A Reston resident was awakened early Monday morning by a surprise banging on her front door.
The Fairfax County Police Department reports that a resident in the 10900 block of Wilder Point Lane heard the noise at about 4 a.m. Monday. She went to the front door and while no one was there, the door was discovered to have been damaged.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, wallet from residence
2200 block of Centreville Road, money from business
10100 block of Cottesmore Court, bracelet from residence
3100 block of Fox Hunt Lane, bicycles from parking garage
2500 block of James Madison Circle, computer from vehicle
12000 block of Market Street, property from vehicle
1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business
11100 block of South Lakes Drive, merchandise from business
1600 block of Wainwright Drive, electronic from vehicle
1400 block of Waterview Cluster, purse from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Anyone with information about any of these crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
In the Town of Herndon, police say a garage in the 300 block of Marjorie Lane was broken into July 23. According to the report, the thief entered through a secured door and stole a mountain bike valued at $240 along with $500 worth of additional property. The case is under investigation.
‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’ — With heavy rains expected today and Saturday, the possibility of flash flooding exists. County officials are reminding residents that cars should not be driven through flooded roadways. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
Police Seek Suspect in Vienna Stabbing — Fairfax County Police have been searching since Thursday morning for the suspect in a stabbing that took place near the Vienna Metro station. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect is a male of unknown race, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a medium build, and a light- to medium-brown complexion. He was wearing a black, hooded shirt pulled over his head. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Deadline for Cardboard Boat Registration Nears — The first Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta is coming up Aug. 12, and the last day to get a boat registered for the event is Tuesday. [Reston Museum]
New Name Coming for J.E.B. Stuart High — By 2019, the Falls Church school named after a Confederate general will have its name changed. The Fairfax County School Board voted last night to make it happen. [NBC Washington]
Connolly: Trump’s Boy Scout Speech Shameful — In a letter to the national president of the Boy Scouts of America, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) says the BSA should denounce the speech President Trump gave recently at the National Scout Jamboree. Connolly says Trump’s politicized rhetoric “directly contradicted the spirit of Scouting and the tenets of Boy Scout Law.” [The Hill]
Synthetic Soccer Field Coming to Great Falls — The $1.3 million project at Great Falls Nike Park (1089 Utterback Store Road) includes the conversion of an existing grass field to a synthetic turf field, a trail, storm drainage facilities, landscaping, field lighting and related improvements. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Hassanen Murder Suspect Court Date Set — A preliminary hearing has been set for Friday, Oct. 13, for the prosecution of Darwin Martinez Torres. Torres is accused of attacking, abducting and killing Nabra Hassanen in the early morning hours of June 18. [Connection Newspapers]
Libertarian Leaders Speaking in Reston — The Young Americans for Liberty conference, taking place today through Saturday at the Sheraton Reston Hotel, will feature more than 40 speakers sharing Libertarian values. Among them will be Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Judge Andrew Napolitano. [Young Americans for Liberty]
Changes Made to WMATA Board — The Trump Administration is replacing a pair of safety specialists, who were appointed by President Obama’s transportation secretary, with a pair of finance and budget bureaucrats who worked in the Bush Administration. [WAMU]
Work Being Done on Reston Station Staircase — The stairs from Reston Station Boulevard to the Wiehle-Reston East plaza are closed for repairs, which include new tiles on the landings and improvements to the drainage system. [Fairfax Connector]
Nearly $60M in County’s Carryover Budget — The county executive recommends the funds be used in part to fund reserves and infrastructure needs, along with other projects including the demolition of the Massey Building. [Fairfax County]
Supreme Court Ruling Leads to Changes in Sign Zoning — After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “content-based” regulations on signs do not meet the strict scrutiny test required by the First Amendment to protect free speech, the County must re-examine its zoning rules regarding messages on signs. [Fairfax County]
The Fairfax County Police Department says a home on Hunter Mill Road was the site of a prescription-drug theft.
According to the FCPD media release, the incident in the 1400 block of the road was reported Monday. A resident reported that she awoke from a nap and discovered someone had forced entry into her home.
Pills were the target of the thievery, which police say took place sometime after 6 p.m. Sunday, or on Monday morning.
Anyone with information should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
A South Reston resident told police that someone broke into her apartment last week.
