Trial Date Set as Krusinski Appears in Court
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski, the Air Force sexual assault prevention chief who’s accused of sexual battery in Crystal City, will face trial in July.
With his attorney by his side, a stone-faced Krusinski was arraigned in Arlington General District Court this afternoon. Defense attorney Sheryl Shane argued for a later trial date, citing the need to track down and talk to witnesses, but the judge denied the request, instead setting a trial date of Thursday, July 18.
When Krusinski exited the courthouse after today’s hearing, he was mobbed by reporters and photographers from local and national news outlets. Despite a barrage of questions from microphone-toting TV reporters, he said nothing as he got into the back seat of a dark-colored BMW, which quickly drove off.
Krusinski was removed from his post as head of the Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program on Monday after ARLnow.com first reported that he had been arrested, accused of drunkenly grabbing the breasts and buttocks of a woman he didn’t know in a Crystal City parking lot.
The case became national headline news, leading to statements from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Obama, and contributing to a renewed debate about how to deal with the widespread problem of sexual assault in the military.
The charge of sexual battery that Krusinski faces carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine. Prosecutor Cari Steele, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, declined to say whether she will seek the maximum sentence in the case.
Air Force Officer Accused of Sexual Battery
FIRST REPORTED BY ARLNOW.COM: The chief of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch of the U.S. Air Force was arrested and charged with sexual battery in Arlington over the weekend.
Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski is accused of fondling a woman in a Crystal City parking lot early Sunday morning.
“A drunken male subject approached a female victim in a parking lot and grabbed her breasts and buttocks,” according to a Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The victim fought the suspect off as he attempted to touch her again and alerted police.”
“Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with sexual battery,” police said. “He was held on a $5,000 unsecured bond.”
An Air Force spokeswoman confirmed Krusinski’s rank, job title and the fact that he works at the Pentagon to ARLnow.com, but had no further comment.
The victim did not know Krusinski, said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Police were unable to say how Krusinski sustained cuts on his face that appeared in his booking photo. He did not require medical treatment.
Update at 5:05 p.m. — Lt. Col. Krusinski has been removed from his position pending an investigation, NBC News reports.
Man Arrested for Grabbing Woman’s Breast on Bus
Police have arrested a man accused of grabbing a woman’s breast on an ART bus.
Around 4:30 p.m. on Friday (January 18), police say a woman was riding the ART bus when a man got on at the Ballston Metro station and sat across the aisle from her. He allegedly began speaking to the woman in a vulgar manner and she asked him to stop. The woman became nervous and also asked the man to move away from her.
Around the area of Washington Blvd and N. Pershing Drive the suspect allegedly leaned over and grabbed the victim’s breast. The victim yelled and told the man to stop, to which he reportedly responded, “F— you.” The bus driver pulled over and called police upon hearing the commotion, and the suspect took off on foot.
Police quickly found a man in the area meeting the suspect description, and the woman was able to identify him. Police arrested 28-year-old Aaron Darnell Alexander, of no fixed address.
Alexander was transported to Virginia Hospital Center for a laceration on his hand, which he said he received when he was robbed and stabbed the previous evening. Alexander has been charged with sexual battery and is being held on a $3,500 bond.
Man Whispers Bad Words at Goodwill
A man is in jail after police say he touched a woman inappropriately and whispered dirty things in her ear at a store on Glebe Road.
The alleged incident happened at the Goodwill store on S. Glebe Road this past Friday afternoon. Police say the victim was shopping inside the store around 4:30 p.m when a man approached her, grabbed her buttocks, and “whispered vulgar comments in her ear.”
“The suspect was holding the victim against him for several minutes until the victim was able to break free,” according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Police located the suspect nearby. Laurence Allan Watkins, 40, of no fixed address was arrested and charged with abduction and sexual battery. He was held without bond.”
File photo
Man Accused of Sex Assault in Clarendon Whole Foods
(Updated at 11:05 p.m.) A D.C. man is in jail after police say he sexually assaulted a woman in the Clarendon Whole Foods and masturbated in a police interview room.
