This weekend the Arlington County Police Department is reminding motorists of the dangers of drunk driving.

The police department will host “Don’t Press Your Luck,” an anti-drunk-driving event that will highlight the impacts of alcohol when behind the wheel, this Saturday from 8-10 p.m. at the intersection of N. Irving Street at Wilson Blvd.

The free event, on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, aims to ensure that anyone celebrating the holiday does so safely.

“Impaired driving is 100% preventable and why the Arlington County Police Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death,” per the press release.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration, or NHTSA, reported 272 drunk-driving-related deaths during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period between 2017 and 2021, the release said.

Meanwhile, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and Lyft will offer free rides home from St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on Sunday, March 17 from 12 p.m. to midnight as part of its SoberRide program. WRAP notes in a new report that the number of alcohol and drug-related traffic fatalities increased nearly 13% in the D.C. area between 2021 and 2022, per the most recent NHTSA data available.

ACPD has hosted anti-drunk driving events for other holidays, including Halloween and Christmas last year. A similar event for St. Patrick’s Day was cancelled last year due to inclement weather.

Photo via NHTSA 

A wild incident involving a theft suspect in Pentagon City over the weekend was caught on camera.

It happened around 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, a block away from the Pentagon Centre shopping center. Police say a 31-year-old man stole items from a nearby store and then tried to fight an officer who tried to take him into custody.

An off-duty officer driving by saw the struggle and stopped to help.

More, beloe, from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-03090121, 1200 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 1:41 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business and allegedly concealed merchandise before exiting the store without payment. A responding officer located the suspect in the area of 15th Street S. and S. Fern Street and attempted to detain him. The suspect resisted arrest, pushed the officer away and attempted to strike them during which an off-duty officer who was driving in the area observed the struggle and exited their vehicle to assist in taking the suspect into custody. The suspect sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention. [The suspect], 31, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Petit Larceny and Obstruction of Justice.

The scene was caught on camera and posted to social media by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.

Watch this: A little street drama around 2pm on S. 15th between Elm and Fern in Pentagon City. A struggle occurred between an @ArlingtonVaPD officer and a person they were trying to detain. Someone jumped out of their car to help the officer before backup arrived. Officers were… pic.twitter.com/l86OExmLlV

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 9, 2024

Today’s crime report also details a trio of robberies, in the Pentagon City, Rosslyn, and Courthouse areas.

The first, Saturday night, involved a knife-wielding man stealing money from a tip jar. The second, Sunday morning, involved a man who drove by a woman in a parking lot and stole her phone out of her hand. The third, Sunday night, involved a theft of cigarettes from a store by a pair of robbers, one of whom reportedly had a gun.

More from ACPD:

ROBBERY, 2024-03090186, 1000 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 7:02 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, approached an employee at the counter and demanded cash. When the employee refused, the suspect brandished a knife and stole money from a tip jar before leaving the scene on foot. No injuries were reported. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 40-50 years old, 5’10”-6’0” wearing all dark clothing. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2024-03100095, 1100 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 11:03 a.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined a dispute ensued after the male suspect, who was driving in a parking lot, honked at the female victim, who was walking. The suspect then drove next to the victim with his window down and stole her cellphone from her hand before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, the cellphone was recovered in the area. The suspect is described as an older white male driving a blue sedan. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2024-03110001, 1800 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:56 p.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the two male suspects entered the business, selected merchandise, approached the counter and asked for cigarettes to be added to the transaction. A verbal dispute between the employee and suspects ensued during which the suspects attempted to steal the cigarettes before exiting the store. The employee confronted the suspects outside the business during which one suspect brandished a firearm before both suspects entered a silver sedan and fled the scene. No injuries were reported. The suspects are described as white males, approximately 5’6”-5’7”, 130-180 pounds with black or brown hair. The investigation is ongoing.

A 21-year-old Reston man is facing serious charges after a high-speed chase that ended in Arlington last night.

The chase started around 10:45 p.m. on the Beltway in Fairfax County, after Virginia State Police were alerted to a stolen vehicle entering the Commonwealth from Maryland.

The chase continued north on I-395 until state police used a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver near the N. Glebe Road off-ramp, causing the fleeing driver to crash into a ditch.

The suspect was arrested after being found hiding in the trunk of the car, according to Virginia State Police. He has now been charged with attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer, among other felonies.

