(Updated at 10:35 a.m. on 5/10/2024) Fairfax County police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that shut down Georgetown Pike in Great Falls for hours early Thursday morning (May 9).
First responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to a “crash on fire” at the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Falls Chase Court near the Great Falls Church of Christ at 12:21 a.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
A police dispatcher reported that a 911 caller was “advising there’s a vehicle on fire that was involved in a crash” and that the driver was “possibly DOA.”
Upon arriving at the scene, an FCFRD responder confirmed at 12:25 a.m. that the driver had died, indicating that his car had crashed into a tree.
“He’s entrapped with what’s left of the car,” a responder said on the scanner.
The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted at 1:19 a.m. that its Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives were at the scene and Georgetown Pike was closed between Falls Chase Court and Falls Bridge Lane.
The road opened to traffic around 5 a.m., according to the FCPD.
In an update released today (Friday), the police department reported that the driver, 22-year-old Osman Elgamri of Sterling, had veered off Georgetown Pike in a 2017 Lexus IS300 and “struck a tree.” He was the vehicle’s only occupant.
“Preliminarily, detectives believe speed was a factor in the crash,” the FCPD said. “Detectives are continuing to investigate to determine if alcohol or narcotics were also factors in the crash.”
Detectives from our Crash Reconstructive Unit are on scene of a single-vehicle fatal crash on Georgetown Pike and Falls Chase Ct in Great Falls. The motorist was pronounced deceased on scene. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/T2olcYH4fH
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) May 9, 2024
A home-based golf instruction facility is coming soon to a half-acre of land on 1051 Kelso Road in Great Falls.
Next Level Golf — a local golf instruction company — hopes to open a golf instruction facility that “fosters golf development for individuals of all backgrounds and abilities, including veterans, individuals with PTSD, disabilities and juniors/adults interested in the sport,” according to the application, which was filed last week.
The company plans to install a green and bunker area for golf lessons. The applicant emphasized that that the company has no intention of installing a driving range or golf course — only a specialized facility focused “solely on golf development activities.”
“The utilization of the land will not pose any harm or distraction to neighboring properties, streets, or roads, and will maintain the agricultural stability of the area. The proposed short game area will span approximately 1/2 acre and will be designed specifically for putting, chipping, and pitching practice within a designated 15,000 square foot area. No chemicals other than those required for normal lawn maintenance will be used, ensuring minimal environmental impact and preserving the integrity of the soil,” the application states.
Next Level Golf also plans to use a portion of a home’s garage — roughly 700 square feet — to install golf simulators that allow indoor training options.
The addition requires a special permit and special permit amendment. The application is in the early stages of the county’s review process and has not yet been formally accepted for review.
Image via Google Maps
Hundreds turned out across Fairfax on Monday to see the partial solar eclipse which reached nearly 90% totality in the D.C. area.
The Fairfax County Park Authority held four separate eclipse viewings at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Burke Lake, Historic Huntley and Turner Farm Park.
Ben Boxer, a spokesperson for the park authority, said around 400 individuals registered for the viewing events in total. The event at Turner Farm in Great Falls, known for its roll-top observatory, drew one of the day’s largest audiences, with nearly 200 individuals pre-registered and another 80 spontaneously joining.
Attendees began gathering at the park’s entrance around 1 p.m., eager to claim their patch of grass and witness the celestial spectacle.
While full solar eclipses happen every few years, they often occur in remote locations, such as over oceans, making them difficult to observe.
The next total eclipse is anticipated to pass over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain in 2026, and then over northern Africa in 2037. North America, however, will not experience a total eclipse until 2033, and even then, it will be visible only in Alaska.
Sebastian Arnez, the lead observatory educator at Turner Farm, dedicated the afternoon to engaging with attendees, explaining the reasons behind eclipses, their mechanics, and their historical significance as they awaited the peak moment at 3:20 p.m.
