(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) All lanes of southbound I-395 were blocked near Shirlington Circle this evening due to a serious crash.
Initial reports suggest that a motorcyclist crashed and remained down in the middle lane of the highway. The person’s injuries were reported to be potentially life threatening or life altering.
The I-395 express lanes remained open, but evening rush hour traffic in the main lanes of the highway was backed up to the 14th Street Bridge as of 5:20 p.m.
As of 5:30 p.m. all lanes were back open, though Virginia State Police remained on scene, on the right shoulder.
LOCATION: SB I-395/Exit 7 (Glebe Rd.)
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
IMPACT: All lanes of SB I-395 are blocked near Exit 7 (Glebe Rd.). Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/l2gwN5loPl— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) March 13, 2024
A serious crash shut down part of Miliary Road in the Cherrydale neighborhood this afternoon.
The crash happened shortly before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday on the 2200 block of Military Road, a block from Dorothy Hamm Middle School.
Initial reports suggest that a sedan was driven into the back of a trailer parked on the side of the road.
One person was trapped in the car after the crash and was freed by Arlington firefighters, who used rescue equipment to cut off the vehicle’s roof.
The trapped person and a second vehicle occupant were taken to a local hospital via ambulance. Both had potentially serious injuries.
An early report that one person was unconscious after the crash could not immediately be confirmed.
Dan Egitto contributed to this report
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.
Arlington County has unveiled an updated list of 34 particularly crash-prone intersections, including many on major roads between I-66 and Arlington Blvd.
These “hot spots” are areas that see relatively high crash rates, of which the county identified 60 in total, using data from 2018-2022. The total has dropped from 69 hot spots identified in a 2022 map.
Every two years, Arlington’s Vision Zero team “performs crash hot spot reviews of all reported crashes to identify individual intersections or locations that experience relatively high numbers of crashes to inform [the] implementation of quick-build crash mitigation measures.”
“The term ‘hot spot’ is relative,” per a county report, which notes intersections with severe and fatal crashes are weighted more heavily.
“Compared to larger jurisdictions with higher volume and higher speed roads, Arlington’s hot spots can have significantly fewer crashes and/or injuries,” it says. “However, we recognize the importance of identifying safety needs from our crash data and implementing safety improvements wherever possible to achieve Arlington’s Vision Zero goals.”
Several hot spots were identified along Glebe Road and Route 50 and Washington Blvd and figure into current Virginia Dept. of Transportation traffic studies, which the state agency undertook to address bottleneck traffic and other problems.
This week, VDOT held an open house on proposed changes to Glebe Road from I-66 to Columbia Pike. Through July, the agency will conduct risk assessments, develop preferred improvement plans and estimate project costs for improvements to Arlington and Washington Blvd.
Other notable additions include Arlington Blvd and N. Manchester Street — which received upgrades to reduce speeding and crashes but has continued clocking fatal crashes — and N. Glebe Road and N. Henderson, in Ballston, which saw a serious two-car crash in 2022.
Route 1 and 23d Street S. also made the list. This intersection sees significant pedestrian traffic and could see more once Route 1 is brought at grade. This intersection — where some have observed safety issues — used to have a pedestrian tunnel, but it was closed after maintenance was deemed too onerous.
Meanwhile, the Vision Zero team is working on a way to track the efficacy of “quick build” projects intended to improve safety at these hot spots. The county report says the team is building a map, expected to launch this year, that will calculate crash rates before and after these projects to “gauge whether additional interventions are needed to reduce crashes.”
In a separate analysis published this month, the county says it is actively working on improvements to previously identified crash-prone areas.
In total, 27 have existing or ongoing projects, 24 have had safety improvements implemented and, at 18 locations, staff are working on implementing or assessing new safety features.
Locals can look forward to a red-light camera at 10th Street. N. and N. Barton Street, where a bus driver once careened into a community garden after another driver ran a red light. The installation has been held up, however, by long procurement times for a new vendor that will handle Arlington’s forthcoming speeding cameras as well as its existing red-light cameras.
Along Little Falls Road, at the intersection with Yorktown Blvd, the county plans to make crosswalk updates on N. Greenbrier Street and add a “keep right” sign on the Yorktown Blvd median.
The county has lowered speed limits on Little Falls Road, which in this area, has seen some high-profile fatal crashes, including a fatal pedestrian crash at Little Falls and Old Dominion Drive, a previously identified hot spot.
In Pentagon City, meanwhile, pedestrians will soon see some additional signage at the mid-block crossing south of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S., next to the mall. That part of S. Hayes has been previously dinged by advocates for pedestrian safety issues. The nearby intersection at 15th Street S. is already a hotspot.