The crash and aftermath was recorded from a traffic camera by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.

Watch: @VSPPIO forced a vehicle they were chasing to crash on I-395N at S. Glebe Rd. The not-so-clear traffic camera video shows the vehicle heading down the hillside toward Glebe. It took a few minutes to get whoever was inside to surrender. At least one trooper was injured… pic.twitter.com/hK3svzts01

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 8, 2024

More, below, from a VSP press release.

At approximately 10:45 p.m. on March 7, 2023, Virginia State Police was notified by a Maryland law enforcement agency of a stolen 2015 Chevrolet traveling across the American Legion Bridge into Virginia. A Virginia trooper located the vehicle traveling on I-495 near Braddock Rd. and activated his emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop. The Chevrolet refused to stop, sped away at a high rate of speed, and initiated a pursuit. As the stolen vehicle continued north on I-395, state police administered a pursuit intervention technique and brought the suspect vehicle to a stop near the Glebe Rd. exit.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Abiselome Belachew, 21, of Reston, Va., then crawled into the trunk of the vehicle to try and hide from the troopers. Belachew was taken into custody without further incident.

During the course of the pursuit, the Chevrolet rammed one of the trooper’s vehicles into the Jersey wall. The trooper suffered minor injuries.

State police charged Belachew with attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer, one felony count of hit-and-run (of the trooper’s vehicle), one felony count of eluding police, auto theft and driving on a suspended license.

The same suspect was previously charged with armed robbery in Montgomery County in 2019.

Four masked men allegedly broke into an Arlington apartment building early Tuesday morning and stole mail from the mailroom.

The theft happened at the Camden Potomac Yard apartments, on the 3500 block of S. Ball Street, near the Alexandria border.

“At approximately 2:07 a.m. on March 5, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The preliminary investigation indicates four male suspects entered the residential building and stole mail and packages.”

“An employee observed the suspects and called police. The suspects then fled the scene in a white SUV prior to police arrival,” Savage continued. “The suspects are described as Black males with slender builds, approximately 5’10”, wearing ski masks and all black clothing. The investigation is ongoing.”

Savage said police are investigating whether the suspects might be responsible for other mail thefts.

“Mail addressed to other locations were recovered during the course of the investigation into the larceny,” she said, in response to an ARLnow inquiry about other mail thefts in the county. “As part of the ongoing investigation, detectives are working to determine if other similar incidents occurred at additional residential buildings.”

Arlington residents whose mail or packages are stolen should file an online police report, Savage said.

Local public safety watcher Alan Henney posted on social media the following memo to residents, from building management, about the mail theft.

Last night at approximately 2:07 AM 4 masked individuals entered the north mail room and broke into several mailboxes. Our on-duty concierge immediately contacted Arlington County Police who arrived at 2:18 AM after the individuals fled minutes before. A police report has been filed and Officer Laprise and Costello-Mays have requested that any residents with missing mail to contact them directly to make a report. The officers that responded also informed us that this was not an isolated incident, but this occurred at multiple properties in the local area.

Although our building does have cameras and controlled access, crime can still occur. Please be mindful of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity to Arlington County Police at 911 or non-emergency at 703-558-2222.

Henney had previously posted about a vehicle theft from the building’s parking garage, which happened over the weekend.

ACPD confirmed the incident to ARLnow, sharing the following crime report item.

STOLEN VEHICLE, 2024-03020072, 3500 block of S. Ball Street. At approximately 10:23 a.m. on March 2, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. The preliminary report indicates that at approximately 7:18 a.m., the suspect entered the residential garage and stole the victim’s vehicle, a gray 2013 Honda CRV with Virginia license plate TUA9377. The suspect is described as a Black male wearing a beanie, dark colored coat, sweatpants and black shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

Same building as the car break-in on Sunday. This message is from today. @ARLnowDOTcom #DMVCrime https://t.co/ieTL2vaVPr pic.twitter.com/8ELwL110H1

— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) March 5, 2024

A boy attacked another boy at Yorktown High School last week, seriously injuring him, according to police.

The alleged incident happened last Wednesday morning, though it was not reported to police until Monday afternoon. It’s unclear whether it took place inside or outside the school.

