News

Man Charged With DWI After Horrific Crash in West End Parking Lot

By James Cullum

A 52-year-old Alexandria man has been charged with driving while intoxicated in a crash on Jan. 5 that put a 59-year-old man in critical condition.

“The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he lost both legs as a result of the crash,” Alexandria Police reported. “He remains in critical but stable condition.”

Catalin Filipeanu was charged with maiming of another resulting from driving while intoxicated for allegedly pinning the victim against another car. It occurred in the parking lot of the Safeway at 299 S. Van Dorn Street in the Van Dorn Plaza shopping center

Filipeanu stayed at the scene until police arrived. The incident remains under investigation by the Alexandria Police Department Crash Reconstruction Team. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact investigator Jordan Young at 571-414-8975.

The last reported pedestrian fatality was in November in Old Town, and was preceded October when a 43-year-old man was killed after being struck by a vehicle in the 2500 block of N. Van Dorn Street. In February 2020, there were also incidents in the West End on Duke Street, near the King Street-Old Town Metro station and a fatality at the intersection of Duke Street and Cameron Station Blvd.

There were also two incidents in 2020 of pedestrians in Alexandria who lost limbs after being struck by cars.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.