<sh>O’Brian Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail
<bt>An Arlington County Circuit Court Judge last week sentenced Richard O’Brian to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a female patient at an assisted-living facility in the Cherrydale neighborhood.
O’Brian, 70, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2006 to one count of aggravated sexual battery. In addition to his prison sentence, O’Brian will be required to register as a sex offender, and he is prohibited from having any contact with the victim.
In January, an employee of the facility, located in the 3700 block of Lee Highway, reported to police that she observed O’Brian having sexual contact with an adult female. O’Brian was a volunteer clergyman at the facility. After an investigation into the incident, detectives with the Special Victims Unit of the Arlington County Police Department secured an arrest warrant and took O’Brian into custody at his Annandale home.
<sh>Former Teacher Arrested
<bt>Arlington detectives arrested last week a 63-year-old retired Arlington County Public Schools teacher and charged him with two counts of Indecent Liberties with a Minor.
William Martin Kay was arrested at his home in the 5600 block of N. 7th Street in Arlington on July 13th, and released the same day on bond.
The two alleged victims in this case are now 15 and 16 years old, however the incidents they reported occurred when they were in the third grade at an Arlington elementary school.
Detectives are investigating whether Kay had any inappropriate contact with other children, and are asking for the public’s help. Anyone with any information about Kay is asked to call Det. Jim Stone at 703-228-4245.
<sh>Skin Cancer Screening Comes to Arlington
<bt>The National Skin Cancer Screening Tour comes to Arlington this weekend, providing free tests and promoting awareness of early detection techniques.
Dermatologists will perform screenings in "mobile diagnosis vehicles" on Saturday, July 29, in Pentagon Row Plaza from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The screenings take less than five minutes, and no appointments are required.
The tour is a partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation and Doak Dermatologics, a subsidiary of Bradley Pharmaceuticals Inc. Arlington is the 13th stop on the national tour, and more than 2,800 people have been tested. Reinforcing the importance of yearly screenings, 71 percent of the patients have been diagnosed with some form of skin cancer, said Elizabeth Hewitt, a spokeswoman for the tour.
For more information visit www.skincancerscreeningtour.com
<sh>West Nile Virus found in Arlington
<bt>Public health officials last week detected West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in South Arlington, the first appearance of the disease in the county this year.
West Nile virus was found in Fairfax and Prince William Counties earlier last month, and the disease was present in Arlington last summer.
"This is a reminder to residents that West Nile virus is still active in Arlington County and now is the time to eliminate mosquito breeding areas around the home and protect against mosquito-borne illness," Arlington County Public Health Director Reuben Varghese said in a statement.
West Nile virus is spread to birds, humans, horses and other mammals through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito do not get sick. People who do get sick usually suffer a mild flu-like illness.