Suspect Identified through Cable
<bt>A Loudoun resident was able to identify a man
wanted in connection with the robbery of a South Riding gas station after seeing the suspect's picture on a local cable channel, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
The resident was watching television and recognized the man after seeing a video still of the suspect taken from a surveillance camera inside the Circle K on Defender Drive. A graphic had been created by the Sheriff's Office and placed on the county government access channel, which is channel 2 on the Adelphia cable system.
The suspect, Mark Samenfink, 20, of Manassas, was seen on video walking into the Circle K on Defender Drive shortly before 4 a.m. on May 9 and asked the cashier for cigarettes. The suspect is alleged to have brandished a large knife and removed an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register.
Samenfink was charged last week with robbery and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond by a Loudoun Magistrate.
<sh>Welding Torch Sparks Fire
<bt>The Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office has concluded a fire that resulted in extensive damage to a two Sterling businesses was accidental. The fire, which started in the work area of Bargain Wheels on Douglas Court in Sterling, was due to a stray sparks from a welding torch. The spark ignited nearby combustibles and spread quickly throughout the shop and an adjacent business.
According to the fire department, around 12:22 p.m., Monday, Aug. 16, Loudoun County Fire-Rescue Services received a 911 call for a structure fire at 9 Douglas Court in Sterling. Fire and rescue personnel from Sterling, Ashburn and Fairfax County responded to the scene. Crews were able to quickly contain the fire and bring the bulk of the fire under control in a matter of minutes. One of the business owners was treated at the scene for injuries sustained in the fire.
Fire officials report that the damage to the Bargain Wheels and Elden Auto Body was extensive. Several other businesses in the building sustained smoke damage. The dollar loss is pending. Due to the potential runoff of hazardous materials, an environmental company has been brought in for cleanup.
This is the second fire attributed to a welding torch in less than a week. Fire officials reported that an unrelated fire, which occurred around 7:23 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11, in the 43800 block of Beaver Meadow Road near Arcola, was accidental in nature due to a malfunctioning welding torch.
<sh>Dominion Cancels Workshops
<bt>Dominion Virginia Power has canceled a pair of power line task force workshops set for Sept. 8 and 9, and has not rescheduled them. The workshops were the next in a series designed to facilitate communication between the power company and the public on a proposed 230-kilovolt transmission line extension to Hamilton. Residents have opposed the proposed line, since it would wipe out the last power-line-free stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. According to spokesperson Le-Ha Anderson, the company has decided to take extra time to explore other options for the line besides the W&OD Trail and Route 7. While Dominion had planned to submit its final application to the State Corporation Commission in November, it is likely that date will shift to later, Anderson said.
<sh>Good Shepherd Alliance Recognized
<bt>Each weekday, one volunteer or volunteer organization is featured by the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network on its Web site, www.pointsoflight.org. On Aug. 11, the Good Shepherd Alliance became the 2,744th recipient of the honor. Good Shepherd operates a number of programs design to alleviate the suffering of the homeless in Northern Virginia. In 2003, Good Shepherd worked with more than 1,500 individuals and families.
<sh>Man Charged in Fire Threat
<bt>Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department fire investigators charged Manuel Aquino, 36, of Sterling, Sunday, Aug. 8, with a threat to burn or damage a home, a Class 5 felony. Aquino was charged in connection with setting shrubs and a shed on fire and threats made to set home on fire on Gentle Breeze Court, Herndon, Aug. 7. No injuries were reported. Class 5 felonies receive a sentence of between one year and 10 years, or at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for no more than 12 months and a fine of no more than $2,500, either or both. Aquino is being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center with no bond, pending hearing.
<sh>Inmate Charged with Assault
<bt>An inmate being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center is facing sexual assault charges after an
incident that occurred inside the facility.
Jose Hernandez-Reyes, 20, of Leesburg, has been placed in administrative segregation after he is said to have pulled another inmate into his cell from the day room just before midnight Thursday, Aug. 5.
A deputy heard what he thought to be an altercation in the day room of the facility and upon further investigation determined Hernandez-Reyes had attempted to sexually assault the 30-year-old victim. It was also determined there was a previous incident of sexual battery that occurred
between the suspect and the victim on Tuesday.
Hernandez-Reyes has been charged with abduction with intent to defile, attempted forcible sodomy and sexual battery. He remains held without bond.
<sh>Wanted: Crossing Guards
<bt>The Sheriff's Office is looking for responsible and energetic people to become crossing guards. Some of the duties of a crossing guard include escorting children across busy crosswalks and/or intersections, monitoring the flow of traffic to ensure safe passage, and interacting with parents, school personnel, city employees and others. The Sheriff's Office currently has a number of openings countywide and is looking for people who are available between 7:30-9 a.m. and again at 2:15-4 p.m. on weekdays during the school year. For more information, call Willy Stevenson at 703-771-5735 or get an application online at www.loudoun.gov and click on jobs.
<sh>Waster Water Treatment Public Meeting
<bt>A public meeting on establishing a county management program for on-site waste water treatment is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 6:30 p.m., at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., SE, Leesburg. Public comments are also being collected via e-mail at DEPT-HEALTH-ONSITE@loudoun.gov. For more information about the project visit the Loudoun County Government Web site at http://www.loudoun.gov/health/manage.htm.