Police: Man Throws Meat Cleaver in Maternity Ward
An Arlington man has been arrested and charged with throwing a meat cleaver in the maternity ward of Virginia Hospital Center.
Police say the man, 34-year-old Kareem Jorif, came to the hospital to deliver a message to a mother who had just given birth. The message: the baby’s father couldn’t make it because he was in jail.
Jorif was unable to perform his messenger duty, however, because the group of family members gathered in the mother’s hospital room wouldn’t let him in, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. A verbal altercation ensued. Jorif then allegedly pulled a meat cleaver from his waistband and started chopping at the door.
Eventually, Sternbeck said, Jorif was able to crack the door open and throw the meat cleaver into the room, in the direction of the room’s occupants. Nobody was struck by the knife, but Jorif was later detained by security, arrested by police, and charged with 5 counts of attempted malicious wounding.
There were five people in the room at the time, Sternbeck said. No word on whether the baby was in the room. From the daily crime report:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 04/05/13, 1700 block of N. George Mason Drive. At 5:34 pm on April 5, a suspect pulled a meat cleaver from his waistband after a verbal altercation escalated inside Virginia Hospital Center. The suspect struck a room door several times with the knife before throwing the weapon inside the room in the direction of the occupants. Hospital security detained the suspect until arrival of police. Kareem Jorif, 34, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with 5 counts of attempted malicious wounding and carrying a concealed weapon. He was held without bond.
Photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department
Morning Notes
President Visits Arlington Bookstore — President Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia stopped by One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) on Saturday afternoon, on a holiday shopping trip that coincided with Small Business Saturday. The independent book store is located in the East Falls Church neighborhood. [Associated Press, Us Weekly]
Yorktown Season Ends With Loss — The Yorktown High School football team’s first loss of the season came on Friday, as the Patriots gave up a 22-point lead to fall to Stone Bridge 69-50 in the Northern Region 5 championship game. Yorktown also lost last year’s regional championship after an undefeated season. [Washington Post, YouTube]
Hospital Receives Large Donation — Virginia Hospital Center has received a $2.2 million gift, which will be used to expand its radiation-oncology services. The donation, from Russell and Joan Hitt, is the largest in the hospital’s 68-year history. [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Desiree L.C.
Man Found Dead in Hospital’s ‘Healing Garden’
Arlington County Police are investigating the death of a man found on a park bench across from Virginia Hospital Center.
The man was found unresponsive on a bench in the hospital’s “Healing Garden,” at 1625 N. George Mason Drive in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood, according to scanner traffic. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Investigators are on the scene, but so far there’s no indication that foul play is suspected.
Photo via Google Maps
Fugitive With Bullet Wound to Foot Arrested at Hospital
A wanted Maryland man was arrested at Virginia Hospital Center last week after he showed up with a bullet wound to his foot.
The incident happened just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11. The man was found on the ground at the hospital’s Emergency Room entrance, with a gunshot wound to his right foot, according to a police report. He was brought inside and treated by hospital staff.
When police showed up to interview the man, he refused to provide information about what happened. It was at that point that a fingerprint scan revealed that the man was actually a fugitive wanted for a crime in the District of Columbia.
Police arrested 22-year-old Isaiah Green of Capitol Heights, Md. As of last week he was being held without bond and was awaiting extradition.
Morning Notes
Neighborhood Thanks Power Crews – A few special guests stopped by the Waycroft-Woodlawn Fourth of July picnic yesterday (see photo, above). The neighborhood invited two hard-working power crews from Ontario, Canada to have a quick lunch with them. “The community clapped and cheered to say thanks,” writes resident Jim Pebley. “Was a nice moment after a long hot couple days.”
Storm Damage at Arlington National Cemetery — Arlington National Cemetery is reporting some significant damage in the wake of last Friday’s storms. The cemetery lost three of its oldest trees, which are all between 225 and 240 years old. In all, 8 large trees were lost and 17 were damaged to the point where they need to be removed. Falling trees also damaged some headstones. The cemetery says the damage is similar to that suffered during Hurricane Irene. The cemetery “continues to assess the extent of the damage and has started on the restoration.” [Arlington National Cemetery]
Hospital Visits Up Last Weekend — The number of patient visits to Virginia Hospital Center were about 30 percent higher than normal last weekend, largely due to heat-related symptoms, especially among the elderly, following Friday’s storms. No heat-related deaths have been reported in Arlington since the storms. [Arlington Mercury]
Tree Destroyed House While Family Was Inside — An Arlington couple and their two young girls were, amazingly, unharmed after a large oak tree came crashing through their house during Friday’s storm. The family was at home at the time. The parents were watching a movie in the basement; they came upstairs to find the girls still sleeping in their beds. [WUSA 9]
Blackwell Re-Elected as RNC Rep — Arlington resident Morton Blackwell — founder of the Courthouse-based Leadership Institute, a conservative political training organization — has been re-elected as Virginia representative to the Republican National Committee. [Sun Gazette]
Photo courtesy Jim Pebley
Road Closed After Truck Backs into Utility Pole
A cement truck backed into a utility pole at the intersection of 16th Street N. and N. Buchanan Street this morning, knocking down power lines and forcing the extended closure of 16th Street.
