A South Lakes High School student was killed in a car crash on Sunday (November 3) in Oakton.
Carter Smith, a junior at the school, was one of five passengers in the car, which was travelling eastbound on Stuart Mill Road around 6:30 p.m. that day when the car ran off the right shoulder and hit a tree, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Five teenagers who were in the car at the time were taken to local hospitals. The driver remains in life-threatening condition. The SLHS student was pronounced dead at the hospital and the three other passengers were treated for injuries that are not life-threatening.
Police believe speed may have been a factor in the accident. Preliminarily, alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors that led to the crash.
With permission of Smith’s parents, SLHS Principal Kimberly Retzer released information about Smith.
On Monday (Nov. 4), Retzer wrote the following in a letter to the SLHS community:
Our sincere condolences are extended to family and friends of all involved, and to all members of our community who may be hearing of this terrible incident. I will maintain contact with the family and share about funeral services as that information becomes available.The unexpected death of a young person is very sad and difficult to process and can have an impact on anyone, whether they knew the person or not. South Lakes will provide counselors and clinical team members tomorrow, Tuesday, from 9:00AM to 12:00PM. Students should gather in the Lecture Hall. We will have additional supports on Wednesday as well when all students return.
Anyone with information about the incident should contact FCPD’s crash reconstruction unit at 703-280-0543.
No other information about the incident has been released.
File photo
Someone broke into a home on the 11600 block of Charter Oak Court on Oct. 23.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident happened between 11:15 a.m. and 1:38 p.m. Personal items were taken.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
600 block of Deerfield Farm Court, laptop computer from vehicle
2500 block of John Milton Drive, merchandise from business
2100 block of Reston Parkway, property from vehicle
11300 block of Sunset Hills Road, purse from vehicle
13300 block of Parcher Avenue, tools from vehicle
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, food from business
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, wallet from location
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Photo via FCPD
Warning about World Series Ticket Scams — “Detectives are investigating an increasing number of online and phone scams involving the sale of World Series tickets. Fans are reminded to use caution when purchasing tickets from sources other than Major League Baseball or authorized dealers. Be sure to research the vendor and review their security protocols before providing personal information or payment.” [Fairfax County Police Department]
Burglary Reported at 11600 Block of Charter Oak Court — Someone broke into the home on Oct. 23 sometime between 11:15 a.m. and 1:38 p.m. and stole personal items. The incident is under investigation. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Washington West Film Festival Continues Today — A happy hours, three shorts programs, and two films will air as part of the festival at Bow Tie Cinemas today. The festival continues through Monday (Oct. 28). [Washington West Film Festival]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
This week, no major incidents were reported in Reston or Herndon by local law enforcement.
However, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following recent incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, battery from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, pants from vehicle
2400 block of Centreville Road, cell phones from business
10100 block of Clover Glen Drive, lights from residence
2300 block of Colts Neck Road, bicycle from location
1800 block of Discovery Street, electronic device from location
1800 block of Presidents Street, cash from location
1900 block of Reston Metro Plaza, construction material from location
Maleady Drive/Parcher Avenue, camera from vehicle
1800 block of Sycamore Valley Drive, wallet from location
2300 block of Cypress Cove Circle, cell phone from residence
600 block of Deerfield Farm Court, property from vehicle
11100 block of Saffold Way, property from residence
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, cell phone from residence
1800 block of Spectrum Center, credit card and sunglasses from vehicle
1800 block of Stratford Park Place, wallet and bag form vehicle
1800 block of Sycamore Valley Drive, wallet from location
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, cell phone from location
1800 block of Jonathan Way, jewelry and jacket from residence
1000 block of Utterback Store Road, property from location
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Photo via FCPD
A man was robbed during an in-person exchange of a cell phone with an online seller.
Police arrested Monzir Hassan, 18, of Reston for the robbery on Oct. 3 at around 5:53 p.m., according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Authorities believe Hassan punched the victim in the face when the victim gave him money for the phone. Hassan was arrested after he attempted to escape in a black sedan, police said.
FCPD did not disclose how much cash was stolen.
In a separate incident, a home burglary was reported on Oct. 5 on the 2400 block of Old Farmhouse Road. Police believe someone broke into the home that evening and stole personal property.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following minor incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1500 block of Autumn Ridge Circle, license plates from vehicle
Carpers Farm Way/Colvin Run Road, batteries from location
11800 block Freedom Drive, camera from location
1700 block of Ivy Oak Square, book bag from car
1800 block of Sycamore Valley Drive, change from car
13300 block of Feldman Place, tools from location
11400 block of Commerce Park Drive, purses from location
2300 block of Fox Fire Court, identification from location
11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
1900 block of Reston Metro Plaza, wallet from location
STOLEN VEHICLES:
10700 block of Midsummer Drive, 2007 Honda Accord
Photo via FCPD
A man walked into a hotel in Herndon on Monday and demanded cash, police said.
