A Maryland man who fled police in a reportedly stolen vehicle is facing multiple charges of assault against Virginia state troopers.
According to the Virginia State Police, troopers received an alert around 3:41 a.m. yesterday (Sunday) that a gray sedan reported to have been stolen might be traveling on Richmond Highway (Route 1) in the Huntington area.
The vehicle was spotted by a trooper who turned on his lights and siren for a traffic stop, but the driver instead “sped away and initiated a pursuit,” police said.
As the chase moved onto the Capital Beltway (I-495) and then onto southbound I-95, the driver rammed a state police patrol vehicle four different times, according to the VSP:
As the pursuit approached Route 1 and Interstate 495, the suspect vehicle twice rammed a State Police patrol vehicle. The pursuit then continued onto Interstate 495 westbound, where the suspect struck the same trooper’s vehicle a third time, and then onto Interstate 95 southbound, where the trooper’s vehicle was struck a fourth time.
Police ultimately used a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to turn and halt the vehicle on I-95 near the Backlick Road exit, the VSP said.
“The driver then fled the vehicle on foot, but was taken into custody a few minutes later without further incident,” police said.
The driver — described as a 24-year-old man from College Park, Maryland — faces four charges each of assault on law enforcement, felony hit-and-run, misdemeanor hit-and-run and destruction of state property. He has also been charged with eluding law enforcement, grand larceny, driving without a license, not wearing a seatbelt and “being a pedestrian on the interstate.”
The last charge stems from the brief foot pursuit, a VSP spokesperson confirmed.
Police also arrested two adults who were passengers in the sedan on outstanding warrants.
The Fairfax County Police Department said in its year-end crime report for 2023 that it saw an uptick in assaults against police officers compared to 2022.
Image via Google Maps
A Pimmit Hills man has been accused of possessing child porn and having sex with a teenager who was reported missing in New York.
Detectives arrested 20-year-old Muammer Steve Demir on Friday (March 15) after they found him with the teen at a house in the 7300 block of Sportsman Drive, the Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Monday).
Demir was in possession of child sexual abuse material when police arrived at the house, according to the FCPD.
The FCPD says its Missing Person Unit and Child Exploitation Unit detectives were notified yesterday that a missing teen from New York may be in Fairfax County, and their investigation led them to Demir’s house.
“Detectives learned Demir drove to New York in August of 2023 and then brought the juvenile back to Virginia,” the FCPD said.
Demir has been charged with having carnal knowledge of a child and possessing child abuse material, but additional charges are expected, according to police. He’s currently in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
The teen has been reunited with her family, the FCPD said.
After an arraignment on March 15, Demir is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 25, per Fairfax County General District Court records.
The Fairfax County Police Department touted the county’s status as the safest jurisdiction of its size following the release of its year-end crime report.
The report — which is based on violent crime rates among participating agencies evaluated by the Major Cities Chief Association — shows that Fairfax County’s rate is the lowest among jurisdictions of comparable size. Homicide offenses, sex offenses, burglaries, and robberies all declined between 2022 and 2023, according to the report.
“The central message conveyed in this report is clear — Fairfax County stands as the safest large jurisdiction in America. Through data-informed enforcement strategies, FCPD played a pivotal role in reducing violent crime rates,” FCPD wrote in a press release.
At a safety and security committee meeting before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 12, Police Chief Kevin Davis said that all 17 murders last year were solved. Homicides were down 23% over the previous year.
FCPD also stepped up the number of traffic summonses, issuing nearly 40% more in 2023 than in 2022 for violations like speeding, reckless driving, and hands-free violations.
Theft of motor vehicle parts was a major focus this year. The number of thefts decreased from 1,516 in 2022 to 875 in 2023, a trend observed in the FCPD’s mid-year crime report.
But the decrease in the theft of motor vehicle parts was offset by an increase in shoplifting, which rose from 5,799 incidents in 2022 to 8,156 last year. Additionally, 126 more vehicles were stolen in 2023 than in 2022.
Most cars that were stolen were either Kias and Hyundais, particularly in the Mount Vernon District, according to FCPD. They were often later recovered in D.C. or Prince George’s County.
