Arlington County's daily crime report for February 17 brought to light a series of recent incidents, shedding light on the darker movements that sway through our streets under the veil of the ordinary. Among the several cases under investigation, notable occurrences included acts of assault on police, a malicious wounding, and a bold burglary that involved driving a vehicle through a business's door.
On the afternoon of February 16, within the confining walls of an apartment on the 3800 block of 7th Street N, an intoxicated man's agitation transformed into aggression. According to the Arlington County Crime Report, Christopher Rowland, 50, assaulted a pair of medics and an officer, and went as far as trying to disarm the officer. The outcome, thankfully devoid of physical injuries, saw Rowland arrested and charged with multiple counts, including Assault on Police and Attempted Disarming of a Law Enforcement Officer.
Similarly, another assault on an officer occurred on Columbia Pike, when Mecca Keller, 41, reportedly struck an officer after being detained for exiting a parlor without settling the score for beauty services. Details from the Crime Report reveal that she now faces charges, among them Assault on Police and Petit Larceny.
From within the shadows of early morning on February 15, a sinister scene took place in the 1400 block of S. Eads Street. Two male victims fell prey to a brutal attack by a group, including two male assailants who, with bats and a machete in hand, unleashed violence and thievery, before disappearing into the same shadows from which they emerged. Painted in the broad strokes of "all black clothing," this case, like many of the crimes that stain the fabric of our communities, remains unsolved and under investigation.
In a different vein of criminal creativity, the February 15 report also featured a crime remarkable for its brazenness—the use of a sedan like a ram, shattering a business's door and clearing the way for theft. The suspects, draped in darkness and anonymity, made away with tools from a business on the 1800 block of Fort Myer Drive, casting a spotlight, albeit fleeting, on the audacity of thieves.
The majority of these accounts are just the latest revelations in Arlington's ongoing struggle with crime, a tapestry of transgressions that range from the theft of a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee to a litany of shoplifting, disorderly conduct, and fraudulent undertakings.