The man entered Candlewood Suites (13485 Sunrise Valley Drive at around 3:42 p.m. on Sept. 30. He implied he had a gun, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Police described the suspect as a white man in his 40s, 5’10” and 160 pounds.
No other information about the incident was released.
Anyone with information about any the incident should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
Photo via Google Maps
Sunrise Valley Elementary School Turns 40 — “When Sunrise Valley Elementary School (SVES) was established in September 1978, it was still under construction. Students were initially bused to South Lakes High School to attend classes. The school officially opened its doors on Sept. 4, 1979 with Principal William “Bill” Berkeley Martin welcoming the first 600 students as they walked through the front entrance, according to the SVES website.” [Fairfax County Times]
County Police to Offer Car Seat Safety Checks — The Fairfax County Police Department is hosting several free car seat safety and install events on a monthly basis this year. The Reston District stations will offer reviews by appointment only on Oct. 17, Nov. 14, and Dec. 12. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Metro to Weigh Fare Increase — Metro could raise fares or make other changes next year, a prospect that is drawing pushback from the Metro Board’s Riders’ Advisory Council… The council had a budget briefing and discussion earlier this month, and urged the board to think more creatively about fare changes that could get riders onto the system. [WTOP]
Photo by Jay Westcott
Reston Association Board to Discuss Budget — RA’s Board of Directors will discuss the first draft of the upcoming budget at a meeting today (Thursday) at RA headquarters. Issues related to boat and dock policies, as well as path lighting near Hunters Woods Village Center, will also be discussed at the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. [Reston Association]
Burglary Reported at Forest Edge Elementary School — Police believe some broke into a school trailer and damaged property. The incident happened between Sept. 20 and Sept. 23. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Spots Available on Fairfax County Chaplain Corp. — The Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corps works as part of an emergency disaster team to provide chaplain care to community members impacted by the effects of a disaster or emergency. Register for an orientation session to meet current community chaplains, learn more about what it means to serve as a community chaplain and learn how to apply. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Jay Westcott
A Lorton teenager will stand trial as an adult for allegedly shooting and killing his girlfriend’s parents before Christmas three years ago.
Nicholas Giampa, 19, will be tried as an adult after a Fairfax County juvenile court judge found there was enough evidence to move the case to a grand jury in the county’s circuit court, the Washington Post reported yesterday (Tuesday).
Police believe Giampa, who was 17 at the time, shot and killed Scott Fricker, 48, and Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, in their Reston home. Giampa then shot himself in the head.
The case gained national attention after Giampa’s social media accounts indicated he espoused neo-Nazi views.
During the hearing on Tuesday, detectives said they found Giampa in the daughter’s bedroom. When Scott Fricker told Giampa to get out of the house, Giamp pulled out a gun and shot both parents, the Post reports.
The daughter, who is now 17, testified at Tuesday’s hearing about the shooting.
Here’s more from the report:
Janet Kuhn has said the events were set in motion earlier that week. Kuhn-Fricker, who owned an elder-care business and had a law degree, sent the email to the principal at the Dominion School laying out her concerns about Giampa on the Sunday before the killings.
Kuhn-Fricker discovered Giampa’s Twitter account, which has since been deleted, while looking at her daughter’s phone. The account featured tweets praising Adolf Hitler, supporting Nazi book burnings, calling for “white revolution,” making derogatory comments about Jews and featuring an illustration of a man hanging from a noose beneath a slur for gay people. The tweets also featured Atomwaffen, a white-nationalist group whose members have been tied to a handful of killings.
Kuhn-Fricker wrote in the email to the principal that their daughter told her over the previous summer that the boyfriend was very good at history and that her daughter asked, “Did you know that Jews are partly to blame for World War II?”
Giampa’s attorneys did not comment during the hearing.
Three home burglaries were reported on Sunday, Sept. 22. Police believe a burglar entered the homes the garages and stole items from vehicles parked in the garages.
The incidents happened between midnight and 7 a.m. on the 1700 block of Raleigh Hill Road, the 1700 block of Clovermeadow Drive and the 10300 block of Brittenford Drive, according to police.
A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Police Department said that the incidents — which happened in the same area and within a few hours — “may be connected.” Detectives are investigating the incidents, the spokesperson told Reston Now.
In a separate incident on Friday, Sept. 22, someone also burglarized a home on the 2500 block of Freetown Drive a few minutes before midnight.
The Fairfax County Police Department did not immediately indicate if the incidents are connected.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
2200 block of Astoria Circle, license plate from vehicle
10200 block of Brittenford Drive, cash from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, documents and cash from vehicle
11200 block of Chestnut Grove Square, wallet from location
10900 block of Clover Hunt Court, cash from vehicle
1700 block of Clover Meadow Drive, wallet from vehicle
10800 block of Crippen Vale Court, cash from vehicle
10800 block of Crippen Vale Court, knife from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, documents and cash from vehicle
1700 block of Raleigh Hill Road, laptop computer from vehicle
1900 block of Reston Metro Plaza, keys from location
1600 block of Sadlers Wells Drive, property from residence
11200 block of Silentwood Lane, cell phone from residence
2400 block of Southgate Square, license plate from vehicle
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
13400 block of Farm Crest Court, 2002 Yamaha R1 motorcycle
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).
