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Alexandria man faces felony hit-and-run charge in Fairlington crash

An Alexandria man faces a felony hit-and-run charge after allegedly fleeing the scene of a crash in the city’s Fairlington neighborhood.

The Alexandria Police Department responded to the intersection of N. Quaker Lane and Fern Street around 3:45 p.m. on June 6, for the report of a crash involving a Toyota Tacoma and a Honda CR-V. The driver of the Honda suffered a minor hand injury and her car was totaled.

Witnesses gave APD video of the Toyota fleeing the scene, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. APD tracked the Tacoma’s Virginia license plate to an owner living in the 700 block of Four Mile Road in the city’s Arlandria neighborhood. They found the pickup truck in a parking lot across the street from the owner’s home.

Officers knocked on the door of the apartment and spoke with a resident who said that his older brother had just returned home, quickly changed clothes and left again. Then, while talking with police, the older brother called his younger brother and was told police wanted to see him, according to the affidavit.

Jelzon Garcia Gonzales returned to the apartment, and officers confirmed that he fit the description of the suspect. During his arrest, police found the keys to the Toyota Tacoma in the pockets of his shorts, according to the affidavit.

Garcia Gonzales was charged with leaving the scene of a crash (a Class 5 felony), driving with a revoked or suspended license (a Class 1 misdemeanor) and failure to yield (an unclassified infraction). He was released on recognizance, and his preliminary hearing is Aug. 25.

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.