“I touched on how the Babylonians used to record eclipses on stone tablets, how the Greeks had a calendar to predict when the next eclipse will be, just kind of cool stuff like that,” he told FFXnow.
The viewing event attracted a diverse crowd, ranging from young astronomy buffs to seasoned NASA scientists.
Sitting next to his wife, retired NASA scientist Steven Ballard shared that this was their second partial eclipse experience, with the previous one taking place in Idaho in 2017. He also brought along his personal telescope, equipped with a homemade filter, to observe the event.
“I never did astronomy. I just the missions that went [to space],” he told FFXnow.
The eclipse achieved approximately 87% coverage in the D.C. area, with Turner Farm offering a clear view thanks to minimal cloud cover. As the moon intersected with the sun, the park dimmed and the air cooled noticeably, culminating in a striking crescent shape.
George Mason University student and nearby resident Joshua Liu managed to capture several photos below of the event using his smartphone through a telescope provided by the park authority which he shared with FFXnow.
National Poetry Month has arrived, bringing a new slate of free poetry readings and other events at Fairfax County parks.
For the final year of her tenure, Fairfax County Poet Laureate Danielle Badra has organized a second “Poetry in the Parks” initiative, inviting community members to experience linguistic and natural beauty at the same time.
Announced Monday (April 1) by ArtsFairfax, the series will kick off on April 27 with a “National Poetry Month Reading” at Green Spring Gardens (4603 Green Spring Road) in Lincolnia. D.C. area writers Camisha L. Jones, Emilia Philips, Benjamin Renne and Marcielo Shirley will participate in the reading, which is scheduled for 1-2:30 p.m.
Subsequent months will see the returns of a “Pride Month Poetry Reading” and two “Poetry Beneath the Stars” events, which were both included in last year’s inaugural “Poetry in the Parks” series.
Brought back “by popular demand,” the “Poetry Beneath the Stars” writing workshops will be held on May 4 and Aug. 17 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Turner Farm Park (925 Springvale Road) in Great Falls. Attendees will craft verse about the cosmos while viewing it through telescopes in the park’s Roll Top Observatory.
This year’s Pride Month poetry reading will bring Badra, Gowri Koneswaran, Brian Teare and other LGBTQ+ poets together on June 1 from 1-2:30 p.m. to highlight the role of poetry in the queer community. The event has shifted to Green Spring Garden after previously being hosted by Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly.
“Poetry in the Parks brings together nature lovers and poetry lovers in an incredible way,” Badra said in a press release. “Last year, we had professional stargazers with a newfound admiration for poetry, and poets who were first-time visitors to a featured park creating outstanding verses. It was such a beautiful melding of worlds, which is ultimately the goal of each Poetry in the Parks event.”
The three “Poetry in the Parks” events in 2023 were attended by more than 120 people, according to ArtsFairfax, which partnered with Badra and the Fairfax County Park Authority for the program.
As part of the 2024 series, Badra will also unveil new permanent plaques with poems about nature at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park and Riverbend Park in Great Falls.
“As a long-term expression of Poetry in the Parks, the plaques will invite park visitors to reflect on their environment, with the additional opportunity to submit a poetic or artistic response to the plaque through a link on the ArtsFairfax website,” ArtsFairfax says. “Selected submissions will be featured in a digital collection.”
Appointed in November 2022, Badra became Fairfax County’s second poet laureate, following in the footsteps of “How to Prove a Theory” author and Northern Virginia Community College professor Nicole Tong. ArtsFairfax created the two-year position in 2020 as a way to promote poetry in the community.
The search for Badra’s successor will begin when applications open on April 15. ArtsFairfax will hold a virtual information session to discuss the poet laureate program from noon to 1:30 p.m. on April 23.
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
Great Falls volunteer firefighters are set to bartend at The Old Brogue this Thursday (March 14) to raise funds for the casualties of the Feb. 19 Sterling house explosion, including Sterling Volunteer Fire Company firefighter Trevor Brown.
