A 24-year-old D.C. man faces felony theft and attempted malicious wounding charges after allegedly breaking into and stealing multiple vehicles in residential parking lots in Alexandria’s West End.
In one case, he allegedly unleashed pepper spray at a vehicle owner.
The man, Keonte Sincere Marshall, was arrested on Sept. 24 after driving a stolen vehicle into a West End condo complex he was allegedly targeting. He was also arrested for car theft in Arlington in August and released on recognizance, according to court records.
At around 11 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, a bystander saw the suspect allegedly checking vehicle door handles in the parking lot of a condominium complex in the 6100 block of Edsall Road.
The bystander started arguing with the suspect, who initially left the area but then returned minutes later in a stolen Honda Civic with Virginia plates. The man got out of the vehicle and “then sprayed pepper spray towards [the bystander] but had missed,” police said in a recently released search warrant affidavit.
At around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, the owner of the Honda Civic reported it stolen overnight from the 200 block of Yoakum Parkway, less than a half-mile away.
Just after midnight on Sept. 24, the security officer of the condo complex on Yoakum Parkway reported that the man believed to be behind a number of recent thefts was driving into the parking lot in a stolen silver Lexus. Marshall was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted malicious wounding, grand larceny auto, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Marshall was released on recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 27 for a preliminary hearing.
Marshall was also arrested by a Virginia State trooper on Aug. 28 in Arlington County and charged with felony unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was arrested while allegedly driving a gray BMW, reportedly stolen that same day from the 4500 block of Ford Avenue in Alexandria’s West End.
Inside the BMW, police “located various suspected stolen property to include purses, bags, credit cards, several cellphones, several vehicle keys,” according to the affidavit.
Marshal’s preliminary hearing in Arlington County court for that offense is scheduled for Oct. 29.