Photo via FCPD
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved today (Tuesday) $4 million to begin implementation of police body worn cameras.
The Fairfax County Police Department is set to receive roughly 1,200 body-worn cameras that would be phased in over three years with a five-year contract for equipment, licensing and storage.
Officers from the Reston District Station are expected to receive the body worn cameras in May 2020.
The approval comes amid mixed results of a recent American University study on the county’s pilot program and some concern about the cost of the program.
Before the vote, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity shared concerns about the fiscal impact of the proposal.
Herrity said that he has concerns about the funding coming from the reserve — one-time fund — and that body worn cameras are getting prioritized over increases in police officers’ pay.
“This is going to set our public safety budget back by millions of dollars,” Herrity said, adding that he wants more information about the extra costs the cameras will place on the Public Defenders’ Office.
While Herrity also took issue with the approval for the funding happening outside of the budget cycle, Chairman Sharon Bulova said it’s necessary to have the funding before the budget decisions in May.
The $4.3 million approved by the board today comes from the Reserve for Ad-Hoc Police Practices Review Commission Recommendations.
“This amount will cover the initial cost of equipment, infrastructure enhancements and will allow for the immediate recruitment and hiring of personnel to ensure a seamless implementation on or about May 1,” according to county documents.
In response to Herrity’s concerns that the program is meant to address national issues with police, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said that the program is not trying to address criticism of police outside of Fairfax County.
“The overwhelming support in the community for doing this is important. We know our community pretty well and we know the respect the community has for the Fairfax County Police Department,” Foust said. “We have the tech to do it, and we should move forward.”
Story by Catherine Douglas Moran; Fatimah Waseem contributed reporting
File photo
(Update: Crisafi was found safe on Tuesday).
Local police are searching for a missing woman who was last seen on the 1800 block of Town Center Parkway today.
Annette Crisafi, 48, was last seen around 12:25 a.m. today (Tuesday) and is considered endangered due to “mental and/or physical health issues,” according the Fairfax County Police Department.
Crisafi is 5’6”, 126 pounds, and has brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a navy blue sweater with white and blue checkered pants.
Anyone with information should call 703-6901-2131
Photo via FCPD
The past week was unusually quiet week for crime. The Fairfax County Police Department and the Herndon Police Department released no reports of major incidents in the area.
However, FCPD’s Reston District Station did report the following minor incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
11900 block of Bowman Towne Drive, cell phone from location
2200 block of Coppersmith Square, tools from vehicle
13300 block of Glen Echo Circle, backpack and cash from vehicle
13300 block of Glen Echo Circle, backpack and cash from vehicle
12700 block of Oak Farms Drive, purses and wallet from residence
11700 block of Sunset Hills Road, beer from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Photo via FCPD
A portion of Sunrise Valley Drive is closed due to emergency road repairs required by a gas leak.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, commuters are encouraged to use an alternate route between Colts Brook Drive and Thunder Chase Drive.
The service road accessing the Herndon Monroe Bus Loop is shut down. Commuters can access the Herndon Monroe Bus Loop via the Dulles Toll Road.
Delays are expected to all Fairfax Connector routes servicing the loop.
It is unclear when the road will reopen.
This story will be updated.
TRAFFIC ALERT: Sunrise Valley Dr is closed between Colts Brook Dr and Thunder Chase Dr due to emergency road repair. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/ouzfGtZU8g
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) September 17, 2019
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on a body-worn camera program for the Fairfax County Police Department later this month.
If the board’s public safety committee votes in favor of the program today (Tuesday), the board will likely vote on the project on September 24.
Earlier this year, American University researchers analyzed the effects of body-worn cameras on the use of force, changes in policing activities, community members’ assessments of police legitimacy, and the number of community complaints. The report detailed mixed findings. While residents supported the adoption of the program, there was no evidence the cameras directly impacted community member’s satisfied with FCPD.
The program, which would be phased out over three years, will cost $4.3 million next year — a sum that will be covered from the county’s reserve funds. In 2021, the program is expected to cost $5.5 million and roughly $1.1 million in 2022.
If approved, more than 1,200 camera will be deployed to all district stations. Overall, 34 new full-time employees will be hired, including five staff members for FCPD, 23 staff members for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, and six positions with the Department of Information Technology.
Police officers at the Reston District Station — which was included in last year’s pilot program — would be the first to receive the devices if the program is approved.
School Resource Officers are also expected to receive body-worn cameras. However, the committee cautioned that decisions to deploy the devices will be made in concert with the Fairfax County School Board and the Board of Supervisors.
The county contracted American University researchers to study the effects of the pilot program after FCPD Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. recommended implementing the program in June 2015. A six-month pilot began in March last year in the Mason, Mount Vernon and Reston district stations.
At a committee meeting in June, board supervisors largely expressed support for the program.
Photo via FCPD
