Fairfax Public-Safety Notes, 3/30/17 edition – Inside NoVA

News of crime and punishment across Fairfax County this week:

STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING TYSONS HIT-AND-RUN: Virginia State Police are seeking information from the public regarding a felony hit-and-run crash that occurred March 21 at 11 a.m. on Interstate 495 near Tysons, just north of the Dulles Toll Road.

A 2013 Nissan Sentra was traveling south on I-495 when a blue Jeep Cherokee suddenly changed from the right-center lane to the left-center lane and struck the Nissan, state police said. The Jeeps driver refused to stop and headed west on the Dulles Toll Road, authorities said.

Rescue personnel transported the Nissans driver, a 58-year-old Alexandria man, and his passenger, a 52-year-old Silver Spring woman, to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspects vehicle is likely to have damage to the drivers side.

UNATTENDED KITCHEN POT CAUSES GREASE FIRE AT VIENNA RESTAURANT: Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded March 22 at 5:34 p.m. to a fire at East Chateau, a Chinese restaurant located at 146 Maple Ave., W., in Vienna.

The fire first was reported by personnel from Fire Station 2 in Vienna, who saw smoke coming from the building when returning from a medical incident in the area. Crews found heavy fire in the ceiling of the kitchen area.

Officials requested a second alarm, which brought about 60 firefighters to the scene.

According to fire investigators, the fire started in the kitchen of the restaurant. The fire was accidental in nature and was the result of a grease fire from an unattended pot on the stove. Officials estimate the blaze caused about $175,000 worth of damage.

TEENS FACING CHARGES AFTER ALLEGEDLY FIRING BB GUN AT VEHICLE: Fairfax County police officers responded March 24 at 4 a.m. to a report of a car that had possibly been shot at with a BB gun near Leesburg Pike and Middleton Ridge Road in the Vienna/Great Falls area.

Officers checked the area and located a car that matched the description of the suspect vehicle. According to police, five teenage boys inside the car allegedly fired a BB gun at the victims car. Charges are pending. The victim was not injured, police said.

McLEAN HOME BURGLARIZED: A homeowner living in the 1400 block of Kirby Road in McLean told Fairfax County police on March 17 at 2:52 p.m. that someone had broken into the home and stolen miscellaneous items. Police do not have any information about the suspect.

UNATTENDED SPACE HEATER SPARKS VIENNA HOUSE FIRE: Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded March 22 at 5:27 a.m. to a reported house fire in the 9800 block of Bridleridge Court in the Vienna area.

Units arrived and found that the large, two-story, single-family home had significant fire showing from a one-story sun room above the garage. In addition, crews reported the fire already had extended into the first and second floors and attic of the main house.

Crews worked aggressively on the interior and exterior of the home to contain the fire and limit it to the areas that were ablaze when they arrived, fire officials said.

There were two occupants at home when the fire was discovered. One occupant discovered the fire after hearing something fall down in the sunroom and seeing smoke coming from underneath the sunroom door.

A neighbor initially called 911 and reported smoke coming from the house. The homes occupants called 911 shortly thereafter to report their house was on fire and that everyone had safely evacuated.

There was one smoke alarm located in the hallway of the home, which did not alert the occupants to the fire because it had been disabled, officials said.

Investigators determined that the fire originated in the sunroom. The blaze was accidental in nature and caused by an unattended space heater that ignited combustible materials, officials said. The fire caused about $176,250 worth of damage, they said.

The fire displaced two adult occupants, who accepted Red Cross assistance. Rescue personnel transported the occupants to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and also took a firefighter to a hospital for evaluation.

PURSE STOLEN DURING VEHICLE BREAK-IN: A local woman told Vienna police that while she was in the Vienna Post Office, 200 Lawyers Road, N.W., on March 17 at 5 p.m., an unknown person smashed the passenger-side window of her vehicle and stole her purse.

ROCK THROWN AT VEHICLE PARKED AT VIENNA HOTEL: A local resident on March 18 at 2:19 a.m. observed a man throw a rock at a vehicle that was parked in the lot at Vienna Wolf Trap Hotel, 430 Maple Ave., W., Vienna police said.

Vienna police officers located the man, but the vehicle owner was undecided as to whether he would pursue charges, police said.

DISASTER-RESPONSE TRAINING OFFERED: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a training program administered by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department that prepares residents to help themselves, their families and neighbors in case of a disaster in their community.

Through CERT, residents can learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic disaster-response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and medical operations in disasters.

The next available CERT class will begin April 24 at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy. There are two sessions each week on Mondays and Wednesdays that run until May 17. The class is 28 hours long overall, plus the final practical exercise.

CERT training is free of charge and the county will provide basic gear. To participate in CERT training at any level, residents must be at least 16 years old and either be a Fairfax County resident or work in the county.

For more information, see the Web site at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/cert/cert.htm.

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Fairfax Public-Safety Notes, 3/30/17 edition - Inside NoVA