Arlington County aims to begin construction on a new traffic light at a crash-prone intersection near Barrett Elementary School this summer.
The county expects to complete the installation of the 4-way traffic signal — at N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive, in front of the Lubber Run Community Center — by the end of 2024. The intersection in the Arlington Forest neighborhood will also get curb extensions on all corners, increased street lighting and marked crosswalks, according to the county.
To get started, however, the county is requesting that the Arlington School Board approve an easement at the intersection’s southwest corner, where Barrett is. The School Board is set to review the request tonight (Thursday), teeing it up for a vote at a later meeting.
Although a 2017 traffic study — done concurrently with plans to replace the aging former community center — recommended a traffic signal, the county opted for a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon and pedestrian refuge. Since the completion of the new community center, the troubled intersection has seen an uptick in crashes, primarily when drivers have to traverse four lanes of traffic on N. George Mason Drive to try to turn left or go straight on N. Park Drive.
Arlington was working to get a signal installed within the next three years. To address “recurring patterns of dangerous vehicle crashes at the intersection,” however, the county committed to complete work in 2024.
Meanwhile, DES installed an interim solution to calm traffic in December and removed and trimmed overgrown trees and shrubs in the median to improve sight distances.
The county temporarily closed the left turn and through movements from N. Park Drive using signage, flexible posts and wheel stops, per a brief explainer. Left turns will continue to be permitted from N. George Mason Drive to access northbound or southbound N. Park Drive.
As for the traffic signal, the county expects to finalize detailed designs by late this spring and begin construction this summer. The barriers will be removed when the traffic signals go in at the end of next year.
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
Arlington County residents are some of the safest in the country, by at least one measure.
Just 3.8 out of every 100,000 Arlington County residents died either by homicide or in a land transport collision between 2018 and 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a lower death rate than any other county in the nation with a population of at least 100,000 people.
Ryan Radia, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a D.C. libertarian think tank, tweeted his analysis of CDC data last week.
Arlington (VA), Loudoun, Middlesex (MA), Bergen, Manhattan, and Fairfax are among the safest counties in the United States, by one measure.https://t.co/p55sZf6SQPhttps://t.co/XRlhVGCC8z pic.twitter.com/F81asGmwV1
— Ryan Radia (@RyanRadia) February 2, 2024
Arlington is a standout in its low traffic fatalities. The county had the lowest proportion of vehicular deaths between 2018 and 2022, at 2.7 out of 100,000. The second-lowest county was Manhattan, at 3.2 deaths.
Arlington ranked ninth in homicide deaths, at a rate of 1.1 per 100,000, among the counties listed.
Both of Arlington’s rates are much lower than the national average. In 2021, 13.7 out of every 100,000 Americans died in a vehicle crash and 7.8 died by homicide, per CDC data.
Radia told ARLnow that Arlington’s high population density might play a role in its low traffic fatality rates. CDC data shows that people living in densely populated areas tend to have lower rates of dying from collisions involving cars, trucks, motorcycles or other land transport vehicles.
For instance, of Manhattan, Staten Island and Hudson County, New Jersey — a county between New York and Newark containing Hoboken, which recently celebrated seven consecutive years without a traffic death — all had some of the lowest death rates.
“Arlington is one of the most densely populated counties in the United States — although not quite as dense as D.C. or Alexandria — and denser areas might tend to have fewer vehicle miles traveled,” Radia noted.
He also pointed to Arlington’s high per capita income, which can correlate with fewer road deaths, as well as its high proportion of people working from home. U.S. Census Bureau data showed that Arlington had the second highest work-from-home rates in the country in 2021.
“People who work from home might spend less time on the road (and thus have lower odds of dying in a traffic collision),” Radia said.
Notably, nearby Loudoun County, which has a lower population density and an extensive network of gravel roads, was also was among the safest counties.
Arlington County is in the midst of a Vision Zero campaign that aims to bring its number of traffic fatalities and severe injuries down to zero by 2030, though some question whether that’s achievable without major changes.
Between 2018 and 2022, according to county data, Arlington saw 20 fatal crashes and 277 causing severe injuries. Five fatal Arlington crashes happened last year, along with 53 crashes involving severe injury.
To reduce road deaths and injuries, the county is working on infrastructure improvements, while increasing traffic enforcement and trying to influence driver behavior.
Although the county tracks crashes and responds with quick-build or capital improvement projects and pilot programs, driver behavior continues to present problems. Speeding, ignoring traffic laws and distracted driving comprise the top three reasons most survey participants reported feeling unsafe when traveling in Arlington.