Officers increased their presence in malls during the winter holiday season. Springfield’s Christmas anti-theft team recovered more than $100,000 of stolen merchandise last year compared to $30,000 in 2022, according to the FCPD.
Davis noted that organized groups appear to be targeted high-end merchandise in large quantities, later reselling the items on Facebook Marketplace.
“Everyone is jumping up and down about what we need to do to prevent, mitigate, and hold these really organized groups better accountable,” Davis said, adding that the problem appears to be region-wide.
A one-day symposium is planned in April for regional authorities to explore “innovative” solutions, Davis said.
The department also reported 472 assaults against its officers this year — an increase from 378 in 2022. Davis said 5% of all assault crimes were against law enforcement officers.
“It has our attention and we’re taking steps to mitigate it,” Davis said.
Overall, there were 1,161 assaults between 2022 and 2023, according to the report, although most offenses were not aggravated. Most assaults are “domestic in nature or involve parties known to each other,” the police department says.
“FCPD worked hard to combat this issue by placing over 34,000 criminal charges on over 23,000 individuals responsible for crimes in Fairfax County last year,” the FCPD said in a news release.
While pedestrian fatalities decreased in 2023, which had nine deaths, FCPD has launched a collaborative effort with local transportation officials and other community partners to review pedestrian fatalities and significant injuries. Between 2019 and 2022, 77 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes.
Most incidents happened at night, Davis said.
Users of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail can now more directly access the Freeman Store and Museum — and, beyond it, the Town Green — in Vienna.
The town has opened a new pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch that links the regional trail to the historic site. Completed in November, the facility replaces a wooden bridge that collapsed in 2016 due to water damage and general deterioration.
“It looks as it did many years ago and restores an important link to the Town’s history, connecting past and present,” the Town of Vienna said of the new bridge.
The town will celebrate the bridge’s reopening this Saturday (March 23) with a ribbon-cutting and reception starting at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided, and the Freeman Store will unveil two new museum exhibits: “Exploring Books Throughout Time” and “Vienna Unveiled Through Maps.”
Have you noticed the new pedestrian bridge along the W&OD Trail? After months of anticipation, it's time to celebrate its completion! Everyone's invited to the official ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. See you there! Details: https://t.co/5bwEBgELgq. pic.twitter.com/zVcig20KRq
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) March 14, 2024
Vienna officials had been looking to build a new bridge since they closed the previous one in February 2016, but an initial lack of response from contractors and rising costs for lumber and other materials delayed the project.
Construction finally began in February 2023, requiring a temporary detour around the affected section of the W&OD Trail.
Measuring about 53 feet long and 5 feet wide, the new bridge was made out of steel and timber. It’s also ADA-compliant, serving as the only way for wheelchair users to access the Freeman Store.
“Since the Freeman Store opened in 1859, it has been a store, a home, a train depot, a hotel, a hospital, an officers’ quarters, and a fire department, and the pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch to the store’s side entrance has been an integral part of the structure,” the town said in a news release.
Designated as a historic Virginia landmark in 2011, the Freeman Store is run by the nonprofit Historic Vienna Inc. and sells candy, artist prints, pottery, mugs, used books and other Vienna-themed items.
Located at 131 Church Street NE, the Freeman Store is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday between March and December. The store closes on most federal holidays.
Photo via Town of Vienna/Twitter
A Great Falls man pleaded guilty on Friday (March 15) to failing to pay $1.8 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
Rick Tariq Rahim, 55, owned and operated several businesses, including laser tag facilities, and he worked as an Amazon reseller, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia.
“From 2015 to 2021, Rahim did not pay to the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks or file the required quarterly employment tax returns reporting those withholdings,” the office said in a press release.
Authorities say Rahim hasn’t filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income.
