Creditors Take Over Reston Contractor’s Subsidiary — The company, STC Group Inc., received formal notice earlier this month of the default, which cited the company’s failure to comply with financial covenants of an $81.2 million credit agreement from two years ago, according to the report. Top executives resigned as a result. [Washington Business Journal]
Stolen Garage Door Openers Lead to Local Burglaries — According to WTOP, police in Fairfax County are investigating a series of burglaries that happened this week involving stolen garage door openers. The incidents occurred at four homes, two of which are in Reston. In three cases, homeowners said they spotted the suspect, whom they described as a black man in his late teens to early 20s. [WTOP]
Comstock Holding Companies Inc Reports Third Quarter Results — The Reston-based company reported a net los of around $1.5 million as compared to the third quarter of last year, during with a net loss of $1.1 million was reported. [NB Herard]
Farmer-owned Restaurant Coming to Reston Soon — The North Dakota Farmers Union, Agraria LLC and the Farmers Restaurant Group are considering a plan to open their seventh farmer-owned restaurant on the East Coast in Reston. [Bismarck Tribune]
Fairfax County police arrested a 40-year-old resident of Sterling on Thursday night after a car chase.
An officer attempted to stop the man’s vehicle for driving in a reckless manner around 9:45 p.m., according to police. When the driver did not stop, police pursued the car.
Several miles later, the driver stopped and police arrested and charged him with driving while intoxicated, driving on a revoked license, misdemeanor speed to elude and reckless driving, police said.
The incident took place near the Fairfax County Parkway and Stringfellow Court.
The department’s Reston District Police Station also reported the following incidents in its daily crime report:
LARCENIES
2300 block of Antiqua Court, tools from vehicle
2100 block of Astoria Circle, gun from vehicle
11300 block of Baron Cameron Avenue, purse from vehicle
12900 block of Centre Park Circle, suitcase from residence
11300 block of Fairway Court, license plate from vehicle
2300 block of Glade Bank Way, bag from residence
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, liquor from business
12200 block of Laurel Glade Court, packages from residence
13100 block of Marcey Creek Road, jewelry from residence
11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
11900 block of Market Street, cash from business
2300 block of Soapstone Drive, merchandise from business
11500 block of Pine Cone Court, wallet from business
2600 block of William Short Circle, license plates from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES
None reported.
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).
Herndon’s Police Department reported one major crime on Friday.
Reston District police were unable to track down a man who was reported exposing himself to passers-by on Sunday night.
According to the police report, Fairfax County police were called around 9:30 p.m. to report a man who was allegedly exposing himself to others in a stairwell in the 13200 block of Overcup Court off of Sunrise Valley Drive. Officers responded to the area but were unable to locate the suspect. A description of the man has not been released.
In a separate incident, a Reston man was arrested Sunday evening after Loudoun County sheriff’s deputies witnessed him make an illegal U-turn and strike another vehicle at Route 7 and Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn, according to the report. The man, identified as Alistair H. Temple, 30, was arrested for driving under the influence and refusing a breath test.
Another Reston man was arrested late Saturday night after Loudoun deputies reported he attempted to break into a home in Aldie while he was intoxicated. Deputies received the call just after midnight from residents of the home, located in the 25000 block of Green Mountain Terrace. When deputies arrived on the scene they located the man, identified as 43-year-old Lucio H. Cabrera-Sanchez, and arrested him for public intoxication and unlawful entry.
In other crime news from the FCPD’s Reston District Station over the past week:
LARCENIES:
1500 block of Browns Chapel Road, property from business
2400 block of Centreville Road, beer from business
11500 block of Drop Forge Lane, bicycle from residence
11500 block of Leesburg Pike, cell phone from business
11900 block of Market Street, bracelets from business
9800 block of Mill Run Drive, cell phone from residence
11600 block of Plaza America Drive, cell phone from business
2000 block of Post Road, jewelry from residence
12300 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, wire from residence
2200 block of Sanibel Drive, cash from vehicle
2200 block of Sanibel Drive, wallet from residence
12000 block of Town Square, beer from business
13200 block of Woodland Park Road, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
13300 block of Coppermine Road, 1999 Honda Civic
Editor’s note: A list of incidents recorded by the Herndon Police Department was not immediately available by early Tuesday afternoon. This post may be updated.
