While it may be tempting to throw caution into the wind as 2020 winds to a close, local and state police are emphasizing the need for people to drive safely during the winter holidays, when alcohol-related crashes often spike.
Data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office shows that the Commonwealth has recorded more fatalities from traffic crashes related to speed and drunk driving so far this year than in all of 2019, the Virginia State Police reported on Monday (Dec. 21).
“Virginia is on pace to have more total fatal traffic crashes in 2020 than in 2019,” VSP Superintendent Col. Gary Settle said. “…Overall traffic crashes in Virginia this year are down significantly. This means each crash has been deadlier – deadlier because of speed, alcohol, distractions, and individuals not wearing seatbelts.”
The increase in deaths from crashes comes even as the COVID-19 pandemic kept many people off the roads and confined to their homes.
According to toll operator Transurban, traffic on the Interstate 95, 495, and 395 Express Lanes was down 80% in April – when Virginia had stay-at-home orders in place – compared to that same time period in 2019. While traffic has gradually increased since then, it remained 39% below 2019 levels as of November.
Police say that drunk-driving related fatalities and crashes typically go up nationwide during the holidays.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 839 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in the U.S. in December 2018. 285 of them died during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period, the VSP says.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s traffic division steps up its patrol for people driving the influence every year with an annual campaign against drunk driving that runs from the end of November to the new year.
“Although this campaign only runs until January 1, we are fortunate enough to have a dedicated DWI Squad to continue enforcement throughout the rest of the year,” the FCPD said in an email, adding that Virginia DMV recorded 336 alcohol-related crashes, 215 injuries, and seven deaths in the state from Nov. 30 to Dec. 15, 2019.
Health officials have been discouraging people from attending parties or gathering with people outside their immediate household, but for anyone who decides to travel during the holiday season, the Virginia State Police has some recommendations:
- Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver, call a friend or family member, or use a cab or public transportation.
- If you know someone has been drinking, do not let them drive. Arrange an alternative, safer way home.
- Call police if you see an impaired driver on the road. Dial #77 to contact the nearest VSP emergency communications center.
State police will also have new grounds to crack down on distracted driving in the new year. It will be illegal to use a phone or other handheld communications device while driving on highways in Virginia starting on Jan. 1.
“Virginia State Police is urging every motorist on the road this holiday season to be responsible, obey the traffic laws, ditch distractions, and wear a seatbelt,” the VSP said in its news release. “Whether heading to the grocery store, the post office, or delivering gifts to family and friends, choose to do it safely and do it responsibly.”
Photo via FCPD, map via Virginia DMV
The man involved in a shooting and armed confrontation with police last week in Falls Church has now been charged with aggravated malicious wounding, Fairfax County police announced on Saturday (Dec. 19).
The Fairfax County Police Department identified the individual as Glenn Allen Myer, 61, of Falls Church. He has been arrested after allegedly shooting a teenager and exchanging gunfire with responding police officers.
Earlier on Saturday, Myer was released from the hospital where he was transported after being injured in the confrontation with police. He is now being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
The two officers who fired their weapons during the incident remain on administrative leave, as criminal and administrative investigations into the shooting are still ongoing, the FCPD said.
Virginia law defines aggravated malicious wounding as any instance where a person “maliciously shoots, stabs, cuts or wounds any other person, or by any means causes bodily injury, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill.”
If the victim is severely injured and suffers permanent and significant physical impairment, aggravated malicious wounding is classified as a Class 2 felony, which carries potential punishments of imprisonment for life or a term of at least 20 years, and a fine of up to $100,000.
The Vienna Police Department received three separate reports of vehicle break-ins at the Vienna Dog Park on Courthouse Road earlier this week.
The incidents all reportedly occurred between 3:45 and 4:34 p.m. last Sunday (Dec. 13).
There were two grand larceny cases involving women who said someone broke one of their vehicles’ windows and stole their purses. One of the women said other items were also missing.
In the third case, a male town resident said someone broke a window in his vehicle and seemed to have rummaged around, but nothing appeared to have been taken. Police have classified the incident as an act of vandalism.
This week’s Vienna police report includes two other crimes involving vehicle break-ins outside of the dog park incidents.
One resident reported that, between 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 12 and 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, someone had entered her unlocked vehicle and “rummaged through” it, though nothing appeared to have been taken.
Another citizen reported on Dec. 13 that his wallet and cell phone were stolen from his unlocked vehicle sometime between 8 and 10:50 p.m. The man’s car had been parked in the alley behind Domino’s Pizza at 331 Maple Ave. East.
Past issues with rampant vehicle tampering and thefts have prompted the town police department to advise residents to lock their car doors and remove all valuables and keys from the vehicle.
Photo via Vienna Police Department/Facebook
Measures to curb public safety concerns and improve how the criminal justice system can serve the community are being implemented in Fairfax County.
That was the message Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano shared during a public forum with the McLean Citizens Association on Wednesday (Dec. 16).