According to FCPD, the incident took place in the 11700 block of Ledura Court, off Springwood Drive. The apartment’s occupant said the residence had been forcibly entered. Police said that while signs of force were found, no property was taken during the break-in.
Meanwhile, FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in recent days:
LARCENIES:
2100 block of Astoria Circle, package from residence
11900 block of Bowman Towne Drive, electronic device from business
10300 block of Brittenford Drive, purse and backpack from vehicle
12900 block of Centre Park Circle, bicycle from residence
1600 block of Crowell Road, materials from construction site
2000 block of Golf Course Drive, wallet from vehicle
2300 block of Horseferry Court, cash from vehicle
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
1600 block of Reston Parkway, electronic device from business
2300 block of Soapstone Drive, beer from business
9200 block of White Chimney Lane, wallet from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Anyone with information about any of these crimes should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
A Loudoun County jury this week told a Maryland man that his penchant for stealing wheels would cost him a lifetime in prison.
Jason Brooks, 37, who police have connected to multiple tire and rim thefts in the area, was sentenced Tuesday to more than 137 years behind bars. His arrest in 2016 followed two previous felony charges for grand larceny in Loudoun County with intent to sell stolen property.
Brooks’ sentence includes being found guilty of six counts of grand larceny, six counts of larceny with intent to sell, three counts of destruction of property and three counts of tampering with an automobile. Police in Fairfax County have said that Brooks has also been connected to seven different tire and rim thefts here between March and July 2016, two of which occurred in Herndon.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Brooks’ apartment and a storage unit rented in his name contained bags of lug nuts, lug nut keys and business cards for “Jay’s Deals on Wheels.”
Following the guilty verdicts, according to an official statement, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Pohlner asked the jury to hand down a sentence that told Brooks “Jay’s Deals on Wheels is hereby shutdown.”
Brooks will face his final sentence from Loudoun County in October, and he still faces his additional charges in Fairfax County and two other jurisdictions.
A pair of Herndon residents are facing charges after separate alcohol-related incidents in Loudoun County over the weekend.
Just before 3 a.m. Saturday, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the intersection of Waxpool Road and Loudoun County Parkway in Ashburn for a report of a disabled vehicle. When they arrived, they charged the driver — 32-year-old Alok K. Choubey — with DWI. Choubey was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.
The next night, at about 2:16 a.m., a patrolling LCSO deputy found a 33-year-old Herndon man asleep in a common area at the One Loudoun shopping center. The man was charged with being drunk in public and taken to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, where he was released on a personal recognizance bond.
Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department reported the following crimes in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1600 block of Becontree Lane, property from residence
13300 block of Feldman Place, property from vehicle
11500 block of Hearthstone Court, laptop computer from vehicle
10300 block of Lawyers Road, property from residence
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
2300 block of Soapstone Drive, liquor from business
1000 block of Utterback Store Road, property from vehicle
11600 block of Vantage Hill Road, wallet from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
In addition, as we reported last week, FCPD is investigating the painting of a swastika on a wall in the 11600 block of Hunters Green Court.
Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
A home was forcefully broken into last week near Herndon.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident took place in the 12800 block of Graypine Place sometime between 9 a.m. June 28 and 11 p.m. June 30. Police say someone forced entry into the home and stole jewelry, gold coins and power tools.
The Reston District Station of FCPD also reported the following larcenies over the holiday weekend:
LARCENIES:
11500 block of Buttonwood Court, property from residence
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from residence
1400 block of Church Hill Place, wheels and rims from vehicle
2400 block of Corn Crib Court, property from residence
600 block of Dranesville Road, electronic device from school
11600 block of Golf Course Square, property from vehicle
2100 block of Greenkeepers Court, property from vehicle
2100 block of Greenkeepers Court, jewelry from vehicle
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, cellphone from business
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, wallet from business
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, wallet from business
1900 block of Hunter Mill Road, property from residence
2500 block of John Milton Drive, liquor from business
2300 block of Nashua Court, credit card from residence
13100 block of Parcher Avenue, cellphone from business
1300 block of Pellow Circle, property from residence
2300 block of Soapstone Drive, cigarettes from business
11100 block of South Lakes Drive, liquor from business
11700 block of Stevenage Road, purse from vehicle
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business
12600 block of Thunder Chase Drive, license plates from vehicle
11500 block of Waterhaven Court, bicycle from residence
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, cigarettes from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Anyone with information about any of the incidents reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
In the Town of Herndon, thousands of dollars in jewelry was stolen from a home in the 800 block of Sycamore Court last month. Police say someone entered the home on June 14 and removed two cardboard boxes full of jewelry, valued at about $3,000. However, the victim — who didn’t report the incident until June 20 — declined any further investigation.