In addition, Rahim filed two personal income tax returns where reported owing “substantial” taxes but did not pay them when they were due. When the IRS attempted to contact him, he submitted a false form that omitted assets he owned, including a helicopter, property in Great Falls and a Lamborghini, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
From the press release:
Approximately two weeks later, Rahim transferred ownership of that Great Falls property to his wife. He also paid personal expenses from his business bank accounts, including more than $889,000 toward his mortgages and more than $669,000 to purchase or lease cars, including three different Lamborghinis. In addition, Rahim withdrew more than $1.1 million in cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid triggering currency transaction reports from the bank.
His sentencing is scheduled for June 21.
Photo via Google Maps
Commuters who use Route 29 in the Fairfax Corner area harbor concerns about poor pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, safety and traffic congestion, the results from a recent Route 29 survey suggest.
The Fairfax Department of Transportation conducted the survey from Feb. 12 to March 1 as part of an ongoing effort to make the 2.9-mile stretch between Buckleys Gate Drive and Jermantown Road more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly.
Nearly 400 people responded to the survey, about half of them saying they commute along the corridor regularly for errands, work or school. Three-quarters of those respondents drive, seven bike, two carpool, one walks, and 64 use various modes of travel.
While many respondents were content with the current state of the corridor, a majority expressed a desire for wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes, along with greater separation for those facilities from the road. The survey also identified frustrations with the roadway’s short turn lanes, which some said create long left-turn delays.
During a virtual public meeting last Tuesday (March 12), FCDOT’s Arpita Chatterjee said the newly unveiled survey findings support the department’s plans to shift away from interchanges, road widenings, and other auto-focused improvements and “explore ways to increase walking and biking along the corridor.”
“The easiest way to describe Route 29 through this corridor is kind of a mess,” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw said at the meeting. “And this study is our opportunity to develop a much better vision for this stretch of Route 29.”
Almost 20 people who attended the virtual meeting, but just one person spoke. Their comments centered on safety at the Jermantown Road intersection, and they recommended improving sidewalk lighting.
Though staff won’t present its final recommendations until summer 2024, Chatterjee said FCDOT plans to implement mitigation measures for intersections experiencing significant congestion, including Waples Mill and Shirley Gate Road.
“Overall intersection delays were over 100 seconds and side streets delays are even higher,” Chatterjee said. “But that said, we will investigate what mitigation would be possible to get the intersection of Waples Mill and Shirley Gate roads to operate more efficiently, similar or at least close to Legato Road and Monument Drive.”
The online survey will stay open until March 29, and participants can leave a recorded voicemail at 703-890-5898 using the code 3941.
There will be a second virtual meeting in the early part of this summer before staff present their final recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
Woman Fatally Shot Near Inova Fairfax Hospital — “A man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot in Northern Virginia, and police arrested the suspect in Maryland after a short manhunt Friday evening, police said. The victim had a protective order against the suspect, but he showed up outside the medical office in Annandale where she worked, police said.” [NBC4, WUSA9]
Metro Police Start Fare Evasion Crackdown in D.C. — “Metro police will crack down on fare evasion in the District starting Monday, issuing fines of up to $100 or arresting people who refuse to pay for rides. Until now, Metro Transit Police officers have only been able to ask fare evaders to pay their fare or leave the station, according to Metro.” [Washington Post]
Warm Weather Leads to More Pollen — “This year, abnormally warm weather has boosted average tree pollen counts to near-record levels in the D.C. area. The counts have already climbed into the high range on eight days this year. So far, the peak daily count was 1,171 pollen grains per cubic meter of air measured in early March.” [Washington Post]
County Seeks Input on Bicycle Parking Updates — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual meeting on the updated Bicycle Parking Guidelines on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 6 p.m.” The county is developing guidelines for “rate of short-term to long-term bike parking spaces, acceptable rack and facility design and location guidance, and optional enhancements to improve user comfort.” [FCDOT]
Senators Warn Against Adding Long National Airport Flights — “The four U.S. senators from Virginia and Maryland are urging Congress to keep the current rules for long distance flights from Reagan National Airport (DCA) as they are.” The senators reiterated that the airport is “already overburdened” and adding more long-distance flights could affect the larger Dulles and Baltimore airports. [WTOP]