Before responding to audience questions, Descano highlighted three top agenda items: the implementation of body-worn cameras by police, providing appropriate resources for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, and general criminal justice reform.
Descano said the Fairfax County Police Department’s body-worn camera program should be mostly in effect by the end of 2021, estimating that the program will include roughly 1,200 cameras.
“I really do feel that body-worn cameras are essential to creating trust in the community,” Descano said. “They are a great tool for evidence. They are a great tool for police accountability. Quite frankly, they’re also, in many ways, a tool to make sure that our police aren’t being accused of things they did not do. So, it really is a win-win-win all the way around.”
He pointed to the indictment of Fairfax County police officer Tyler Timberlake on three misdemeanor counts of assault and battery in July and other high-profile cases as examples of the difference that body cameras could make in holding police accountable.
According to Descano, footage from the cameras will be stored and transmitted in an integrated system from a server run by the company Axon Enterprise. The footage must be kept according to timeframes established by the Virginia Public Records Act.
He also said the footage is meant to be available to exonerate or prosecute people accused of alleged crimes, protecting innocent people and detecting evidence of crimes to ensure the criminal justice system produces the “right outcome.”
Descano also noted that one “flip side” of the program is that it will add to prosecutors’ workload, since they have an “ethical obligation” to review all evidence in cases they prosecute. He estimated that body-worn cameras will add roughly 89,000 hours of video footage to the approximately 60,000 hours of footage from cruiser dash cameras that must also be reviewed. Read More
Fairfax County police have arrested a man who allegedly shot a teenager and engaged in an armed confrontation with law enforcement in Falls Church yesterday (Thursday).
According to the latest update on the situation from the Fairfax County Police Department, police officers responded to an apartment in the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Drive at 10:49 a.m. after a teenager called 9-1-1, saying he had been shot in the face by a man who lives in the apartment.
The caller told the dispatcher that he had taken shelter in a bedroom, but the man was attempting to break in.
Upon arriving at the scene, police officers and a deputy from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office tried to negotiate with the armed man, but the talks “yielded no progress toward deescalating the situation, and it was evident the victim’s life was in imminent danger,” the FCPD says.
Police then entered the apartment and reportedly exchanged gunfire with the armed man, who is now identified as a 61-year-old Falls Church resident. Two officers shot the man in the upper body, and another officer was grazed by a bullet, resulting in a minor injury that was treated at the scene.
The victim and armed man were both transported to a local hospital by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department medics.
The victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening. Roessler told reporters Thursday afternoon that the man underwent surgery, and he has now been taken into police custody.
The FCPD has identified the two officers who discharged their weapons as a 20-year and an 18-year veteran of the department assigned to the special operations division. They have both been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal and administrative investigations.
The criminal investigation is being led by the FCPD’s major crimes bureau, while the administrative investigation is being conducted by the internal affairs bureau. Fairfax County’s independent police auditor will also conduct an independent review.
Police say Roessler will release the names of the officers within 10 days. The suspect’s identity and the charges he will face will be made public once arrest warrants are served.
“All information provided in this release is based on preliminary investigative findings and may be subject to revision as the investigation progresses,” the FCPD says.
Photo via FCPD
Updated at 5:00 p.m. — The victim in a shooting at a Falls Church apartment complex is expected to survive, Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. said earlier this afternoon.
Fairfax County police officers and deputies from the county sheriff’s office responded to a 9-1-1 call that came in around 10:49 a.m. from a man who said he had been shot by an acquaintance in his apartment on the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Drive.
Roessler says the suspect was still armed when police arrived on the scene and “actively trying to attack the victim again.”
When police entered the apartment, they exchanged gunfire with the armed individual and ultimately shot him. Contrary to a previous report saying no officers were injured, Roessler said that one officer suffered a minor grazing injury that was treated on the scene.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department medics transported both citizens to a local hospital, where they remain. Roessler said the suspect was undergoing surgery when he was last briefed on the situation.
“I am very proud of the Fairfax County Police Department…and the women and men of the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office,” Roessler said. “Today, they are heroes, because they saved the life of the victim in this matter.”
Earlier: Two people have been taken to the hospital after police officers engaged in an armed confrontation in Falls Church, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
According to the FCPD, McLean District officers responded to a report of a shot person at the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Drive just off of Leesburg Pike. An armed confrontation between the officers and an individual ensued upon their arrival to the scene.
Police say no officers were injured, and the scene is now contained.