In addition, a Herndon man was charged in Loudoun County last week after a reported larceny at Dulles Town Center. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office reported on June 29 at about 10 a.m. to the Sears department store. The suspect in the larceny, 37-year-old Eric Campos of Herndon, was found in the area of Lakeland Drive and Route 7. Campos was arrested and charged with grand larceny and driving on a revoked license. He was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.
Bullets struck occupied homes in the Chestnut Grove Condominiums earlier this week.
According to a Fairfax County Police Department report, the incident took place at about 10:45 p.m. Monday. Residents of a home in the 11200 block of Chestnut Grove Square, off Wiehle Avenue, heard gunshots. A male subject was seen walking past the building, a witness told police.
Police determined that one bullet flew through a window of the home. Further investigation revealed that a second home’s glass door was also struck by a bullet.
No one was injured, and police say they are continuing to search for the suspect.
Map courtesy Google Maps
Mental Health Screenings Available — The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board now offers same day, in-person screening for mental health/and or substance use concerns to both adults and youth at its Merrifield Center (8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax). [Fairfax County]
Escaped Detainee Had Been Deported Five Previous Times — Marlo Danilo “Carlos” Rivas-Mendez, who temporarily escaped from ICE custody Monday while being transported, had previously been removed from the United States in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia]
Wastewater Treatment Plant Gets Top Score — For the 19th consecutive year, the Noman M. Cole Jr. Pollution Control Plant in Lorton has earned the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. [Inside Nova]
Former Herndon Man to Run for President — In July 2013, Adam Kokesh’s Herndon home was raided by the U.S. Park Police after he called for a “Final American Revolution” and posted a YouTube video of himself loading a shotgun on DC’s Freedom Plaza. Now living in Arizona, Kokesh says he’s seeking the 2020 Libertarian presidential nomination. [Santa Fe New Mexican]
(This article was updated at 3:25 p.m. after Rivas-Mendez was brought back into custody, and again at 5:20 p.m. after more information was released by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.)
Area police worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Monday as they tracked down an ICE detainee who escaped custody.
ICE said Marlon C. Rivas-Mendez escaped in the area of Route 28 and the Dulles Toll Road, near Dulles International Airport. Spokesperson Carissa Cutrell told Reston Now that Rivas-Mendez “is in the country illegally and was being transported when he escaped from custody.”
According to a report from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office:
At 12:20 p.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a call to assist ICE with a search of an escaped subject in the area of the Dulles Toll Road between the exits of Loudoun County Parkway and Old Ox Road. The subject was identified as Marlon C. Rivas-Mendez, 27, of Sterling.
Rivas-Mendez was arrested by LCSO deputies earlier this morning. He was transferred into ICE custody at 11:08 a.m. without incident.
During federal transport, Rivas-Mendez assaulted the transport personnel and escaped custody on the Dulles Toll Road.
Members of the Loudoun Sheriff’s Office alongside the Virginia State Police, Fairfax County Police Department, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority and ICE canvassed the area. LCSO deputies located Rivas-Mendez at 2:20 p.m. in the area of Mercure Circle and Old Ox Road and took him into custody without incident.
Rivas-Mendez was arrested on local charges of Assault & Battery by the LCSO and was released into ICE custody.
Mugshot courtesy ICE
Crime reports provided by Fairfax County Police Department in the month of June, plotted in the interactive map above, show a wide variety of incidents through the Reston District Station. Use the icon in the top left corner of the map to toggle the types of crimes displayed.
In total, FCPD’s June reports included the following breakdown of criminal incidents in the area:
- 46 larcenies
- 3 burglary/unlawful entry investigations
- 3 indecent exposure/peeping reports
- 2 stolen vehicles
- 1 commercial robbery
- 1 scam report
Of course, the biggest crime story in the area in the month of June was the attack, abduction and murder of Nabra Hassanen on June 18. The suspect in her death, Darwin Martinez Torres, remains in custody at Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, awaiting a July 19 court date.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
The Reston District Station of FCPD covers Reston, Great Falls and portions of Herndon and Vienna.