Fundraising hours will take from place from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday.
The Old Brogue (760 Walker Road) first opened on Saint Patrick’s Day in 1981. The Malone family took over the pub’s operations and ownership in 2022.
“What makes The Old Brogue truly special is both its rich history in Irish hospitality dating back to the first steakhouse opened in Derry, Ireland, and the charming and warm environment of The Old Brogue that has earned its place as a pillar of the community today,” Patrick Malone, a spokesman for The Old Brogue, said.
Customers are encouraged to bring cash and “tip big” at the event.
The house explosion killed Brown, a 45-year-old firefighter and father of three who had been with the Loudoun County volunteer department since 2016. Fourteen others were also injured.
The fire was the result of a leak involving a 500-gallon underground propane tank and a un-contained propane tank that moved around the structure that was ignited by an unknown ignition source, according to Loudoun County fire officials.
Property damage extended to at least six additional homes, resulting in damages of roughly $2.5 million.
The Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department works with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s career staff out of Station 12 at 9916 Georgetown Pike.
A helicopter-assisted search resulted in the arrest of a man suspected of robbing a bank in Great Falls.
Shortly before 11 a.m. yesterday (Sunday), the suspect reportedly entered the Wells Fargo bank at 750 Walker Road, displayed a firearm and took cash. He left in a car before police officers arrived on the scene, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
When canvassing the area, officers saw a gray Acura speed through a red light near I-495. Fairfax One was able to locate the car as the suspect fled to Maryland.
“Fairfax One directed Montgomery County police officers to the suspect’s location, where they were able to safely take him into custody,” the FCPD said.
A 61-year-old man from Maryland was arrested. The FCPD says evidence of the robbery was found in the car. He was taken to a jail in Montgomery County and held pending extradition to Fairfax County on a bank robbery charge.
FCPD is seeking more information about the case. Here’s more from FCPD on how to get in touch:
Detectives would like to speak to anyone who may have information about this case. Those with information are asked to please call our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 5. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers.” Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.
Police have arrested four people in connection with multiple home burglaries involving pretend flower deliveries in Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County Police Department announced on Jan. 10 that it was investigating five recent home burglaries linked by a woman who was seen on surveillance cameras pretending to deliver flowers. After determining that no one was inside, she alerted two men in a waiting vehicle who broke into the houses and stole cash, purses and other valuable items, police said.
In an update released today (Thursday), police reported that they have now connected seven cases between Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. Burglaries were reported in McLean, Reston, Oakton and Great Falls.
Detectives closed in on the suspects in January after identifying their vehicle, which was then spotted on Jan. 17 in a residential area of Cobb County, Georgia, according to the FCPD.
When contacted by Fairfax County detectives, the Cobb County Police Department reported that the vehicle was involved in a recent burglary in their area. That led to the arrest of four people who were charged with the Cobb County burglary.
“Our detectives traveled to Georgia to coordinate with CCPD detectives and review evidence obtained from the vehicle the suspects were driving when they were arrested,” the FCPD said. “Detectives were able to link the four suspects to multiple burglaries in Fairfax County.”
Detectives obtained warrants on Feb. 7 charging a 34-year-old man, a 27-year-old man, a 23-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman in connection to the Fairfax County burglaries. The charges include burglary, conspiracy to commit a felony and acting as an accessory to a crime.
All of the individuals are currently in custody in Cobb County, which is in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The FCPD says they will be extradited to Fairfax County after the Georgia burglary case is resolved.
Ten of the D.C. region’s best restaurants can be found in Fairfax County, according to a newly unveiled round-up by Washingtonian.
Acknowledging that “some of the year’s coolest spots…debuted in the Virginia suburbs,” Washingtonian ranked Joon at no. 23 on its 2024 list of the “100 Very Best Restaurants” in the region. Opened on June 13, 2023, the Tysons-based Persian restaurant was the only Fairfax County spot to be ranked.
