Traffic Delays
<bt>The entrance ramp to Washington Dulles International Airport from Route 28 North will be closed overnight from 8 p.m., Friday, March 30, to 8 a.m., Saturday, March 31. This ramp closure will affect drivers traveling north on Route 28 to the Airport from the Chantilly, Centreville and Manassas areas. Drivers should follow signs directing them to detour.
In addition, the same entrance ramp will experience intermittent traffic delays Tuesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 21, between the hours of 10 a.m.-noon on both days. During these hours, the ramp will be blocked in several 15-minute increments to allow for the delivery of construction materials.
The entrance ramps for drivers traveling to the airport on Route 28 South from the Sterling area or those arriving via the Dulles Airport Access Highway or the Dulles Greenway will remain open at all times. The entrance ramp from Route 28 North to Route 267 (Dulles Toll Road) will also remain open at all times.
Drivers are urged to allow extra time to travel to Dulles Airport on these dates, especially passengers arriving for early morning flights Saturday, March 31.
The overnight ramp closure is necessary to erect steel girders to support a new overpass, which will carry drivers from both directions of Route 28 directly to the airport’s economy parking lots and rental car facilities. The roadway improvement project is part of the D2, Dulles Development, program and is expected to be completed in spring 2008.
<sh>Transportation Meeting
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors transportation/land use committee will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 29, to consider and discuss the update of the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP). The meeting will be held in the board room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg.
A presentation will be made regarding transportation needs in the major corridors of the county such as various means for increasing roadway capacity and measures to reduce travel demand.
The public is encouraged to attend, although no public comment will be received at the meeting. Members of the public may submit written comments to the Office of Transportation Services, 1 Harrison St., S.E., third floor, Leesburg, VA, 20175, at any time before or after the meeting. Comments may also be submitted through the Web site, www.loudounctp.com.
Information regarding the CTP is also available on the Loudoun County Web site at www.loudoun.gov/transportation/ctp.htm.
<sh>Three Charged
<bt>Three people were charged with driving under the influence Saturday, March 17, during a Loudoun County Sheriff's Office sobriety checkpoint.
The checkpoint was held on Route 28 just south of Route 7, from 11 p.m.-3 a.m.; and saw 728 vehicles pass through with 15 drivers further screened. Three drivers were charged with DUI.
The Sheriff's Office currently conducts one checkpoint per month throughout the year and holds additional checkpoints during the holidays. The Sheriff's Office designed the checkpoints to raise public awareness and to discourage impaired driving.
<sh>Fatal Crash
<bt>The Virginia State Police continue to investigate a fatal crash that occurred in Loudoun County Friday, March 16, at 3:49 p.m. Trooper L. K. Armstrong is the investigating trooper.
According to police, Jennifer Lauren Graham, 18, of South Riding, was driving a 2004 Ford Contour and lost control of the vehicle on Route 621 South (Evergreen Mills Road), north of Route 860 (Watson Road). The vehicle slid into the path of a 2001 Ford F550, which was traveling north on Route 621.
Graham and two other passengers, a 19-year-old female and a 17-year-old female were transported to the Loudoun Hospital at Lansdowne for treatment.
Another passenger in the car, Emma Devito, 17, of Aldie, died at the scene.
The driver of the Ford truck, Michael Ray Cooper, 53, of Leesburg, was not injured. Both drivers and the three passengers in the car were wearing seat belts.
The crash remains under investigation.
<sh>Crashed into Townhouse
<bt>A Lovettsville man is charged with driving under the influence after he crashed his truck into a portion of a townhouse Sunday, March 18.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Matthew Michael Maley, 23, was driving a Dodge truck on Ashbury Drive in South Riding when he lost control of his vehicle and drove through a fence and a portion of a wall of a townhouse located in the 25300 block.
Maley then attempted to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended by a deputy. Maley was taken to Inova Loudoun Hospital at Lansdowne where he was treated for minor injuries. Maley was transported to the Adult Detention Center in Leesburg and has since been released.
Loudoun Fire/Rescue personnel responded from South Riding, Aldie, Arcola, and Fairfax County.
<sh>Sentenced
<bt>A Sterling man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday, March 14, in Loudoun Circuit Court for a 2006 incident where he entered his sister-in-law's home with the intent of raping her.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Joshua Andrew Vrabel, 29, entered the Sterling Park home of his 26-year-old sister-in-law on the morning of Sept. 7, 2006. The victim was getting ready to go to work around 7 a.m. when she heard someone in the house.
She closed her bedroom door to barricade herself in the room as Vrabel attempted to force it open. The victim later opened the door when she heard her brother-in-law's voice. An investigation revealed that Vrabel entered the home using a key he stole from his wife's key chain and had intended to rape the victim. Vrabel was charged later that evening with breaking and entering with the intent to rape.
In his ruling on Wednesday Judge Thomas Horne sentenced Vrabel to 20 years in prison with all but 10 years suspended.