Branch Kills Vienna Man
Vienna resident Jose Elias Lopez, 30, was killed by a falling tree branch in the Dominion Hills neighborhood of Arlington Friday morning. Lopez lived on the 200 block of Cedar Lane. According to a release from the Arlington police, Lopez was part of a seven-member crew from Tysons Tree Service that was trimming six large trees on North Montana Street.
At about 10:15 a.m., as crew members were preparing a tree for trimming, a gust of wind broke a large branch from a tree that was not a part of the crew's job, said police. As workers ran for safety, the branch struck Lopez in the head in an adjacent yard. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Arlington Police spokesman John Lisle said Lopez was in the neighboring yard retrieving a "throwing ball," which the tree cutters use to rig their lines, when the accident occurred. He described the branch, which fell approximately 70 feet, as a 40-foot portion of a "very large" tree.
Lisle said the incident is still under investigation, primarily by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as no foul play is suspected. One of the "most obvious" questions, he said, was whether there had been any misuse of the wires that are employed to control where limbs fall. However, he said, "The other workers say there were no lines in the tree of the branch that fell."
— Mike DiCicco
Assault in Oakton Area
On Tuesday, Jan. 23 a 17-year-old girl was attacked on Sweet Mint Drive near Sugar Lane while walking to Oakton High School. At approximately 7:25 a.m., a man grabbed the victim from behind and attempted to pull down her pants. The victim was able to fight off the attacker. The suspect fled, and the victim was not injured.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic man in his late teens or early 20s, 5 feet 5 inches tall with a stocky build. He was wearing jeans and a gray, hooded sweatshirt with black lettering.
Police spokesman Rich Henry said police are looking into the possibility that the incident is connected to a string of similar assaults in the Vienna/Fairfax area several months ago.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
Composite Sketch Released
A composite sketch has been released from an attempted robbery that occurred Thursday, Nov. 2 around 12:30 a.m. in the 7400 block of Tillman Drive. A 17-year-old Tysons Corner-area woman was walking on Tillman Drive when she saw a shadow behind her. A man grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth. He carried her several feet away and threw her on the ground. He attempted to take off her boots but the victim kicked the suspect. He then tried to grab her purse but was unsuccessful. The suspect touched the victim inappropriately then fled from the same direction the victim had initially come from. The victim was not injured. The suspect was described as a black man in his 20s. He was 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall with a chubby build. He was wearing a black shirt, black hat and black tank top.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
Hotel in Merrifield Robbed
On Saturday, Jan. 20 around 10:30 p.m., the 32-year-old Fairfax-area man working at the front desk at the Homestead Suites at 8281 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive was robbed, according to a Fairfax County police report. A man entered the lobby and brandished a gun at the clerk, demanding money. The victim complied, and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of money, the police said. The victim was not injured.
The suspect was described as black, about 35 years old. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds. He wore a black, hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, a dark ball cap and an orange, construction-type traffic vest.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
Audit Bill
Del. Steve Shannon (D-35) joined other Democratic leaders Friday, Jan. 12 to announce a plan to introduce legislation that will require Virginia's legislature to be audited in order to identify cost savings.
The proposal, sponsored by Shannon, requires the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to review and recommend improvements of the operations of all legislative agencies, including the Virginia House of Delegates and the State Senate. The annual operating budget of Virginia's legislative branch is approximately $63 million.
The Virginia Department of Planning and Budget has developed programs for evaluating the efficiency of schools that has produced savings of over $15 million to date. Shannon hopes a similar study and evaluation of the legislative branch's spending could produce significant savings. The General Assembly does not currently have a program in place for a regular self audit of legislative spending.