Crime Solvers Needs Help
<bt>Fairfax County Crime Solvers is asking for the public's help in finding Gerbert Al Menendez-Orellana, also known as "Economico." He's wanted by police for failing to appear in court on a sexual assault and abduction charge after he was released on bond in April 2001.
His last-known address was 7599 Gales Court, No. 4, in Manassas. He may still be in the local area or may have returned to Guatemala. He's 28, approximately 5 feet 11 inches and about 170 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Menendez-Orellana, or any family or friends he may have in the area, is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-800-673-2777 or 703-691-8888. A $1,000 cash reward will be paid for information leading to his arrest. Callers never have to give their names or appear in court.
<sh>Child Neglect, Abuse Charged
<bt>Fairfax County police charged a 40-year-old Centreville woman Monday with felony child neglect and abuse after she allegedly left her 3-year-old son in the car for an extended period of time while she shopped for groceries. She is Young Lee of 5202 Jule Star Drive.
Police and Fire and Rescue personnel responded around 1:30 p.m. to the Grand Mart grocery store at 5900 Centreville Crest Lane in the Centreville Square Shopping Center. Police say the toddler had reportedly been alone in the vehicle for about 40 minutes and was "showing signs of distress."
Fire Department personnel were able to force open a door of the car and remove the boy. According to police, "The child had been subjected to a temperature inside the car of over 100 degrees." He was taken to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital for treatment and later released to his father. Lee was taken to the Adult Detention Center and has a June 11 court date.
<sh>$150,000 Fire at UOSA
<bt>Fire officials say an early-morning blaze, last Friday, caused an estimated $150,000 in damage at the Upper Occoquan Water Treatment (UOSA) plant in Centreville. Fire and Rescue units, including the Hazardous Materials Response Team, responded at 2:43 a.m. to a report of a fire at 14631 Compton Road.
First-arriving units found smoke and fire visible from the exterior of one of the buildings. The fire involved components of an air-purification system and surrounding exposures. Firefighters contained the flames in about 30 minutes and, according to the fire department, no hazardous materials were involved in the incident. No one was injured, and investigators determined the cause to be an accidental, mechanical equipment failure.
<sh>Charges to Grand Jury
<bt>Fairfax County police in March charged a Manassas woman with crimes pertaining to a series of mail thefts in Centreville's Sully Estates community. Now, those cases against her are heading for the grand jury.
The woman is Alesha Janelle Saunders, 23, of 7585 Margate Court, Apt. 203. The thefts occurred earlier this year, and police estimate the amount of loss as at least $10,000. Both county police and the U.S. Postal Service conducted a joint investigation into the matter.
According to the authorities, Saunders allegedly stole outgoing mail from mailboxes on Chandley Farm Circle, removed checks from their envelopes, created a bank account and deposited the checks into it. On March 22, police charged her with three counts each of forgery and uttering (passing off phony checks as valid) and one count of obtaining money through false pretenses.
Her cases went to General District Court on Monday and, at that time, Judge Thomas Gallahue certified all these charges to the next grand jury for possible indictment.
<sh>Firearm Charge is Dropped
<bt>Centreville's Henry J. Siegle is off the hook. On March 3, he and a female neighbor on Olddale Road, where he used to live, verbally argued over a vehicle horn being used in the neighborhood. Afterward, she told police she saw Siegle exit the front of his house and allegedly point a black handgun at her, while cursing at her.
After obtaining a search warrant, police seized a handgun and ammunition from his home and charged him with brandishing a firearm. He appeared last Friday in General District Court before Judge Ian O'Flaherty and, at that time, the charge against him was dropped.
<sh>Sully Police Open House
<bt>The Sully District Police Station at 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly will hold an open house, Saturday, May 29, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The public is invited to visit with members of the police SWAT team, K-9 team, Dive Team, Motorcycle Squad and Crime Prevention and Crime Solvers units
Even McGruff the Crime Dog will make a special appearance. It's planned as a fun event for the whole family. Tour the station, see the Police Department cruisers and helicopter, chat with officers and enjoy everything from pony rides and a moonbounce to popcorn, cotton candy and balloons.
<sh>Blood Is Urgently Needed
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They're accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For an appointment to give blood, call 703-322-1970, or drop in at your own convenience.