To keep party-goers safe on St. Patrick’s Day, Lyft teamed up with several businesses and organizations in Northern Virginia to offer free and discounted rides back home.
The promotion will be valid from 4 p.m. on Tuesday (March 17) until 4 a.m. on Wednesday, according to a press release, which added that rides up to $15 will be covered with a code that will be released shortly after the promotion starts.
Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), a local non-profit, is one of the main sponsors of the program. The nonprofit aims to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking, according to its website.
To take advantage of the promotion, users must be over the age of 21 and have the app downloaded on their phones. People can find the code online.
Roughly 40% of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This story also appeared on our sister site Tysons Reporter.
Image via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
New Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Sworn In — Newly elected members of the board, including Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, were sworn in yesterday. Their terms officially begin on Jan. 1. [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon Police Officer Recognized — The Washington Regional Alcohol Program recognized Senior Sergeant Bobby Galpin, who is with the Town of Herndon’s police department, for his “outstanding efforts to combat drunk driving in the Town of Herndon” this year. [Herndon Police Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Local nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and ridesharing app Lyft are again partnering to offer free rides during the holiday season.
As part of an effort to combat drunk driving, WRAP will be sponsoring free Lyft rides starting next Friday (Dec. 20).
From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., rides up to $15 are free with the use of a promo code. The user is responsible for any costs over $15. The offer will continue until Jan. 1.
Weekly codes will be posted on the Sober Rides website at noon on Dec. 20, 27, and 31. The weekly code is only valid for one ride.
According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 621 alcohol-related crashes in Fairfax in 2017, resulting in 331 injuries and 12 fatalities.
“More than a third of all U.S. traffic fatalities during the holiday season in 2018 involved drunk drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” WRAP’s President Kurt Gregory Erickson said in the press release.
As the program is aimed at preventing alcohol related crashes, Lyft riders must be at least 21 years old to claim the offer. The code is valid for any rides inside the D.C. coverage area, which includes all of Fairfax County.
The SoberRide program operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.
Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program
City of Fairfax police arrested a Reston man after he assaulted two police officers.
On Thursday, Jan. 3, police officers found a male subject knocking on doors and checking doorknobs around 1:21 a.m. in the 9400 block of Fairfax Blvd. A police investigation determined that a possible larceny had occurred and that the subject was intoxicated, according to the report.
Elias Bouazer, a 20-year-old from Reston, allegedly assaulted two officers as they were in the process of arresting him, the report says.
Bouazer was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he was charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, larceny and being drunk in public. He was held without bond.
Last Friday (Jan. 11), police in the City of Fairfax arrested another Restonian — this time for drunk driving.
At around 1:44 a.m. police stopped a vehicle that was driving erratically in the area of Revel Run and Fairfax Blvd and arrested and charged Mohiyadin Abukar Abdi of Reston for driving under the influence, according to the report. Abdi was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, laptop computer from residenceÂ
10200 block of Colvin Run Road, wallet from residence
Emeral Heights Court/Green Range Drive, cell phone from location
11600 block of Plaza America Drive, bag from location
8700 block of Potomac Hills Street, purse from vehicle
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
2200 block of Southgate Square, shovel from residence
2200 block of Stone Wheel Drive, clothing from location
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, merchandise from business
11400 block of Waterview Cluster, wallet from location
1800 block of Wiehle Ave, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
City of Falls Church police arrested a Herndon man last week.
Last Tuesday (Jan. 8) around 10:45 a.m., police responded to a complaint about suspicious activity at the 7-Eleven at 201 S. Washington Street. They arrested and charged 26-year-old Jason Wesley of Herndon with possession of a controlled substance, obstruction of justice and public intoxication, according to the report.
File photo
Local nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and ridesharing app Lyft are again partnering to offer free rides during the holiday season.
As part of an effort to combat drunk driving, WRAP will be sponsoring free Lyft rides starting this Friday (Dec. 14).
From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., rides up to $15 are free with the use of a promo code. The user is responsible for any costs over $15. The offer will continue until Jan. 1.