“At approximately 4:16 p.m. on March 4, police were dispatched to the late report of an assault,” said the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The preliminary investigation indicates that between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on February 28, the juvenile male suspect approached the juvenile male victim from behind, picked him up and hit his head against a bench.”

“The victim sought medical treatment for injuries considered serious but non-life threatening,” the crime report continues. “The investigation is ongoing.”

A police spokeswoman declined comment on where the incident — which only lists a location of “5200 block of Yorktown Boulevard” — happened in relation to the high school. The motive for the attack is also unclear.

“The preliminary investigation did not indicate a dispute proceeded the assault, however, the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation,” said ACPD’s Ashley Savage.

The school system also declined to provide additional details, citing student privacy concerns.

Arlington Public Schools spokesman Frank Bellavia did note, however, that “after the school was notified of the incident, the appropriate disciplinary actions were taken per APS policy.”

(Updated on 3/7/24) Arlington police are investigating what might be the county’s first homicide of 2024.

Police were dispatched to the apartment building above the Whole Foods store on the 500 block of 12th Street S. in Pentagon City around 4:15 p.m. for a report of gunshots fired in a 15th floor apartment.

Officers found two people dead inside the unit.

“Upon arrival, officers located an adult male and adult female deceased inside a residence,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Based on the preliminary investigation, the incident is being investigated as an apparent homicide-suicide.”

“Final determination of cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” Savage continued. “This appears to be an isolated incident and there is no indication of a larger threat to the community.”

ACPD issued a press release about the case Wednesday afternoon, referring to the deceased as a couple. So far, police are not identifying either party.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating an apparent domestic homicide-suicide in the Pentagon City neighborhood after a couple was found deceased inside their home.

At approximately 4:15 p.m. on March 5, police were dispatched to the 500 block of 12th Street S. for the report of a possible death. Initial information indicated building maintenance entered the residence to conduct a check on the welfare on behalf of a concerned family member. Inside the bedroom, responding officers located an adult male and adult female deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Based on the preliminary investigation, the incident is being investigated as an apparent homicide-suicide. Final determination of cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending proper identification and notification of next of kin.

This appears to be an isolated incident and there is no indication of a larger threat to the community. This remains an active investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

On Thursday, ACPD revealed the names of the victim and suspect.

“The deceased have been identified as Nadejda Mossor, 22, and Jason Han, 37, of Arlington, VA,” police said. “They were in a relationship.”

A portion of 12th Street S. was closed as a result of the emergency response.

LOCATION: EB 12th St. S / S Eads St.
INCIDENT: Police Department Activity
IMPACT: The EB lanes of 12th St. S are closed between S Fern St. and S Eads St. Due to Police and Fire Department activity. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/hxLHE6LMwj

— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) March 5, 2024

An Arlington man is in jail after police say he threatened another man with a gun along Langston Blvd.

The incident happened just before noon this past Friday, near the intersection of Langston Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road. It started, police said, as a dispute inside a business.

More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

BRANDISHING, 2024-03010111, 3100 block of Langston Boulevard. At approximately 11:52 a.m. on March 1, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect and male victim were inside a business when they became involved in a verbal dispute. Following the dispute, both parties exited the business and entered their respective vehicles. The suspect then allegedly circled the victim’s vehicle while brandishing what appeared to be a firearm before parking the vehicle and fleeing the area on foot. Responding officers established a perimeter, located the suspect and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 36, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Driving while DUI Suspended. He was held without bond.

In another gun-related incident, police say a 24-year-old driver who got out of their car and shouted at a police officer in Crystal City had a concealed, loaded gun.

The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

From ACPD:

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2024-03020218, 23rd Street S. at S. Clark Street. At approximately 11:28 p.m. on March 2, a patrol officer observed a vehicle improperly stop in the roadway before the suspect, who was the driver, exited the vehicle, approached the cruiser and began to shout at the officer. The officer then activated his emergency equipment and made contact with the suspect. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect was operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license. During an inventory search of the vehicle prior to towing, a loaded firearm was recovered. [The suspect], 24, of Washington D.C. was charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon and released on a summons.

Also on Saturday, several cars — all Hondas — had their airbags stolen in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.