The alleged crime took place inside the store, on the 2700 block of Wilson Boulevard, at 1:50 p.m. on Sunday. According to the police report, a female shopper had bent down to retrieve a bottle of wine when the man — 24-year-old Frank Alex Bouknight — came up behind her and placed his hand between her legs and on her genitalia. Bouknight then laughed and walked away, police say.
Bouknight fled the area in a bus, but then returned and was located by police sleeping on a public bench in front of the nearby Barnes and Noble store, four hours after the assault, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Police found “hardcore pornography” magazines inside Bouknight’s backpack, Sternbeck said.
Bouknight’s alleged sexual misconduct continued when he was brought back to police headquarters.
“Once in the police interview room, the subject repeatedly masturbated,” according to the crime report.
Bouknight was charged with sexual battery. He is being held without bond.
Photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department
Crime Report: Sexual Battery By Ballston Bicyclist
A woman had to run to safety at Ballston Common Mall after a bicyclist grabbed her buttocks and started riding in circles around her on N. Stuart Street.
As detailed in this week’s Arlington County crime report, the incident happened early Saturday morning outside the Ballston Metro station.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 05/26/12, 900 block of N. Stuart Street. Between 1:10 and 2:10 am on May 26, an unknown male subject on a bicycle grabbed the female victims buttocks as he rode past. The suspect circled the female several times on the bicycle before she walked to a well lit area at the Ballston Common Mall. Police were contacted and a suspect was not located. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s, approximately 6’1” tall with a thin build. He was wearing gray t-shirt, dark colored plaid shorts and baseball hat at the time of the incident. The victim does not wish to prosecute.
The rest of the crime report, after the jump.
Recent Attacks on Female Runners ‘Concerning’
The frequency of attacks on female joggers is becoming increasingly worrisome for one prominent member of the local running community.
Kathy Dalby, founder of the race organizing arm of Pacers Running Stores, says she’s noticing what may be an upward trend in female joggers being subject to assaults, inappropriate touching and other such attacks. Just this morning a female jogger was “mugged” in Rosslyn near Route 50, according to Dalby.
“As a running store, we are getting concerned about the number of attacks on women runners in Arlington,” she said.
The last such attack happened on Sept. 29, when a 37-year-old woman was knocked to the ground, kicked and touched in a sexual manner on Army Navy Drive in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood.
Other reported incidents include a man who exposed himself to a female jogger on Oct. 26 and a man who grabbed and kissed a jogger on the Custis Trail on April 17.
Dalby suggested that female runners protect themselves by finding a running group or by taking extra precautions when running alone.
“We advocate running with a group and not wearing headphones if by yourself,” she said.
Arlington County Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal said she hasn’t noticed any pronounced increase in assaults or sexual batteries on female joggers. She said incidents of women being touched inappropriately while jogging usually go down during cold weather months.
Flickr pool photo by Picture Prefect
Crime Report: Dirty Cab Drivers Edition
In this week’s Arlington County crime report, there were two incidents of male cab drivers trying to get fresh with their female passengers.
ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 10/07/11, 800 block of N. Randolph Street. On October 7 at 3 am, a cab driver touched a woman on her arms and legs, as well at attempted to kiss her without her consent. He is described as a white Middle-Eastern male in his 40’s, 5’7” with a heavy build. He was wearing a white and blue plaid button-up shirt.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 10/10/11, 5000 block of Carlin Springs Road. On October 8 at 11:40 pm, a woman moved to the front seat in a cab because the cab driver asked for better directions. The driver then touched her breasts. The woman fled when they reached her destination. The suspect is described as a slightly overweight Indian male in his mid to late 20’s, with dark hair and a full beard.
The rest of the crime report, after the jump.
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Attempted Sexual Assault Near Courthouse
Arlington Police are looking for a man suspected of trying to sexually assault one woman and improperly touching another last Friday.
