<sh>Arrest Made in Domino's Robbery
<bt>Loudoun County Sheriff's Office have arrested Zachary Karl Gibson, age 19, of Sterling in connection with the July 23 robbery of a Domino's Pizza delivery man.
Gibson is accused of allegedly participating in the strong-armed robbery of a 31-year-old Herndon man who was lured from his vehicle and assaulted by two men in the 2300 block of East Holly Ave. in Sterling. The two men left the area with a female who was also at the scene at the time of the incident. The suspects allegedly robbed the victim of a credit card, wallet, a cell phone and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The Sheriff's Office have charged Gibson with robbery and he is currently being held at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center without bond.
Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact Investigator Koontz of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Authorities Seek Help
With Smith Case
<bt>Loudoun County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the July 29, disappearance of Erica Smith, which culminated in her death. Smith was reportedly last seen in the Cascades Commons walking with friends. A thorough canvas of the area has resulted in several positive leads.
However, the Sheriff's Office is still seeking any information the public may have about suspicious persons or vehicles in the Cascades Commons area. The Sheriff's Office has emphasized that people should report even information that may seem unimportant and not assume that it has been already reported.
Anyone with information about the case who wishes to remain anonymous can contact Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.
In addition, a post office box, dedicated to the Erica Smith homicide case has been established for members of the community who are more comfortable writing than calling. Send information to the Criminal Investigations Division at P.O. Box 1234, Leesburg, VA 20177.
<sh>Special Prosecutor Forwards County Request to State
<bt>Special prosecutor John Notarianni of Prince William County has found Citizens for Property Rights (CPR), Inc. to be a political action committee.
Notarianni wrote a letter dated Aug. 29 to Commonwealth Attorney Robert Anderson, stating that the organization can be defined as a political action committee according to the reported activities of the group. The committee is required to meet certain filing requirements that Notarianni said it has not met, according to his investigations.
“These requirements do not require the committee to file any reports to Loudoun County,” Notarianni said in the letter.
Notarianni said he would not take any action against CPR within Loudoun County’s jurisdiction, since the county is not the proper venue for prosecution of a non-filing complaint. Notarianni will forward a copy of his file to the Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Richmond, he said.
<sh>Reward Offered in Exxon Robbery, Assault
<bt>A reward fund has been set up to assist in the apprehension of individuals responsible for the Aug. 23 robbery of the Potomac Run Exxon in Sterling. During the robbery, Abdul Hossaimkial was assaulted and stabbed by the robbery suspect. The caller who provides information that leads to the indictment and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crime will be eligible for a cash reward not to exceed $5,000.
The suspect who brandished the gun is described as a white male, approximately six feet in height, weighing 150 to 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray shirt and pants. The second suspect is also described as a white male, five feet ten inches to five feet eleven inches in height and weighing 150 to 160 pounds. He was also wearing a gray shirt and pants. Both suspects are described as being in their mid-twenties.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Investigator Weckenman of the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Charges Dropped
<bt>Charges have been dropped against a Leesburg man accused of sexually assaulting two Clifton girls at Fair Oaks Mall. He is Andrew Kozak, 46. A citizen reported observing him allegedly fondling the girls, 12 and 14, on June 22, around 2:15 p.m. The girls were standing by a railing when the alleged incident occurred.
The citizen, who's not related to the girls, stopped Kozak and detained him until security personnel arrived. Fairfax County police charged him with one count each of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault — which pertains to victims under age 13. Kozak appeared Friday in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and, at that time, the charges against him were dropped.
<sh>Hay Need for Drought Stricken Farms
<bt>The Loudoun Cooperative Extension Office is assembling a list of local hay producers who may have extra hay or hay for sale. The information will be passed on to Cooperative Extension Offices in drought stricken areas.
Farmers in southern Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Delaware have lost pastures due to lack of water caused by the drought. Information needed includes: name, location of hay, phone number, type of hay, size of bale, and price. Labor and machinery to load trucks will also be needed.
Farmers with hay to sell or donate are asked to contact Gary W. Hornbaker at 703-777-0373 or ghornbak@vt.edu.
<sh>Sept. 11 Counseling Available
<bt>The Community Resilience Project of Loudoun County is offering free counseling, referrals and education for those who are experiencing physical and emotional reactions to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. People who live or work in Loudoun can request the free services by calling 1-866-400-2951 or visiting www.communityresilience.com.
<sh>Indecent Exposure Report in Sterling
<bt>Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputies responded Sept. 3 at approximately 1:52 p.m. to a report of an exposure in the 46300 block of Potomac Run Plaza in Sterling. A female victim told deputies that she was in the parking lot of the Potomac Run Plaza when a male suspect, who was sitting in a vehicle, asked her for directions. The female then noticed that the man was exposing himself and she left the scene as the suspect drove away.
Anyone with information regarding this incident you is asked to call the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Exposure Report at Bike Trail
<bt>On Sept. 5, a woman reported to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office that she had witnessed an exposure while walking on the bike trail near the 42200 block of Slatestone Court. The woman told deputies that at approximately 12:45 p.m. she was walking along the trail when she came upon a male subject who was exposing himself. Leaving the scene, the woman returned to her residence and alerted the Sheriff's Office.
The subject is described as a black male, six-feet tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and green shorts.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Biosolids Workshop Scheduled
<bt>The Loudoun County Technical Committee on Land Application of Biosolids has scheduled a public input workshop to obtain public comment on potential revisions to the county's biosolids ordinance. The workshop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the Lovettsville Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E. in Leesburg. To register, call Jerry Franklin, the division of environmental health, at 703-771-5802.
<sh>Arrest in Carnival Stabbing Case
<bt>On Sept. 3, investigators with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office charged Ernesto Joel Garcia, 22, of Arlington in connection with the July 21 stabbing of two victims at a carnival in Sterling.
Sheriff's deputies responded on July 21 at approximately 10:56 p.m. to a report of a stabbing at a carnival located at the 45100 block of Colombia Place, Sterling. One of the victims, a 17-year-old, Reston male had life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Washington Hospital Center via MedStar and was subsequently released. The second victim, Nikia Couch, 18, of Herndon, was transported to the emergency room at Loudoun Hospital and was later released.
The altercation reportedly began around 10:30 p.m. between the victims and a group of approximately 15 Hispanic males in the parking lot adjacent to the carnival. After the incident, the victims left the scene and drove to a convenience store in Junction Plaza where a third party dialed 9-1-1 and reported the incident. The Hispanic subjects involved in the incident are believed to be members of a gang.
Garcia was arrested as one of the alleged suspects involved in the stabbing. He has since been charged with 2 counts of Malicious Wounding by Mob. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
This case continues to be under investigation and further charges are pending. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call Investigator DiBenedetto of the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.