Transportation Officials Give Update on Richmond Highway Projects — “Vanessa Aguayo, project manager of the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, and Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Dan Reinhard, lead project manager for the Richmond Highway Corridor Improvements project, provided updates March 14 at the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast.” [On the MoVe]
Former McLean HS Student Publishes Debut Novel — “Small-town skullduggery, eccentric characters, humor and a gritty tone are staples of Southern crime fiction and former Great Falls resident Peter Malone Elliott was happy to indulge in them all in his debut novel, ‘Blue Ridge.'” [Gazette Leader]
Local Volunteers Bonded by Helping Feed People — “It may look like Mona Tatum works at an outdoor market along Route 1 in Alexandria. But the bounty in front of her of fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, and so much more, stems from a remarkable story of friendship between Ed Moore and Deacon James Myers…A friendship that blossomed four years ago during the pandemic’s darkest days.” [WJLA]
It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with a west wind blowing between 9 and 14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. In the evening, the sky remains mostly clear with a low temperature around 34. A northwest wind of 11 to 13 mph will continue, gusting as high as 22 mph. [Weather.gov]
A man convicted of killing a woman at her Seven Corners condominium and setting her body on fire has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge handed down two consecutive life sentences to Richard Montano, 48, today (Friday) after a jury convicted him last October of murdering Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay on Aug. 10, 2022, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced.
At the time of the murder, Vaca Abacay and her husband were staying in a condominium in The Villages at Falls Church on Willston Place owned by Montano’s ex-girlfriend, who broke up with him that July, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
“The extreme level of violence and complete disregard for human life demonstrated by Richard Montano is of a level rarely seen in Fairfax County,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said. “The loss to Ms. Vaca Abacay’s family and loved ones is unimaginable. There is nothing that can undo her needless, senseless death, but as of today, the defendant will not be able to harm anyone else in our community.”
In the afternoon of Aug. 10, 2022, Montano “was lying in wait” in the apartment, presumably looking for his former girlfriend, but when he encountered Vaca Abacay instead, he stabbed her multiple times “and set her body on fire in an attempt to conceal the murder,” Descano’s office says.
According to a press release, prosecutors told the jury during last year’s trial that Montano was caught entering the condo by a neighbor’s home surveillance camera:
A neighbor’s Ring camera footage captured Montano entering the apartment without Ms. Via Rojas’ knowledge multiple times in the preceding month, including his last entry just 10 days before the murder occurred. The same neighbor called 911 four times the afternoon of August 10 after hearing screaming and banging from across the hall. The medical examiner determined that Ms. Vaca Abacay died from multiple sharp- and blunt force wounds before her body was set on fire.
Montano was arrested at his home in Arlington on Aug. 10, 2022. He initially also faced a burglary charge, but that was dropped at a preliminary hearing in the fall of 2022.
Descano’s office says the judge considered Montano’s apparent refusal to take responsibility for his actions, the premeditated nature of the murder and attempt to conceal his crime by setting the body on fire when determining the sentencing.
The charges of first-degree murder and arson of an occupied dwelling both carried potential life sentences.
Photo by Ed O’Carroll/Twitter
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved the transformation of Rudy’s Golf and Sports Bar in Kingstowne into 17 acres of single-family homes and public parks.
Last week, supervisors unanimously endorsed a proposal by Maryland-based EYA Development to redevelop the property at 6626 South Van Dorn Street. The roughly 17.4-acre site hosted the first Top Golf in the U.S. until the facility closed in early 2020 and Rudy’s opened in 2022.
The project will include 174 single-family homes, 18 of which will be designated as affordable, and several acres of public parks.
The approval comes nearly a decade after a more intensive version of the project was first proposed in 2015. Since then, the proposal has changed multiple times after facing public backlash over concerns about traffic congestion, compatibility with the neighborhood and stormwater management.
Following extensive public feedback, the number of homes in the plan was reduced from 275 to 174, and the idea for thousands of square feet of retail space was scrapped altogether.
Despite those changes, some community members and Franconia Land Use Committee representatives continued to speak out publicly against the proposal up until last month, when the Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously to advance the plan.
