Wednesday, August 26, 2009
PUBLIC SAFETY
BWI Customs Agents Make a Large Bust
The 35-year-old District woman, federal authorities said, should have known she'd be busted.
Sophia Williams cut quite a figure when she arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport late Monday from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Turns out, said Customs and Border Protection officers, she had 2 pounds, 9 ounces of cocaine stuffed in her bra.
Authorities said the drugs were split into two packages tucked inside the bra.
"Narcotics smugglers will go to great lengths to conceal their dangerous drugs, and this is another unique concealment method," James Swanson, Customs and Border Protection port director for the Port of Baltimore, said in a statement. "Unfortunately for her, it wasn't so unique that it fooled our highly trained officers even for a second."
Officials did not provide details of what charges Williams is facing.
-- Maria Glod
Woman, Child Wounded in Fairfax Stabbings
A woman and a small child were stabbed Tuesday in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County, but their injuries were not life-threatening and police arrested a man a short time later.
The incident occurred in an apartment in the 3400 block of Glen Carlyn Drive in the Baileys Crossroads area. The woman, whose age was not available, and a child described as a toddler were found about 2 p.m. with apparent stab wounds to their abdomens. They were taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital, Officer Don Gotthardt said.
A man believed to be the assailant was taken into custody in a nearby apartment building, Gotthardt said. He complained of minor injuries and was taken to the hospital, Gotthardt said. The woman and child are not related, Gotthardt said, and the relationship between the victims and the assailant was not immediately clear.
-- Tom Jackman
Va. Man Dies a Day After Hit-and-Run
A Gainesville man died Tuesday after being struck in a hit-and-run incident on Lee Highway near Lake Manassas Drive in Gainesville late Monday, said Sgt. Kim Chinn, a Prince William County police spokeswoman.
Emmanuel Yeboah, 26, was riding a bicycle northbound on the paved shoulder of the road when a vehicle hit him, Chinn said. A passing driver found him unconscious about 10 p.m., Chinn said. Yeboah was not wearing a helmet, she said.
He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital and died about 5:45 a.m., Chinn said. Police are asking anyone with information to call Prince William Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS.
-- Dagny Salas
Fighters Force Down Errant Student Pilot
Two Air Force jets were scrambled into the airspace above Montgomery County on Tuesday after a student pilot was about to breach restricted air space, a military spokeswoman said. A Coast Guard helicopter escorted the pilot to the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.
The pilot was held at the airpark by police for questioning by the U.S. Secret Service, according to a county police spokeswoman. There was no indication that the pilot intended any harm.
-- Dan Morse
Woman Gets Probation in Cellphone Scam
A former employee of the Department of Energy was sentenced to five years' probation Tuesday for stealing 10 government-issued cellphones and giving them to family members and friends who ran up almost $20,000 in charges.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton also ordered Alva Yelverton, 40, to pay $19,051 in restitution to the U.S. government. Her attorney, Barry Tapp, said Yelverton "is very remorseful."
-- Del Quentin Wilber
TRANSPORTATION
Road Closures Set Near Tysons Corner
Overnight road closures, all connected to the Dulles Metrorail project, will be conducted this week to allow utility work, waterline installation, excavation and delivery of materials.
The left westbound lane of Leesburg Pike (Route 7) will be closed west of Spring Hill Road from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Wednesday. The right lanes of northbound Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) will be closed Wednesday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Leesburg Pike and International Drive. The right lane of northbound Dolley Madison Boulevard (also Route 123) will be closed through Friday night from Anderson Road to the Dulles Toll Road.
The right-turn and center through lane of Spring Hill Road will be closed from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. at Leesburg Pike through Friday. The frontage road at Leesburg Pike will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., also through Friday.
The delays will continue after morning rush hour on the Dulles Toll Road, Leesburg Pike and Dolley Madison Boulevard. The left lane of the westbound Dulles Access Road will be closed from the Pimmit Run bridge to Chain Bridge Road between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. through Thursday and until noon Friday. Eastbound, the left lane on the Dulles Toll Road will be closed during the same hours from Dolley Madison Boulevard to just east of Idylwood Road.
-- Ashley Halsey III
Small Fire Is Reported on Red Line Track
A small insulator fire on track near the Bethesda Metro station forced Red Line trains to share a single track for about two hours between the Friendship Heights and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations Tuesday night, prompting delays for rush-hour riders.
Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said the fire, which began at 6:08 p.m., was put out with a portable extinguisher.
-- James Hohmann
Work to Close H Street NE Intersections
Two intersections on H Street NE will be closed during the day this week to allow installation of streetcar tracks, the D.C. Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the intersection of Fourth and H streets will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The eastbound curb lane of H Street also will be closed between Third and Fifth streets. On Friday, the intersection of Seventh and H streets will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as the eastbound curb lane on H Street between Sixth and Eighth streets.
-- Ashley Halsey III
Bridge Rehabilitation Starts on U.S. 301
A year-long, $2.1 million bridge rehabilitation project gets underway Wednesday at U.S. 301 and Route 214 in Prince George's County. Drivers headed east on Route 214 will discover that access to 301 has been closed.
Construction crews will maintain two through lanes along southbound U.S. 301 by using an existing lane and one shoulder.
-- Ashley Halsey III
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