Weekly codes will be posted at the Sober Rides website at noon on Dec. 14, 22, and 31. The weekly code is only valid for one ride.
According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 621 alcohol-related crashes in Fairfax in 2017, resulting in 331 injuries and 12 fatalities.
As the program is aimed at preventing alcohol related crashes, Lyft riders must be at least 21 years old to claim the offer. The code is valid for any rides inside the D.C. coverage area, which includes all of Fairfax County.
The SoberRide program operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.
Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program
The 10th annual Northern Virginia Walk like MADD and MADD DASH is set for October 13 at the Herndon Police Department from 9 a.m. to noon.
Thousands are expected to rally together in over 90 cities across the country in order to increase awareness about drunk driving. Registration for the Herndon event, which is open online, will also take place on site from 8-9 a.m.
The police department is also accepting donations of used sneakers to donate to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a nonprofit organization that seeks to eliminate drunk driving, prevents underage drinking and advocates for stricter impaired driving policies.
Donated items should not have any holes. Donations will be accepted at the race and at the Herndon Police Department (397 Herndon Parkway).
Photo via Walk like MADD
The Fairfax County Police Department reported that jewelry and electronics were stolen from a home on the 11900 block of Winstead Lane on Friday at around 8:30 a.m.
An investigation on a spree of garage door opener burglaries also continues in the area. Although a suspect has been arrested in connection with Loudoun County robberies, it is unclear if the cases are linked to four robberies in Fairfax County, law enforcement officials said.
FCPD’s Reston District Station reported the following crimes in the past week:
LARCENIES:
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from residence
2400 block of Centreville Road, purse from business
1800 block of Fountain Drive, cash from residence
1400 block of Kingsvale Circle, bicycles from residence
13000 block of Laurel Tree Lane, gun from residence
11500 block of Leesburg Pike, beer from business
11400 block of North Shore Drive, cash from business
11600 block of Plaza America Drive, wallet from business
10200 block of Wendover Drive, property from residence
1400 block of Wiehle Avenue, bag from residence
STOLEN VEHICLES:
11700 block of Dry River Court, 1998 Honda NT650 motorcycle
In another incident, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged a 32-year-old man with public intoxication on Nov. 18.
Jonathan Erazo, a Reston resident, was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.
Herndon’s police department reported no major crimes in its weekly press report.
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).
No major incidents were listed in the Herndon Police Department’s weekly press report.
A local nonprofit organization once again is trying to make it safer, and cheaper, to get home during the holidays after drinking a little too much eggnog in the D.C. area.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program is covering taxi fares up to $30 as part of its annual holiday SoberRide campaign. The free cabs will run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day until Jan. 1.
“Last December, nearly 1,500 (1,456) Greater Washington residents did the right thing and availed themselves of this lifesaving service rather than possibly driving home impaired,” WRAP president Kurt Gregory Erickson said in a statement. “For SoberRide’s hours of operation during just last New Year’s Eve, alone, such ridership (580) translated into the removal of a would-be drunk driver from our shared roadways every 49-seconds.”
To get a complimentary ride, call 800-200-8294.
Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program
A Reston man was charged with a Felony DUI — at least his fifth offense in the last five years — on Tuesday after he crashed his car into a creek and walked away from the scene, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office says.
Deputies were called to the scene at Algonkian Parkway and
Rutherford Circle in Sterling close to midnight.
A witness told officials male driver exited the vehicle andwalked away from the scene towards a footpath.
The driver was later located and identified as Marc A. Dixon, 31, of Reston.
Dixon was arrested and charged with misdemeanor hit and run and Felony DUI. Dixon has been charged with multiple DUI in the last five years, according to LCSO. He is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond.
In 2014, Dixon was arrested for driving his car backwards down Rugby Road in Fairfax. During that arrest, Dixon provided false information as well as kicked the door and window of the police vehicle he was in, Fairfax County Police said.
In that incident, Dixon was charged with DUI (fourth offense), refusing breath test, fraudulent information to police, destruction of county property, driving while suspended (DUI related) and improper backing on the highway.