A man was beaten and robbed by men he encountered at a Reston laundromat this week, police reported Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Reston District, the male victim was doing his laundry at a laundromat in Hunters Woods Plaza around 11 p.m. on Sunday. Police said 10 other man were in the laundromat at the time.
The victim told police one of the men approached him and challenged him to “some type of physical game.” The victim agreed and left the laundromat with the 10 men. The group reportedly went to a nearby wooded area.
While in the woods, all 10 men reportedly assaulted the victim, beating him, and then took his wallet and other personal items he had on him.
Police said an investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
A police officer was injured during a pursuit last week in Herndon, according to a police report.
Herndon Police arrested Isaiah Jacob Lacey, 21, on Thursday, Oct. 19 after the car pursuit that caused roughly $15,000 in damages, according to the report.
Police pursued the car on the 800 block of Ferndale Avenue after it fled from an officer who attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation. The chase ended when the car hit a police car near the intersection of Ferndale Avenue and Park Avenue. One police officer suffered minor injuries.
Lacey, who has no permanent address, was held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on the following charges: hit and run, felony eluding police, felony assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and other traffic violations.
Fairfax County Police are also looking for leads after two houses in the Herndon area were robbed on Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21. On Friday, residents on the 2400 block of Cypress Green Lane returned home to find a number of items had been taken between 5:30 and 11:45 p.m.
The next day, police said someone entered a home in the 13100 block of Diamond Mill Road and stole items between noon and 8 p.m.
The department’s Reston District Police Station also reported the following incidents in its daily crime report:
LARCENIES
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, package from residence
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, wallet from business
12900 block of Centre Park Circle, package from business
2200 block of Centreville Road, snacks and beverages from business
1800 block of Fountain Drive, cash from residence
12000 block of Greywing Square, bicycle from residence
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, beer from business
2200 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, medication from residence
11500 block of Links Drive, scooter from residence
2200 block of Marginella Drive, guitar and keyboard from residence
1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business
11700 block of Stevenage Road, purse from vehicle
12200 block of Sugar Creek Court, license plates from vehicle
10200 block of Wendover Drive, property from residence
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, bicycle from residence
STOLEN VEHICLES
None reported.
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).
Chamber: Effort To Woo Amazon ‘Start of Something Great’ — Jim Corcoran, president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, says the partnership between Loudoun and Fairfax counties to try to bring Amazon’s new headquarters to Herndon can be “a model for our economic growth,” no matter what the company decides. [Washington Business Journal]
Metro: Fare Evasion is Serious Issue — Metro says its efforts to ensure no one gets on trains without paying has helped curb serious crime on the system by 20 percent. [Metro Transit Police/Twitter]
Early Metro Hours Sunday for Marathon — Trains will begin rolling Sunday at 6 a.m. to help participants in the 42nd annual Marine Corps Marathon. Extra trains will also be running on the Blue and Yellow lines. [WMATA]
A Look at Mixed-Use Developments in Fairfax County — Earlier this week, Bisnow took a look at several large developments in the works in the county, as it says “developers are increasingly turning the county into a walkable, mixed-use environment.” Included in the profile are several Reston developments, including Reston Station and Tall Oaks. [Bisnow]
Police Warn of Criminals Targeting Garage Door Openers — Police departments in Loudoun and Prince William counties are urging residents to keep their garage door openers out of sight as criminals are stealing them from cars and using them to gain access to homes. Police in Reston have previously warned of similar crimes. [WTOP]
Fairfax County police say a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted in Reston when answering a Craigslist job listing may not be the only victim.