To that end, the Arlington County Board authorized speed cameras in January 2022, but the county was still in the process of procuring them as of last fall. The Board has also lowered speed limits in some areas.
The driver of an SUV slammed into a building along Columbia Pike early Saturday morning.
It happened around 1:40 a.m. on the western end of the Pike in Arlington, near the massive “Pike” sculpture.
Video of the incident, posted by local public safety watcher Dave Statter, shows the SUV driving at a high speed down S. Jefferson Street before crashing into a commercial building at 5555 Columbia Pike.
No serious injuries were reported. So far, there’s no word on any charges against the driver.
Watch this: An SUV driver coming down the hill on S. Jefferson around 1:40 this morning went straight on Columbia Pike instead of turning. In its path was the two-story commercial building at 5555 Columbia Pike built in 1962. Despite ending up partially inside the building there… pic.twitter.com/LigwkPDwmu
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) January 20, 2024
The traffic signal at the intersection of 10th Street N. and N. Highland Street in Clarendon is out after a crash.
The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. and was caught on camera.
The video, above, appears to show a driver on 10th Street running the red light and getting t-boned by a driver on Highland. So far, there’s no word on injuries, though firefighters and medics quickly arrived on scene from nearby Fire Station No. 4.
N. Highland Street is closed and the traffic light is out, according to an Arlington Alert message. The video shows the light staying on red while flashing yellow after the crash, potentially as the result of ground-level signal equipment being damaged.
LOCATION: N Highland St./10th St. N
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
IMPACT: N Highland St. (southbound) between 10th St. N and 9th St. N is closed in both directions. The light at the intersection of N Highland St. and 10th St. N is currently out. Expect dela pic.twitter.com/AKamrdjZDT— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) January 10, 2024
The man driving the Jeep that seriously injured a pedestrian before slamming into a Pentagon City bank is likely to face charges, police say.
The driver, who has not yet been identified, “was attempting to turn from S. Hayes Street onto 12th Street S. when he exited the roadway onto the sidewalk, struck a pedestrian and crashed into a closed bank,” an Arlington County police spokesman says.
The crash, which happened around 7 p.m. Wednesday, heavily damaged the front of the Chase bank branch at 710 12th Street S., next to the Metro station.
The man struck by the Jeep was seriously injured but is expected to survive. Charges are expected to be filed soon against the driver.
“The pedestrian, an adult male, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries and is currently in stable condition,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The driver of the striking vehicle, an adult male, was not injured and remained on scene. The investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing and charges are pending.”
The crash was witnessed by New York Times reporter Ken Vogel, who posted on social media this morning that the injured man was bleeding from the head and fading in and out of consciousness.
The pedestrian was sprawled on his back on the sidewalk, blood coming from his head.
As he faded in & out, I urged him not to try to move, told him help was coming (someone had called 911) & that he would be ok.
I hope he was.
(I took the above photo after police/EMTs arrived)
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) January 5, 2024
Traffic fatalities, including pedestrian deaths, are up sharply nationwide compared to pre-pandemic levels. The Times recently published an investigation (and a podcast) looking into U.S. pedestrian deaths, which are on the rise — especially in nighttime crashes.
A driver ran into the back of a stopped Arlington police cruiser in Courthouse yesterday afternoon.
The crash, which happened two blocks from police headquarters — next to the construction site that was formerly a Wendy’s — happened around 2:30 p.m.
It’s unclear what led to the crash. Video posted by local public safety watchdog Dave Statter shows a car approaching the cruiser, which was stopped at a light, and simply plowing into it. The cruiser is pushed into the intersection before the driver apparently stops accelerating.
Watch: Wilson Boulevard is getting to be a hazardous place for @ArlingtonVaPD. Just after 2:30 p.m., someone rear-ended a police SUV stopped at the light at Wilson and N. Courthouse. No injuries were reported but it appears the airbag went off on the passenger side of the car.… pic.twitter.com/5u3Fg7a9ln
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) January 3, 2024
Immediately after, the driver and other occupants of the vehicle get out and talk to the officer. The cruiser’s rear bumper and window were both damaged in the crash.
Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow that the driver received a traffic citation for “Failure to Pay Full Time and Attention.”
This is at least the second ACPD cruiser damaged in a crash in the past week. On Friday, Dec. 29 a driver in Clarendon allegedly pulled in front of an officer speeding toward an incident, resulting in a wreck that nearly sent the civilian vehicle into a nearby storefront.
That driver was cited for “Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way,” Savage said.