway and Chain Bridge Road for several hours this past Saturday night.

“At approximately 10:47 p.m., United States Park Police officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway south of the First Overlook,” U.S. Park Police spokesperson Sgt. Roselyn Norment tells ARLnow. “Arriving units discovered four vehicles with significant damage on the north and southbound side of the GWMP.  One vehicle travelling southbound was struck and sent across the median into northbound traffic.”

Several people were injured and taken to local hospitals, but none had life threatening injuries, Norment said.

An hour or so later, a person who police say was involved in the crash was taken into custody along N. Glebe Road, in the largely residential Old Glebe neighborhood — about a three mile walk from the crash scene.

“At approximately 11:33 p.m., police received a lookout from USPP regarding a subject involved in a crash in their jurisdiction,” said Arlington County Police Department spokesperson Ashley Savage. “ACPD officers later located the subject in the area of N. Glebe Road and N. Albemarle Street. He was detained and custody was transferred to USPP.”

“One operator was arrested for fleeing the scene of an accident with injury and reckless driving,” Norment said.

Photo (2) via Google Maps

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Police Searching for Suspect Near Rosslyn

(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Officers on the ground and a helicopter overhead searched for a criminal suspect near Rosslyn this morning.

Police were investigating a “domestic incident” this morning around 9 a.m. when they spotted the suspect and he took off running. He was able to evade officers after running down the Custis Trail and then through the woods in the area of the MOM’s Organic Market on Lee Highway, according to scanner traffic.

The exact nature of the incident for which the suspect is wanted is unclear.

The man reportedly changed clothes while on the run. Numerous Arlington County Police and U.S. Park Police officers, including at least one K-9 unit, looked for the man on the ground. The U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter was also overhead, helping to search from the air.

The search was largely called off by 10:45 a.m., though police remained on scene investigating.

This morning’s suspect search follows another helicopter-assisted suspect search last night, in the Courthouse area, following an attempted sexual assault.

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