Located in Fairfax Square (8045 Leesburg Pike), Joon is led by chefs Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, who blend traditional Iranian cuisine with contemporary western elements. It also contains the pop-up, The Kitchen Collective, which serves food from other concepts by Joon co-founder Reza Farahani.
Farahani says it’s “an honor” for Joon to be recognized less than a year after its launch in an area that boasts “a vibrant and innovative restaurant scene.”
“Our vision has been to showcase a modern approach to the ancient cuisine of Iran and the Middle East, while using local and seasonal ingredients and innovative techniques to create a one-of-a-kind experience,” Farahani told FFXnow. “Our wine list and craft cocktails have been developed with distinct Persian flavors such as saffron, rose and pomegranate and are an homage to Persia’s contribution to the earliest spirits and wines known in history.”
Washingtonian praised Joon for food “that’s both homey and beautifully presented,” singling out the “warm pita” offered to patrons when they arrive, dips and sour-cherry rice as highlights.
“Whole platters sized for two and up are stunners, whether a whole rotisserie chicken with apples, apricots, and honey or a strapping feast of kebabs,” the magazine’s staff said in a capsule review.
Joon’s inclusion on Washingtonian’s annual list continued a good day for Batmanglij and Morgan, who were also named semifinalists yesterday (Wednesday) for a James Beard award.
Other Fairfax County establishments that made the list, which is unranked after the top 25, include:
- A&J Restaurant in Annandale (4316 Markham Street)
- Aracosia in McLean (1381 Beverly Road)
- Ingle Korean Steakhouse in Tysons (8369 Leesburg Pike, Suite A)
- Kirby Club in Merrifield (2911 District Avenue)
- L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls (332 Springvale Road)
- Mama Chang in Fairfax (3251 Old Lee Highway)
- Marib in Springfield (6981 Hechinger Drive)
- Padaek in Seven Corners (6395 Seven Corners Center)
- Parc De Ville in Merrifield (8296 Glass Alley)
Several restaurants — A&J, Aracosia, L’Auberge Chez Francois, Mama Chang and Marib — also appeared on Washingtonian’s “100 Very Best” list for 2023.
In the case of A&J, the family-owned dim sum eatery has been recognized every year that the list has come out since 2019, though the magazine paused the yearly round-up in 2021 and 2022 in response to the Covid pandemic. A&J originated in Rockville, Maryland, in 1996 before adding the Annandale location in 2000.
Fairfax County police believe a recent series of home burglaries were committed by the same people, based on one suspect’s floral accessories.
Detectives are currently investigating five burglaries that started on Dec. 28 and continued most recently on Tuesday, Jan. 9:
- Dec. 28, 6 p.m. — 900 block of Dominion Reserve Drive in McLean
- Dec. 29, 6 p.m. — 1100 block of Bishopgate Way in Reston
- Jan. 1, 2 a.m. — 1100 block of Windrock Drive in McLean
- Jan. 8, 5:30 p.m. — 11000 block of Lance Lane in Oakton
- Jan. 9, 12:30-6:30 p.m. — 11100 block of Farm Road in Great Falls
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, home surveillance footage from four of the incidents shows a woman with flowers approaching the houses and knocking on the front doors.
“When no one answered, she returned to an awaiting vehicle,” the FCPD said. “Two men then forced entry into the home and stole valuables. The items stolen from the homes included jewelry, cash, and purses.”
Police say the individuals have used spray paint to try to tamper with security cameras at the homes.
The department is now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the woman using images caught by a Nest camera.
“Anyone who recently had someone attempt to deliver flowers to your home or has seen someone matching the picture above is asked to contact our officers” at 703-556-7750, the FCPD said.
The FCPD reported an uptick in residential burglaries and break-ins last year. Through September, there had been 126 such incidents compared to 115 at that point in 2022.