Imtiaz Rauf, a 44-year-old from Gainesville who is a registered sex offender, has been charged by the Fairfax County Police Department with sexual battery. Police say Rauf placed an ad saying he was looking for an administrative assistant. The victim met Rauf for a job interview at 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive, and police say she was sexually assaulted upon arriving.
Rauf was arrested and taken to the Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without bond. FCPD says detectives are looking into other ads they believe were placed by Rauf and are “investigating other similar reports” of assault. Additional charges against Rauf may be forthcoming, police say.
According to Rauf’s entry in the state’s Sex Offender Registry, he was added to the list after being convicted of sexually soliciting a minor in Montgomery County, Maryland in 2011.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim of Rauf, or who has further information about the case, is encouraged to contact FCPD Det. T. Horton at 703-246-7800. Information can also be reported by calling 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), by visiting Crime Solvers online, or by texting “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637). Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards up to $1,000 if their information leads to an arrest.
Mugshot of Imtiaz Rauf/FCPD
Opioid Roundtable Planned — The discussion, scheduled for the Fairfax County Government Center at 2 p.m. Saturday, will be hosted by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Sharon Bulova, chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The event is open to the public. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
Reston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Gang-Related Killing — Cindy Blanco Hernandez, 19, entered pleas to abduction and gang participation Tuesday as part of a deal with prosecutors. She was among 10 members and associates of the gang MS-13 charged after the January killing of 15-year-old Damaris A. Reyes Rivas. She may face up to 30 years in prison when she is sentenced in May. [Washington Post]
Herndon Adds Parking Enforcement Position — The part-time officer was hired Oct. 3 and will work 30 hours a week, which has at least one resident worried about “end[ing] up like Reston Town Center.” [Connection Newspapers]
Silver Line Phase 2 Hits Two-Thirds Point — More than 5 million hours have been spent on the $2.78 billion project so far, according to updates expected to be presented today to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board. [WTOP]
Police in Loudoun County say a Reston man who drives for a ride-hailing service assaulted a customer last week.
The incident took place at about 7:20 a.m. Thursday in the 45600 block of Falke Palza in Sterling, near the Country Inn & Suites off Old Ox Road. A woman told police she got into a confrontation with the driver, identified as 45-year-old Sheikh R. Lamptey. According to the woman, Lamptey grabbed her phone from her during the altercation, and struck her in the head as well.
Lamptey was handed a simple assault charge by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department reported the following crimes in the past week:
LARCENIES
1700 block of Ascot Way, purse from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, cellphone from school
11900 block of Democracy Drive, property from vehicle
11400 block of Commerce Park Drive, property from vehicle
11400 block of Esplanade Drive, airbag from vehicle
13400 block of Farm Crest Court, tires from vehicle
1800 block of Fountain Drive, cash from residence
2200 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, cigarettes from business
2500 block of John Eppes Road, airbag from vehicle
900 block of Locust Street, cellphone from school
1500 block of North Point Drive, cellphone from business
11600 block of Plaza America Drive, merchandise from business
10200 block of Wendover Drive, property from residence
12100 block of Windsor Hall Way, property from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES
None reported
Two more thefts of airbags listed in the larcenies include another in the same area south of Herndon as several such reports a few weeks ago. The other, though, was in North Reston.
FCPD also reported that a man from Georgia unlawfully entered a private school on Sunrise Valley Drive twice in recent days.
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).
The Herndon Police Department also reported in its weekly crime report a pair of malicious wounding cases.
- On Friday, a man was stabbed in the abdomen in the 1200 block of Elden Street. The victim was taken to Reston Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect in the crime, 57-year-old Pedro Quintero Gonzalez, of Herndon, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.
- On Sunday, a man was struck in the face with a pint glass during an altercation in the 200 block of Elden Street. The suspect, 31-year-old Bakari Kamau George, of Reston, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.
In each case, police report the victim and the suspect were acquainted.
The Fairfax County Police Department says a man was caught on surveillance video inside a private school outside of normal hours.
Walter Elsey, 27, of Georgia was arrested Saturday after police say he was spotted on camera inside Good Beginnings School (11501 Sunrise Valley Drive). The incident took place just before 11 a.m., and he was located by police near the school after he was seen on video.