Fairfax County’s police reports are not comprehensive lists of every police event in the stated time frame. Addresses shown indicate blocks and not specific locations, unless otherwise noted. This data was compiled using the reports released by police between June 1 and June 30, meaning some of the incidents occurred in late May.
A Reston man was among 11 people arrested during a recent partnership between the Fairfax County and Loudoun County police departments to catch suspected Internet predators.
Hatim Khalid Abdelrahman, a 22-year-old from Reston, was charged by FCPD earlier this month. He is being accused of arranging to meet a young girl with the apparent intent of having sex. According to a press release sent out Friday by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Abdelrahman’s charges are “for communication with a minor under the age of 15 for the purpose of sexual contact and attempted indecent liberties.”
Other men similarly charged in the recent sting include:
- Arthur L. Berrier, 62, of Ashburn
- Ian M. Florance, 34, of Falls Church
- Jack D. Guard Jr., 54, of Ashburn
- Jeremy M. Hawkins, 26, of Point of Rocks, Maryland
- Rajender Mahavadi, 36, of Sterling
- Bhanu C. Muddam, 28, of McLean
- Anishkumar Patel, 44, of Fairfax
- Nathaniel C. Sams, 33, of Sterling
- Avinash S. Thakoorie, 24, of Chantilly
- James A. Zientek, 46, of Centreville
According to LCSO, “as part of ongoing online investigations on suspects identified through proactive operations, the suspects arrested during the investigation resided [in], or planned on traveling to, Loudoun County. The suspects were seeking to engage in criminal sexual activity with a person whom they believed to be a juvenile.”
In addition with the Fairfax and Loudoun police departments, “Operation Safe Summer” involved the FBI Washington Field Office Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force (ICAC) and its affiliated member agencies.
Weather Report for Holiday Weekend — This Saturday, expect a high near 90 degrees, but a chance of afternoon thunderstorms might impact projected fireworks shows in the area. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday will also have highs in the low 90s, but there’s a chance of rain on the Fourth. [The Weather Channel]
Heavy Congestion Projected on Holiday Weekend — According to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s interactive traffic trends map, expect major traffic jams along Interstate 95 on Sunday as people travel for the holiday. [VDOT]
Residents Reminded to Be Safe With Fireworks — Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them, never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse, never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned, and never point or throw fireworks at another person. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
New Laws Take Effect Tomorrow — Take a look at some of the new legislation that will go into effect July 1, including changes to rules about absentee voting, concealed carry permits and more. [Fairfax County]
Toll Road Ramp Work Starts After Holiday — Make sure to reevaluate the morning commute starting next next Friday. The ramp from the eastbound Dulles Toll Road to the Fairfax County Parkway will be diverted through the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride parking lot, starting next Thursday night and lasting “through 2017.” [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]
Local Artist Wins Tröegs Contest — Marni Manning’s “Renaissance of Beer” painting was the big winner in the Pennsylvania craft beer company’s recent art contest. [Tröegs]
Herndon Man Admits to Bank Robberies — Bruce Wayne Higgins robbed four banks in Maryland and New Jersey last December. [WTOP]
Following a Washington Post report that the man accused of killing 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen last week is involved with MS-13, county police say otherwise.
In a media alert Wednesday afternoon, the Fairfax County Police Department says there is no credible information to link 22-year-old Darwin Martinez Torres, a Salvadoran national living in Sterling, with any gang.
“Homicide detectives investigating the murder of 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen looked into whether the suspect, Darwin Martinez Torres, is a gang member or affiliated with gangs, but have found no credible information to support any connection. The case remains active and we will release additional information as we can. Martinez Torres remains at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.”
Using information received from a Loudoun County woman, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that Torres “had punched, choked and sexually assaulted [the woman] and was a member of the MS-13 street gang.” The newspaper also cited Loudoun County Child Protective Services documents that “were read to a Washington Post reporter.”
FCPD has worked to combat rumors throughout its investigation into the brutal killing last Sunday morning. It has also repeatedly shot down community insistence that the Muslim teen’s slaying was hate-motivated. Rather, they’ve said, Torres was experiencing extreme road rage when he drove onto the curb, exited his vehicle with a baseball bat and attacked.
Nabra’s violent death has struck a chord within the community at large. A crowd in the thousands came out for a vigil in her honor last week at Lake Anne Plaza.
