Staff from several Arlington County departments are in the process of reviewing last month’s fatal crash on S. Glebe Road.
In compliance with the county’s Vision Zero Action Plan, the collision that killed a 48-year-old woman on Aug. 16 is under review by transportation engineers, public health representatives and a county manager’s representative, in addition to the Arlington County Police Department and state police.
“As an established practice of our Vision Zero Action Plan, we review and evaluate critical crashes after they occur, and once the final report is issued, [we] identify items that we can implement quickly,” Katie O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Services, told ARLnow.
Staff are also reviewing two other recent vehicle crashes, both of which took place on Wilson Blvd: one involving a bicyclist at N. Lexington Street, the other involving a man on an e-scooter at N. George Mason Drive.
“This process helps identify any immediate actions [that need] to be taken and evaluate whether improvements should be made to similar locations across the County to help prevent future crashes,” O’Brien said. “The County’s recommendations are also coordinated with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for approval if the roadway is owned and maintained by the state.”
The fatal crash was on a VDOT-controlled portion of Glebe Road. The state agency is responsible for traffic signs there, but traffic signals are the county’s responsibility.
The collision happened after dark at a crossing that lacks flashing pedestrian beacons. Since then, locals have noted that it is poorly lit at night and questioned whether it has sufficient protections.
“We’ve complained to the county, complained to multiple organizations and said we need some kind of blinking light, something to make sure people can cross the road safely,” one resident told NBC4.
The victim, Arlington resident Katherine Krueger, was struck in the crosswalk around 8:50 p.m. by a driver heading south on Glebe Road.
The driver remained at the scene, police said in a press release. Krueger sustained critical injuries and was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
An ACPD spokesperson told ARLnow that the case “remains under investigation.” After the criminal investigation is complete, police will submit it to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for review.
Another crash near the intersection of S. Glebe Road and 14th Street S. resulted in “visible injury” to a pedestrian in 2019, according to the county’s Vision Zero dashboard.
Arlington’s Vision Zero initiative, adopted in 2021, aims to eliminate all traffic crashes resulting in fatalities and severe injuries by 2030.
In 2025, four fatal crashes took place in Arlington, while two took place in 2024. In both years, 52 crashes in Arlington also resulted in severe injuries. These numbers include crashes that took place on streets controlled by the county, VDOT and the federal government.
