Fairfax County police apprehended two suspects and are still looking for from one to three suspects after a chase that led police from Mount Vernon into Alexandria, early on Monday morning, Sept. 2.
The chase began in Fairfax County, when several suspects stole a late-model white van and drove it north on Route 1 into Alexandria. Three Fairfax County police cruisers pursued the van north on Route 1 through Alexandria to a cul-de-sac in the 900 block of Portner Place, just off Slater’s Lane. The van struck a parked car and trees at the dead-end street. The occupants fled, but two were quickly apprehended at the scene and others are still being sought.
A K-9 unit was called in and was credited with capturing the second suspect hiding behind one of the houses on Portner Place.
Alexandria EMS was called to administer aid to the suspects, who were only slightly injured in the pursuit and crash. The culmination of the pursuit happened at around 3:30 a.m., and police were still on the scene at 6:30.
Police searched the van and discovered three motorcycles inside, but there was no official word whether the motorcycles were also stolen or happened to be in the van when the van was taken.
During the pursuit through Alexandria, the rubber on the left rear tire of the van disintegrated, causing the van to travel on a rim, leaving a deep gouge in the asphalt. Neighbors on Portner Place were awakened by the screeching tires, sirens and flashing blue lights of the police vehicles. Alexandria police officers were quickly on the scene to back up the Fairfax County police.
The suspects were being held in Fairfax County. Names and addresses of the suspects were not released by county officials; however, the two who were arrested were adult males in their early 20s.
Alexandria police thought they had captured a third suspect when they stopped a vehicle being driven by a man who fitted the description of the suspect. It turned out the vehicle the driver was in was also stolen, but the driver turned out not to be the individual who was wanted in connection with the Fairfax County pursuit into Alexandria.