The crimes took place near the Rosslyn and Courthouse areas.
Police say the man is first suspected of running up to a woman on the 1700 block of N. Quinn Street, near the 7-Eleven store, and grabbing her buttocks. That happened around 11:20 Friday night.
Then, a half hour later, the man allegedly knocked a woman to the ground on the 1800 block of N. Veitch Street, a couple of blocks from the Courthouse Metro station. Police say the man covered the woman’s head with his shirt, pulled at her shirt and “asked for sex.” Another woman who was walking with the victim ran off and called police. Police describe the crime as an attempted sexual assault.
Here are the two incidents as described in Monday’s daily police report:
ATTEMPT SEXUAL ASSAULT, 08/27/11, 1800 block of N. Veitch Street. On August 26 at 11:50 pm, two women were walking when an unknown man ran up to them. He knocked one woman to the ground covering her head with his blue plaid shirt. The suspect pulled at her shirt and asked for sex. The second female ran and called police. The suspect is described as an African American male in his late 20’s and 5’10”. He was wearing a white t-shirt and carrying his other shirt.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 08/26/11, 1700 block of N. Quinn Street. On August 26 at 11:20 pm, a woman was walking when an unknown man ran up and grabbed her buttocks. The suspect was a man in his 30’s with a dark complexion, 5’10” with a thin build. He was wearing a blue or green plaid button up shirt. This suspect is similar in description to the above incident.
Crime Report: Serial Groper Strikes Again
In this week’s Arlington County crime report, the serial groper who targets Eastern European lifeguards strikes again.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 08/12/11, 3400 block of S. Utah Street. On August 12 at 9:20 am, an unknown man approached a female lifeguard from behind while she was unlocking the pool gate and touched her breasts. The suspect was a white male between 25 and 35 years of age, 5’10″ with a medium, muscular build. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt, khaki knee length shorts, a dark blue baseball cap and large black sunglasses.
That same day — Friday, Aug. 12 — a man in a van exposed himself to a teenage boy in the Buckingham neighborhood.
EXPOSURE, 08/12/11, 4200 block of N. Henderson Road. On August 12 at 7 am, a 17-year-old male was walking to the high school when and unknown man in a vehicle exposed himself to the juvenile. The suspect was driving a brown van and was described as a white male in his 40’s, with a chubby face, a “buzz cut” and glasses.
The rest of this week’s crime report, including the world’s most innocuous series of car break-ins, after the jump.
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Morning Notes
Police Searching For Serial Groper — Arlington Police are on the lookout for a man who has been assaulting women and girls by grabbing their breasts as they walk down the street. Among the victims are Eastern European women working as lifeguards and a 13-year-old girl. The attacks started in June. [WUSA9]
Virginia NOW Endorsements — The Virginia National Organization for Women PAC has endorsed four Arlington candidates for state office. Virginia NOW endorsed both Adam Ebbin and Libby Garvey in the three-way race for the 30th state Senate District (skipping over Rob Krupicka). The group also endorsed both Stephanie Clifford and Alfonso Lopez in the two-way race for the 49th House of Delegates District. [Virginia NOW]
Arlington Helps Battle Arlandria Fire — Arlington County firefighters helped Alexandria firefighters extinguish a two-alarm blaze at an apartment complex in the Arlandria section of Alexandria yesterday. The fire, across from St. Rita’s Catholic Church, forced the closure of Russell Road between Mt. Vernon Avenue and W. Glebe Road for much of the morning. [Patch]
Areizaga-Soto Funnels More Money into Campaign — State Senate candidate Jaime Areizaga-Soto has lent his campaign another $70,000, in addition to the $145,000 he already loaned to the campaign. [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief
Crime Report: Carjacking Edition
This week’s Arlington County crime report contained an item seen only once or twice in the past year and a half. A couple was carjacked while parked in Pentagon City early Saturday morning.