The incident happened around 9:15 a.m., in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood. We’re told the cement truck was attempting to back up when it hit the pole, snapping it in two.
16th Street N. is expected to be closed for much of the day as crews from Dominion work to replace the broken poles and downed lines. The closure is several blocks from Virginia Hospital Center.
About 300 homes are expected to be without power until at least late afternoon, while repairs are underway.
Hospital Employee Arrested After Robbery Attempt, Foot Chase
A Virginia Hospital Center worker has been arrested and charged in a bizarre attempted robbery at the hopsital.
Police say 48-year-old Alexandria resident Albert Murray, an employee at the hopsital’s cafeteria, tried to rob his own employer over the weekend.
According to police, Murray took a taxi to the hospital around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. While the cab waited outside, Murray allegedly went to the food service office in the cafeteria, confronted his manager with a knife, and demanded the combination to the safe. When the manager insisted she didn’t know the combination, police say, Murray bound her hands and feet with electrical cord, placed the safe on an office chair, and wheeled the chair out to the waiting cab.
The taxi driver became suspicious as Murray was loading the safe into the trunk and jumped out of the cab, according to police. At that point, hospital security ran outside. Murray is then accused of getting into the driver’s seat of the cab and trying to drive away. The cab driver, however, somehow managed to jump into the passenger seat of the hybrid taxi and kill the ignition with the press of a button.
Police say Murray then fled on foot. Officers quickly located him and, after a brief foot pursuit, Murray was taken into custody without further incident, according to police.
Murray was charged with abduction, grand larceny, two counts of robbery, and possession of PCP, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
Morning Notes
DCA Workers Injured By Lightning Strike — Two workers at Reagan National Airport were injured after lightning struck near American Airlines Gate 32. The injuries were not considered life-threatening. [WUSA 9]
Recounting 9/11 at Va. Hospital Center — The injured came flooding into Virginia Hospital Center by private car, military vehicle and ambulance on Sept. 11, 2001, employees recalled at a recent commemoration. Now the hospital says they’re better prepared to handle all sorts of emergencies. [MyFoxDC, WTOP]
Rare, Unseen Pentagon Historical Photos — Life Magazine has release a set of previously-unpublished photos of the Pentagon while it was still under construction in the early 1940s. [Life.com]
More on Tuesday’s Candidates Debate — In case you missed Tuesday’s Arlington County Civic Federation-sponsored debate, the Sun Gazette has a summary of the 32nd District state Senate debate between incumbent Sen. Janet Howell and Republican challenger Patrick Forrest, plus the three-way debate between Del. Bob Brink and his independent and Independent Green challengers for the 48th District House of Delegates seat.
GOP Candidate Prepared for Everything — Trying to prove that his long-shot campaign is in it to win it, Republican 30th District state Senate candidate Tim McGhee told attendees at Tuesday night’s debate that he’s prepared for pretty much anything and won’t be making any major policy shifts. “This is a built to last campaign that, whether its hurricanes, earthquakes, UN votes, stock market swings, whatever may be happening, nothing has to change between now and election day,” he said.
Bus Accident Shuts Down Street Near Hospital
An accident reportedly involving two buses has shut down a street near Virginia Hospital Center.
16th Street N. has been temporarily shut down between George Mason Drive and N. Edison Street due to an accident reportedly involving an ART bus and a school bus.
There were no reports of injuries. No word on whether there were passengers on either bus at the time of the accident.
Update at 5:35 p.m. — The accident involved a newly-hired ART bus driver but only resulted in minor damage to bus mirrors, Arlington County Transit Bureau Chief Stephen Del Giudice confirms. Del Giudice says he believes that the ART bus had passengers on board at the time of the accident, but no injuries were reported. The school bus did not have passengers on board, he said.
Del Giudice said that police closed the road immediately following the accident for a reason unrelated to the accident. He was unable to elaborate on what that reason was.
Police Investigate Hit and Run Near Hospital
A hit and run accident sent three people to the hospital this morning.
The accident happened around lunch time on George Mason Drive, just north of Virginia Hospital Center. Initial reports suggest a van hit a sedan, sending the sedan into a pole. Three people who were in the car were brought to the hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the van reportedly fled the scene after the accident. Officers and a police dog searched for the driver, but were not able to find her. Shortly after the search was called off, a woman fitting the description of the van driver showed up at the scene and was searched by officers. No word on which charges, if any, will be filed.