Those who spoke during a January public hearing on a comprehensive plan amendment that would allow residential development at the site argued that the density remained excessively high and expressed concerns over traffic congestion and environmental effects.
However, EYA representatives addressed traffic concerns by presenting an analysis that showed traffic would reduce after redevelopment compared to if the property stayed the same. The developer also plans to construct a new underground detention vault and multiple bioretention facilities to control stormwater drainage.
With each successive vote, the number of people turning out against the project has declined. During the latest public hearing on March 5, only two people spoke — both of them in favor of the project.
“The developer of this proposal…has sought input from neighboring communities and environmental groups throughout this process, resulting in a well-designed plan that deserves support,” said Sonya Breehy, Northern Virginia advocacy manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Breehy also highlighted the critical need for more housing amid a region-wide shortage.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay highlighted the absence of opposition during the public hearing, attributing the positive outcome to the county’s patience and commitment to “get it right.”
“I, for one, am glad to say that we resisted many plans that would have been insufficient, certainly inferior to the plan that we see here today, as many people have acknowledged,” he said.
Pilot on Flight to Dulles Tried to Open Airplane Door — “A student pilot tried to open the door of an Alaska Airlines cockpit multiple times while the plane was in the air…The flight was traveling from California to Virginia on March 3, according to an affidavit filed by federal air marshal Thomas G. Pattinson and reviewed by CBS News.” [CBS News]
Senior Living Apartments Now Open in Tysons — “Mather…earlier in March opened the doors on its eponymous The Mather, 670,000 square feet of side-by-side glass towers rising as high as 27 stories at 7929 Westpark Drive.” The Chicago-based not-for-profit organization is “actively reviewing sites” for a possible expansion in Northern Virginia, but CEO Mary Leary “wouldn’t say precisely where.” [Washington Business Journal]
Condo Project in McLean Gets Endorsement — “A proposal to rezone and redevelop McLean Professional Park with a 104-unit condominium building received strong support March 6 from the McLean Citizens Association’s (MCA) board of directors…The proposed development would straighten out the site’s entranceway, which is shared with adjacent Sunrise of McLean Village,” according to MCA’s planning and zoning committee chair. [Gazette Leader]
D.C. Region Population Growing After Pandemic — “The D.C. area’s rebound from the pandemic continued last year as the District and its surrounding counties continued to see steady growth — and their most significant population gains since 2018 — even as other major American cities contracted, according to estimates released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.” [Washington Post]
Park Authority Introduces Summer Intern Program — The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking applicants for its new summer internship program, which is open to high school and college students, recent graduates, people looking for a career change and anyone else interested in gaining experience in marketing, history, nature and other areas. It could lead to seasonal, part-time or full-time employment. [FCPA]
Reston Climate Tech Firm Partners With Panda Express — “GridPoint Inc., a Reston company that develops technology to help businesses reduce their energy costs, has brought in three new executives to help guide it through its next growth phase…GridPoint recently expanded its partnership with Panda Express from a 200-store pilot program to a national rollout of about 2,500 locations in the coming years.” [DC Inno]
Fairfax HS Reverses Plan for Graduation — “After an apparent backlash from Fairfax High School families over a change in venue and the number [of] tickets that would be available for the school’s June 4 graduation, Principal Georgina Aye announced that the ceremony would be held at the school’s football stadium.” City of Fairfax Public Schools said earlier that the ceremony would be “moved inside due to construction at Stalnaker Field.” [Patch]
Reston Software Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary — “ScienceLogic recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at an event for employees, customers, and partners. At the event, co-founders Dave Link and Richard Chart shared some of their favorite memories, looking back at two decades of ScienceLogic’s success as a pioneering software and services provider.” [Fairfax County EDA]
It’s Friday — Expect showers with a possible thunderstorm after 2pm and a high around 74°F. An 80% chance of precipitation is forecast with less than a tenth of an inch of rain. At night, anticipate showers and potentially a thunderstorm before 8pm. Nighttime lows will be around 48°F. [Weather.gov]