More from the crime report:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2024-03020079, 4400 block of 16th Street N. At approximately 11:08 a.m. on March 2, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) forced entry into the victim’s vehicle and stole the air bag. Responding officers canvassed the area and located two additional vehicles, in the 1500 block of N. Wakefield Street and the 4300 block of 15th Street N., with stolen air bags. The involved vehicles are Honda models. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

Arlington’s police and fire unions are vying for more funding in the county’s proposed $1.62 billion budget to fix compensation issues they say fuel attrition and vacancy issues.

County Manager Mark Schwartz, meanwhile, makes the case in the 2024-2025 budget that the county has been and is committed to meeting these problems with funding while balancing other budget priorities.

Since Arlington County authorized collective bargaining in 2022, the unions representing police, firefighters and paramedics have focused on tackling how members are paid, blaming it for driving employees to work for other jurisdictions in the region with higher compensation.

Currently, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 2800 has 25 vacant uniformed positions, for a 7.5% vacancy rate, while ACPD has 72 vacancies, for a 19% vacancy rate, according to presidents for both IAFF and Arlington Coalition of Police (ACOP). IAFF says this is more than twice the number of vacancies in 2018, while police vacancies appear on par with ARLnow’s last report in the fall.

Last budget cycle, the county committed to a three-year effort to fix these problems for first responders. Union leaders say the county has contributed enough to change its pay system to one where salary increases track with years of service. Still, they say, it has not set aside enough to ensure all members are paid according to their years of service.

“Last April, the County Board identified addressing pay compression for firefighters as a priority for FY25 but our members are still waiting for relief,” IAFF Brian Lynch said in a statement. “Meanwhile other communities are responding to the nationwide shortage of firefighters and police officers by increasing wages across the board, and our people have been voting with their feet.”

The 2025 budget proposes a 2% increase over last year’s budget for ACPD, for a total of $85,839,546. The fire department’s budget is unchanged from last year for a total of $76,023,512. The budget includes step increases for ACOP and IAFF employees in line with their collective bargaining agreements.

“Our employees are the foundation of all the great work that we do in the County,” Schwartz says in his budget message. “This budget continues our commitment to the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) in place and provides pay increases for non-bargaining employees… We will continue to evaluate various job classifications and contribute to the increases in healthcare costs.”

Still, the 2025 budget acknowledges that understaffing is impacting public safety metrics, at least for ACPD. Between 2020-23, received cases increased from around 6,800 to north of 8,400, but assigned cases hovered around one-quarter to one-third of these totals. During the same time, the percentage of successfully closed cases dropped from a high of 60% to a low of 48%, attributed to an understaffed Criminal Investigative Section.

The fire department’s budget section does not discuss understaffing impacts. It does note that the total number of incidents has and will continue to increase, partially driven by more hospital transports and public service non-emergency responses.

These trends may fuel intradepartmental shortages. Lynch says this spring ACFD will lose 13 personnel to an accelerated paramedic training program and six to teach a new class of recruits. Vacancies in emergency services will also increase by 19 as ACFD pulls firefighters from the field to train them to also be EMTs and medics.

“That’s with no one leaving the department,” he said. “That is over 13% of the bargaining unit — an unprecedented lack of personnel.”

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Arlington’s public safety drones are ready to fly, the county announced this morning.

The drones “are an additional tool for first responders and provide enhanced operational capability, safety, and situational awareness in support of public safety,” the county said.

Members of the police department, fire department, Sheriff’s Office and emergency management department have been trained on use of the miniature aircraft.

More on the program, below, from the county press release.

Arlington County’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is now operational following a period of policy development and training.

UAS, commonly referred to as drones, are an additional tool for first responders and provide enhanced operational capability, safety, and situational awareness in support of public safety. The deployment of UAS will be conducted by trained members of the Arlington County Fire Department, Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management. This technology complements the existing in-car and body-worn camera systems used to document digital recordings of public safety activity.

Community Engagement

Prior to implementation, the program sought community feedback on draft Unmanned Aircraft System policies to ensure they were reflective of the Arlington Community’s values, interests, and concerns. The program strives to provide the level of service that is not only expected but reflective of this community and appreciates all who took the time to read, review, and provide feedback. All comments were reviewed and evaluated for incorporation into the policies.

For additional information on policy changes based on community feedback, visit the program webpage.