CARJACKING, 07/09/11, 400 block of S. 12th Street. On July 9 at 1 am, a couple was sitting in a parked vehicle when two unknown men approached the car. The suspects opened the doors and demanded the victims exit. One suspect displayed a handgun and valuables were stolen from the victims. The suspects then drove off in the victim’s car. The car was later recovered in Maryland. The suspects were both African American men approximately 20 years old. One suspect was 5’9”, 140 lbs and wore a grey hooded sweatshirt. The second suspect was 5’5”, 140 lbs, and wore a grey hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.
On Friday, a man was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer in front of his 11-year-old son.
ASSAULT ON POLICE-ARREST, 07/08/11, 4200 block of N. 2nd Road. On July 8 at 6 pm, a man was seen stealing a bicycle. During the investigation, the suspect assaulted a police officer in front of the suspect’s 11-year-old son. Manuel Antonio Alvarado, 28, of Washington D.C., was charged with Assault and Battery on Law Enforcement, Petit Larceny and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He was held on a $2,500 bond.
Finally, early Sunday morning, a man allegedly cornered a woman at a bar in Ballston, then lifted her skirt and touched her underwear.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 07/10/11, 600 block of N. Glebe Road. On July 10 at 1:15 am, an unknown man cornered a woman at a bar and lifted her skirt, touching her underwear. The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair in his 20’s, 6’ and 180 lbs. He was wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans.
The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.
Crime Report: Teen Girl Touched Inappropriately
A 13-year-old girl was touched inappropriately while walking home from school on Tuesday. From this week’s Arlington County crime report:
SEXUAL BATTERY, 06/21/11, 5500 block of Columbia Pike. On June 21 at 2:50 pm, a 13 year-old girl was walking home from school when an unknown male jogged toward her and touched her chest. The victim yelled and ran home. The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male in his 40’s of average height and build. He had a shaved head and was wearing a loose fitting blue t-shirt with white writing on the front and khaki shorts.
The rest of the crime report, including a man accused of setting his roommate’s car on fire, after the jump.
Crime Report: Girl Touched Inappropriately
Two teenage girls were the victim of perverted behavior on the streets of Arlington over the past week. Last Tuesday, according to the Arlington County crime report, a 14-year-old girl was touched by a man while she was walking home from school.
SEXUAL BATTERY, 06/07/11, 2600 block of John Marshall Drive. On June 7 at 2:30 pm, a 14 year-old female was walking home from school. An unknown male walking in front of her abruptly turned around and touched her chest. The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20′s, 5’7″ and of an average build. He had dark hair and was wearing a white t-shirt, gray mesh shorts, a white baseball cap and black sneakers.
Then, on Monday, a man exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl in Virginia Square.
EXPOSURE, 06/13/11, 3800 block of Wilson Boulevard. On June 13 at 9 pm, a 16 year-old female was walking home from work when an unknown man exposed himself in front of her. A taxi driver heard her yell and ran to assist. The suspect fled and the cab driver drove the girl to the police department. The suspect is described as a Middle Eastern or Indian male in his late 20’s, 5’8” and 180 lbs. He was wearing a light colored shirt, khaki pants, and “Crocs”.
The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.
Crime Report: Colonial Village Grabbings
A man grabbed two women inappropriately at an apartment complex in the Colonial Village area early Saturday morning.
SEXUAL BATTERY 01/29/11, 1800 block of N. Scott Street. On January 29 at 1 am, a woman exited an elevator and an unknown man grabbed her buttocks. When she rebuked him, he pushed her. She screamed and the suspect fled. He is described as an African American male in his 20’s, 6’ and 180 lbs with a goatee. He was wearing dark clothing. This call is similar to the below.
SEXUAL BATTERY 01/29/11, 1800 block of N. Scott Street. On January 29 at 1:30 am, a woman was walking while talking on her cell phone. When she paused to look for her keys, an unknown man grabbed her chest. The victim told the friend on the phone to call the police and the suspect fled. He is described as an African American male in his 20’s wearing dark clothing.
The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.