Further investigation revealed Elsey had also unlawfully entered the building a few days earlier.
The man was taken to the county’s Adult Detention Center and charged with two counts of unlawful entry.
The man police say murdered Nabra Hassanen in June will face charges of capital murder and rape, the Associated Press reports. According to the AP, the grand jury ruling against 22-year-old Darwin Martinez-Torres in Fairfax County Circuit Court came down today.
A capital murder charge can be punishable by death. Virginia state code allows prosecutors to pursue a death penalty under certain conditions, including premeditated murder during a rape. The county’s prosecutor indicates that he will seek the death penalty in the case.
Hassanen was part of a large group of teenagers walking and biking on Dranesville Road at about 3:40 a.m. Sunday, June 18 after a Ramadan service at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society. The suspect allegedly approached the group in a car and argued with a teenage boy. The group scattered, but police say Martinez-Torres caught up a short time later armed with a baseball bat. Hassanen was struck and taken in the car. Her body was discovered later that day in a Sterling pond.
Days after Hassanen’s death, Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler said the possibility of sexual assault during the attack was being investigated. Monday’s grand jury ruling, however, is the first official indication that it is believed a rape was committed.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer was lodged against Martinez-Torres immediately following his arrest. The 22-year-old native of El Salvador was living in Sterling illegally. While rumors circulated that he is a member of the gang MS-13, FCPD has said there is “no credible information” pointing to that.
Police say Martinez-Torres committed the crime as part of an extreme case of road rage. Members of the community, including Hassanen’s friends and family, have suggested the crime was fueled by a bias against Muslims.
A vigil at Lake Anne Plaza in honor of Hassanen, just days after her death, drew thousands of mourners.
A preliminary hearing for Martinez-Torres last week was disrupted when Hassanen’s parents began shouting at the suspect and threatening him. The suspect ultimately waived his right to the hearing, allowing the case to proceed without further delay.
Those seeking justice for the murder of Nabra Hassanen, whose death rattled the Reston community this summer, will have their first day in court this week.
A preliminary hearing for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s prosecution of murder suspect Darwin Martinez Torres, 22, will be on Friday in Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
Judge Kimberly Daniel will preside over the hearing for the court, according to Rae Ann Stein, who works for the Fairfax County Court Services Administration in records management. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations court has jurisdiction over juvenile matters, including offenses committed by adults against juveniles under the age of 18.
Torres is charged with killing 17-year-old Hassanen of Reston on June 18 in what the Fairfax County Police Department calls a deadly case of road rage. She was a sophomore at South Lakes High School.
Police say Hassanen was part of a large group of teenagers walking and biking on Dranesville Road at about 3:40 a.m. after a Ramadan service at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society. The suspect allegedly approached the group in a car and argued with a teenage boy. The group scattered, but police say Torres caught up a short time later armed with a baseball bat. Hassanen was struck and taken in the car. Her body was discovered later that day in a Sterling pond.
Torres, who is a citizen of El Salvador and was living in Sterling without legal permission, had a detainer request lodged against him by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Hassanen was laid to rest as a martyr of her Muslim community on Wednesday, June 21. Later that same day, the community packed into Lake Anne Plaza for her vigil.
Torres was incarcerated at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bail, according to police. Authorities are seeking the harshest punishment, while many in the community are calling for the murder charges to be elevated to a bias-related crime.
Herndon Police say a pocket watch was stolen from a business last week.
According to HPD, “an unknown number of suspects” entered the business in the 1000 block of Sterling Road on Oct. 3, “possibly through an unlocked window.” The missing watch is valued at approximately $250. The case remains under investigation, HPD says.
HPD recently launched an Instagram account where it shares information about police activity and initiatives.
LARCENIES
11800 block of Breton Court, packages from residence
1800 block of Fountain Drive, headphones from business
9800 block of Georgetown Pike, purse from business
700 block of Leigh Mill Road, driver license and credit cards from vehicle
13100 block of Parcher Avenue, wallet from business
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, headphones from business
STOLEN VEHICLES
None reported
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).