Final Unmanned Aircraft Systems Policies

• Police Department
• Sheriff’s Office
• Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management
• The Fire Department’s policy is pending finalization. Once complete, it will be available on the UAS program website. 

Photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash

A Woodbridge man is facing a litany of charges after an attempt to flee from police ended in a crash with injuries.

Arlington County police say the 26-year-old was driving drunk around 11 p.m. last night when an officer tried to pull him over for erratic driving. The suspect drove off, according to police, and soon crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Scott Street.

The man again took off, on foot, but officers were able to locate him and take him into custody, according to ACPD. The driver of the struck vehicle suffered “minor injuries,” police said.

More, below, from an ACPD crime report.

ELUDING (Significant), 2024-02260230, Columbia Pike at S. Scott Street. At approximately 11:01 p.m. on February 26, a midnight patrol officer attempted a traffic stop after observing the suspect vehicle driving erratically in the area with improper registration and the owner of the vehicle listed with a suspended license. The suspect failed to stop and fled the scene during which he struck the victim vehicle and subsequently crashed. The suspect then exited the vehicle and ran from the area. Responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect, located him and took him into custody. He was transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation. Minor injuries were reported for the occupant of the struck vehicle. During the course of the investigation, a firearm was recovered from the suspect’s vehicle. [The suspect], 26, of Woodbridge, Va. was arrested and charged with Eluding, Hit and Run, Driving Under the Influence, Driving with a Suspended License and Carrying a Concealed Weapon. He was held without bond.

Last night, an attempted traffic stop on a vehicle driving erratically resulted in the apprehension of the driver for suspected driving under the influence and the recovery of an illegally possessed concealed handgun. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/uaxE7ps5Xe

— ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) February 27, 2024

Local public safety watcher Dave Statter posted a photo and video from the incident on social media.

Watch out around Columbia Pike & S. Scott Street in Arlington. @ArlingtonVaPD tried to stop a car that sped off and apparently hit another vehicle. Two people ran off but it sound as if one, or not both, have now been detained. At least one person was hurt in the car that was… pic.twitter.com/HBCLFGOKfM

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 27, 2024

Video sent to STATter911 from the crash last night on Columbia Pike at S. Scott Street in Arlington. An @ArlingtonVaPD tried to stop a car that apparently immediately sped off and hit another vehicle. Two people ran from the crash. They were apparently quickly found. Someone was… pic.twitter.com/ZEsIBUwObn

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 27, 2024

A 25-year-old woman is facing a number of charges after a series of crashes.

Police say the Arlington resident first crashed into a parked car with people inside along Washington Blvd, shortly before 10 p.m. this past Thursday. She allegedly fled that scene but soon crashed into another car, causing her vehicle to flip over, Arlington County police said.

The scene, in the Lyon Park neighborhood south of Clarendon, was captured and posted on social media by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.

Another overturned vehicle. This one is on its side on Washington Boulevard at N. 3rd Street. Washington Boulevard is currently shut in both directions. @ArlingtonVaFD and @ArlingtonVaPD handling. @ARLnowDOTcom @matthewyoung31 #safety #crash #collision #accident #Arlington pic.twitter.com/5IwwSlKhHH

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 23, 2024

The suspect — who did not have a driver’s license — also allegedly bit an officer after being taken into custody and tried to grab an officer’s gun while at the hospital, according to police.

The ACPD crime report item is below.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-02220253, Washington Boulevard at 3rd Street N. At approximately 9:47 p.m. on February 22, police were dispatched to the report of a two-vehicle crash with injuries. It was determined the suspect was travelling eastbound on Washington Boulevard when she allegedly hit a parked, occupied vehicle. The suspect then fled the scene and was travelling westbound on Washington Boulevard when she struck another traveling vehicle, resulting in her vehicle flipping over. No injuries were reported by the occupants of the two struck vehicles. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and detained her on suspicion of driving under the influence. While in custody, the suspect became combative and bit an officer. She was then transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation. While at the hospital, the suspect became aggressive and grabbed the handle of an officer’s firearm before being restrained. [The suspect], 25, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Disarming a Police Officer, Driving Under the Influence, Hit and Run and No Driver’s License. She was held without bond.

A person of the same name and approximate age was profiled in a 2022 Washington Post article about homeless individuals in Arlington being housed at a Days Inn motel during the pandemic.