Arlington’s Snow Survivor, Hanging on Since December
Believe it or not, there’s still a remnant of the 2 to 3 inches of snow we got on Dec. 16 hanging around. This dirty snow pile can be found in the median on George Mason Drive near Virginia Hospital Center.
The pile may soon grow a bit. Forecasters are calling for a dusting to an inch of snow overnight.
BREAKING NEWS — Storm Damage Shuts Down George Mason Drive
(Updated at 3:15 a.m.) A brief but intense thunderstorm ripped through Arlington around 12:45 this morning, bringing with it high winds and driving rain.
A 54 mile per hour wind gust was recorded at Reagan National Airport during the storm, which covered area roadways with wet leaves and, in some cases, trees and utility lines. As of 3:10 a.m., 2,400 Dominion customers were without power in Arlington.
The most significant damage was reported in Arlington’s Tara-Leeway Heights neighborhood, near Virginia Hospital Center. Downed trees and utility lines blocked numerous side streets, which were darkened by the power outage. County tree crews were out in the neighborhood with chainsaws and wood chippers at 2:30 this morning.
A large tree and live power lines also fell across George Mason Drive, next to the hospital. Police have shut down George Mason Drive between Washington Boulevard and 15th Street while Dominion cleans up the mess. The road is expected to remain closed through the morning rush hour.
Storm damage was reported in the following locations:
- 1600 block of North George Mason Drive
- 1900 block of North Glebe Road
- 1400 block of North Greenbrier Street
- 5500 block of 14th Road North
- 1300 block of North Illinois Street
- 1600 block of North Harrison Street
- 1800 block of South Monroe Street
- 2900 block of 16th Road South
Update at 9:55 a.m. — The number of Dominion customers without power is now below 300. However, the medical offices of Virginia Hospital Center (not the hospital itself) are among those in the dark. Dominion spokesperson Le-Ha Anderson says crews hope to have power restored there within an hour.
Update at 10:00 a.m. — WJLA meteorologist Adam Caskey says that after analyzing radar data, he believes there’s a slight possibility that a tornado hit part of Arlington.
Morning Notes
Arlington Awarded HUD Homelessness Grant — Arlington County has been awarded a $540,000 competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money will help homeless families reunite or remain united by providing them with housing vouchers. With the family placed into housing, the children will no longer need to be placed into foster care. The vouchers will also be used by youth exiting the foster care system. A total of 50 individuals and families are expected to benefit. More from Arlington County.
Virginia Hospital Center Cheaper Than Inova Fairfax – Bloomberg reporter Peter Waldman takes a look at the impact of local hospital monopolies on the cost of medical procedures. According to the article, the average cost of a conventional birth at Arlington’s Virginia Hospital Center is $5,100, compared to $6,750 at Inova Fairfax. An abdominal CT scan costs $1,150 at Virginia Hospital Center, but costs $2,300 at Inova Fairfax. One analyst said the price difference is a result of Inova’s dominance in Northern Virginia.
Business Leaders Still Peeved at HOT Lanes Suit – Arlington business leaders are still fuming at Arlington’s costly lawsuit against High Occupancy Toll lanes on I-395. This time, the Chamber of Commerce is speaking out against the recent naming of Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez as an individual defendant in the suit. Mendez will now have to hire his own attorney and face Arlington’s charge that HOT lanes benefit wealthy white people at the expense of poor minorities, Chamber chairman Philip Keating told TBD.
Complaint of the Day: Dancing in the Street Edition
Dancing in the street sounds like a fun, whimsical way to work off some extra energy on a beautiful, non-stormy summer evening. But it can also be a traffic hazard! Just ask the citizen who alerted police to the two juvenile males breakdancing in the middle of the 1900 block of North George Mason Drive, near Virginia Hospital Center.
Martha and the Vandellas would approve of letting loose in the public right-of-way, but Johnny Law dutifully responded to the area to tell the b-boy punks to move on.
Unanswered question: Wouldn’t breakdancing on asphalt hurt?
Morning Notes
Cicadas Are Back – It’s not the swarm of 2004, but there are a few cicadas around this summer. This one was spotted on a window screen in Pentagon City.
Breast-Feeding Mix-up at Virginia Hospital Center — In January, a newborn went missing in Arlington’s Virginia Hospital Center. The child’s mother eventually found him being breast-fed by another woman — the result of a hospital mix-up. The Washington Post reports that the incident has given rise to questions about the frequency of such incidents and the possibility that the baby could be harmed as a result.
Moran Votes ‘No’ on Afghanistan Funding — Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) voted against a bill to provide an additional $37 billion in funding for the war in Afghanistan. “There exists no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan,” Moran said in a statement. “The mission we set out to accomplish following the attacks on September 11th – the rooting out of al Qaeda in Afghanistan – has largely been achieved, thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of American military and civilian personnel… Instead of increasing our troop presence, we should be limiting our mission in Afghanistan.”