Date Announced for 2018 Polar Plunge — The 11th annual Virginia Polar Dip at Lake Anne will take place Saturday, Feb. 3. [Lake Anne Plaza/Facebook]
Boston Properties Residential Project Nears Completion — Designed as a gateway to Reston Town Center, The Signature apartments on Freedom Drive and New Dominion Drive are set to become available in January. The 508-unit project will include two towers, two six-story buildings, a specialty grocer and 4,600 square feet of retail. [Washington Business Journal]
Children Left in Car Rescued by Police — The Fairfax County Police Department says a 26-year-old Falls Church woman brought her three children (ages 5, 6 and 7) to work but left them in the car because she didn’t want to bring them inside. FCPD was called to the scene and got the kids out of the car. They were taken to the hospital for treatment of heat exhaustion, and their mother was hit with three counts of felony child abuse. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Fairfax County Promotes Domestic Violence Awareness Month — On a monthly basis, domestic violence hotlines in Fairfax County receive 200 calls and victims request 75 family abuse protective orders. The county is encouraging residents to help prevent and end domestic violence by volunteering with the county’s Office of Women and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. Volunteers work on special events, help run a 24-hour hotline, among other duties. [Fairfax County Government/Facebook]
Fairfax County Worker Found Not Guilty in Fatal Stabbing — Kempton Bonds, 20, was found not guilty Wednesday of fatally stabbing 35-year-old Tyonne Johns, a caterer at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly. Bonds was working as a seasonal employee with the Fairfax County Park Authority when the incident occurred last year, according to officials. [FOX 5]
A series of airbag thefts reported recently near Herndon is part of a countywide and national trend, police say.
The past week’s crime recaps from the Fairfax County Police Department included four reports of airbags being stolen in the area, as well as one report of a stolen steering wheel. All of the reports came from the same area off Frying Pan Road, near Fox Mill and Coppermine roads.
Pfc. Emmilie Cherry, of FCPD’s media relations bureau, said there isn’t a lot of information available about the thefts, but they aren’t limited to this area.
“There have been thefts throughout the county of airbags being stolen from vehicles,” Cherry said. “We don’t know the exact reasons they are being stolen, but a guess would be re-selling it to auto-part stores.”
This isn’t the first time this issue has arisen. In the early months of 2014, the Washington Post reported, more than 50 such incidents took place in Fairfax County. It’s is an issue that has been of concern for as long as airbags have been an aspect of car safety, as evidenced by a 1995 New York Times article featuring the headline, “As Automotive Air Bags Become Common, So Does Stealing Them.”
As automobiles are laden with more expensive accessories, thieves have become more specialized and crafty, quickly outwitting both car owners and dealers. And air bags, which can fetch hundreds of dollars on the black market, have become a prized prey. They are easily removed, portable and sought by disreputable repair shops that can profit by installing the stolen part — in some cases in cars whose original bags were stolen.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau says airbags retail at about $1,000, while they can be purchased on the black market for between $50 and $200. The disreputable repair shop pockets the difference, the NICB says.
The NICB offers these tips to avoid becoming a victim of such fraud when an airbag is being replaced:
- Use a reputable automobile collision repair shop that employs ASE-certified mechanics
- Inspect the invoice to ensure the repair shop purchased the airbag from a manufacturer, dealer or recycler
- If possible, inspect the airbag prior to installation. If new, it should be packaged in a sealed container from the manufacturer
- The trim cover over the steering column should be the same color as the remaining trim interior. If not, it is an indication that the original airbag has been replaced
- When you turn on your vehicle’s ignition, a red SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicator should light up and flash in the instrument panel display, indicating the airbag system is activated. No SRS light indicates a problem with the airbag system that could result in no airbag activation
Media reports from around the nation indicate the thefts often occur from Honda vehicles.
Image via Wikimedia user Janipewter