McLean officers responded to the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Dr for a shot person. Upon arrival an armed confrontation ensued between officers & an individual. Two people taken to the hospital. No officers injured. The scene is contained, more details to follow. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/aa7M3C7gSk
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) December 17, 2020
Icy Roads and Sidewalks Pose Hazards after Yesterday’s Snow — “So far, between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m., FCFRD has responded to two incidents related to people slipping and falling on ice and injuring themselves. If you must be out this morning, walk with care and caution! Walk like a penguin!” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Office Leasing in Tysons Remains Slow — “Tysons, one of the country’s largest suburban office hubs, appears well-positioned to benefit from an anticipated pandemic-related shift in demand away from downtowns. But while office developers in the market hope to capture that demand, they have yet to see it materialize.” [Bisnow]
McLean Church Supports Food Bank with Drive-Thru Nativity — “The McLean Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted the drive-thru live Nativity and food drive Friday and Saturday…Organizers estimate over 1,000 cars drove through on the two nights with an estimated 3,000 attendees.” [Patch]
Vienna Police Department Joins Annual Santa’s Ride for Children — “All donate [sic] toys, games, books and gifts were distributed to children at FFX Hospital, Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center.” [Vienna Police/Twitter]
Following a months-long review, the City of Falls Church Use of Force Review Committee is slated to recommend police reforms by February 2021 after the city council granted the committee an extension on Monday (Dec. 14).
Originally, the committee was set to disband after it presented its report to the Falls Church City police chief, city manager and city council at the end of December. That deadline has now been changed to Feb. 28, 2021.
The report will cover the committee’s discoveries from pouring over 113 reports of uses of force by local law enforcement, nearly 400 community responses to a survey about experiences with the police, and the department’s policies governing the use of force. It will also include a variety of recommendations, ranging from procedural changes to community engagement.
The 133 documented uses of force in the city since 2015 comes with a few caveats. At least 25 of the reports involve animals, since the Falls Church City Police Department’s definition of “uses of force” includes animal euthanasia, Use of Force Review Committee Vice Chair Brian Creswick said.
“Matching policy and procedure with practice, that is where the rubber meets the road…that’s where problems arise,” said Falls Church City Human Resources Director Steve Mason, who is the staff representative to the committee.
Falls Church established the committee on June 12 after recent deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, fueled calls for action on racial justice issues.
The committee received 72 online applications, along with some mail applications. That is more than any other in the city’s history, Mason said.
The committee is part of the city council’s commitment to the Reimagining Policing Pledge, which urges mayors and local officials to review and reform use-of-force policies over the course of 90 days.
In Virginia, Alexandria, Vienna, Dumfries, Richmond and Winchester have also formed similar committees. Creswick commended Falls Church for being part of the small group.
“We could’ve taken the easy road out because these things weren’t happening here,” he said. “We have a city council and a government that is really trying to make the city welcoming and inclusive.”
The committee consists of seven community members and six government officials, an intentional ratio to avoid the city government “controlling the narrative by sheer numbers,” Mason said. There are four Black people on the committee, and six women, representing a range of professional experiences, from social services to law.
“The seven community members selected are second to none and really added great expertise to this committee,” Mason said.
To learn about the community’s experiences with the police, the committee sent out a survey from mid-November through Dec. 4, though Johnson admits it was hard to engage people that would typically not answer a survey.
Respondents were asked, but not required to provide, demographic information, and the results indicate white women are the primary group to respond to surveys, Creswick said. Still, some respondents reported experiences that the committee is looking into more thoroughly.
Taken together, the committee’s survey, procedural review, and review of use-of-force reports will give people a “rich understanding of where there’s opportunities to improve,” according to Creswick.
Despite the adversarial tenor to national discussions on police reform, Creswick says the committee’s work here has been collaborative. Committee Chair Janis Johnson hopes the committee will help keep attention on police reform even when it isn’t dominating national headlines.
“The reasoning behind these committees and reviews is so that this stays on people’s minds, and there is change that lasts,” she said.
Inova Delivers First Vaccine to Healthcare Worker — “Months of preparations led up to an emotional moment for Inova Health System’s CEO after the first healthcare worker received the COVID-19 vaccine.” [ABC7-WJLA]
National Search Underway for Next Fairfax County Police Chief — Fairfax County has hired a search firm to assist in its search for a successor to Chief Ed Roessler Jr., who has announced that he will retire in February. The search process includes an online survey and focus groups with “key community organizations.” [Fairfax County Government]
Falls Church West End Developers Propose Major Revisions — West End Gateway Partners wants to revise its plans for an “ambitious 10-acre mixed use development at the City’s west end…under conditions of the global Covid-19 pandemic. A special public town hall to outline the changes is scheduled to be held online this Thursday, Dec. 17 at noon.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Teen-Run Business Focuses on Outdoor Jobs Amid Coronavirus — “TaskTeens, a spinoff of TeenServ created by McLean High School student Jack Lannin, connects teenagers that can perform yard work for homeowners.” [Patch]
Staff photo by Angela Woolsey
Three businesses at the Eden Center near Seven Corners in Falls Church experienced break-ins early this morning, the City of Falls Church Police Department reported today (Tuesday).
According to police, the incidents occurred between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and no one was injured. Police are currently seeking witnesses and any additional information that members of the public may have about the break-ins.
“At this point, there is no description of a suspect or suspects, and no photos or video,” Falls Church City police said. “Any additional materials, photos, videos, and descriptions will be released once available.”
The department says anyone with information can call its non-emergency number at 703-241-5053.
Photo via Google Maps
