Two men have been arrested after allegedly trying to resell stolen cars and nearly running over an Alexandria Police officer.

Michael Daugherty, an 18-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., and a 20-year-old man from Prince George’s County, Maryland, were arrested on Dec. 7 after allegedly fleeing the Yasini Auto Gallery near the King Street-Old Town Metro station in a stolen white Toyota RAV4.

The suspects allegedly refused an Alexandria Police officer’s order to stop and nearly hit him, according to a search warrant affidavit. The vehicle was later found abandoned less than a half mile away on Roberts Lane near the Mason Garden Apartments.

Alexandria Police have connected the incident with the November theft of multiple cars that were listed on the OfferUp website. In those cases, owners who advertised their vehicles for sale on OfferUP met the suspects at predetermined locations and were given false checks of up to $22,000. The suspects then drove away in the cars and at least one of the cars was listed on the same website.

The auto gallery ended up buying a Chevrolet Camaro for $4,000 that had been stolen on Nov. 4 after the victim had been given a false check for $23,000. The auto gallery then posted the car for sale on its OfferUp profile.

“We gonna bring you more cars anyway but we want at least 5 (thousand dollars for the Camaro),” the suspects allegedly told the Yasini representative, according to the affidavit.

After being contacted about the stolen car by Alexandria Police, the owner of the dealership reported on Dec. 7 that two of the suspects responsible for selling the vehicles were trying to sell him another one.

“Police arrived on scene… and attempted to stop the individuals in the vehicle by commanding them to stop after receiving confirmation they were the suspects,” police reported in the affidavit. “The vehicle did not stop and almost struck the officers attempting to stop the vehicle.”

Police found the suspects near the abandoned RAV4 and confirmed their identities by getting their cell phone numbers from the owner of the dealership.

Daugherty was released on bond on Dec. 8 after being charged with attempted assault on law enforcement, receiving/buying stolen goods and failure to remain at an accident involving property damage. The 20-year-old suspect was charged with violating a protective order and was released on bond that same day.

The city anticipates that there will be more delays with the completion of the King Street-Old Town Metro Access Improvements Project.

City staff are skeptical that the first phase of the project will be completed by this December.

“We have what the contractor has stated, and what we what our observations are,” Terry Suehr, the city’s director of the Department of Project Implementation, told Council on Tuesday night. “They’ve stated December… They have not proven themselves able to keep on the schedule.”

The first phase of construction — eventually resulting in the opening of a brand new bus loop — was initially supposed to be finished last spring. A second phase includes lighting and landscape improvements, a new kiss & ride, and areas for car shares, taxis and shuttles.

The city website states that the full project will be finished by spring 2021.

Suehr said the city will have additional costs because of the delay, and staff are working up estimates. She is also now requiring the contractor to provide bi-weekly updates on their progress against a set schedule.

Rendering via City of Alexandria

The completion of the King Street-Old Town Metro Access Improvements Project will likely be delayed past August, but it’s not clear for how long.

“This project is continuing forward,” Terry Suehr, the city’s director of the Department of Project Implementation, told City Council on Tuesday night. “The contractor continues to report that they are on schedule and are showing the schedule that shows them completing in August, but based on our observations of the progress that they’re making we suspect that they will not finish in August, so just notifying you all that we we do suspect that there will either be requesting extensions or we’ll be having to deal with contract measures to penalize them for not finishing on time.”

Mayor Justin Wilson said he hopes the city will be recouped for additional extensions due to the delay.

The construction project has nearly completely taken over the entrance to the Metro station, and has redirected bus bays and eliminated the metered parking and kiss & ride areas.

The first phase was supposed to be finished in March, but the start of construction was delayed by two months. It included the opening of a brand new bus loop. The second phase includes lighting and landscape improvements, a new kiss & ride and areas for car shares, taxis and shuttles.

This project has been in the works since 2006. The city council and planning commission approved the design concept in 2012, and the project is part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative by aiming to provide a safer and visually appealing environment for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders.

Staff photo by James Cullum

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on Tuesday announced further reduced services at its Metro stations in Alexandria and throughout the region in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The news comes after a Metro Transit Police Officer tested positive for the virus on Monday.

“We are working closely with the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and local health organizations to both monitor the individual and to take precautions to ensure that colleagues in Metro’s District II police facility near Franconia-Springfield,” Metro said in a statement.

“To be clear, Metro intends to be there to provide service for essential trips in our community — as long as it is safe and appropriate to do so,” stated Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. “If everyone does their part and stays home whenever possible, Metro will be there for hospital staff and other heroes who need us at this unprecedented moment in our lives.”

As of Wednesday, all Metro stations will be closing an hour earlier and will be open weekdays from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“Metro ridership was down nearly 70 percent across the board yesterday,” Metro announced Tuesday. “As a result, starting tomorrow, service will be further reduced – on both bus and rail – to allow even more cleaning and to reduce sharing of workspaces and vehicles for employee safety.”

Additionally, all Metro administrative employees are now teleworking, and trains are operating every 15 minutes throughout the day. All trains will run with 8 cars to “help maintain social distancing between customers.”

The system’s two rail operations control centers will also monitor platforms and trains for potential crowding. All track work has either been reduced or canceled, with the exception of emergency maintenance and inspection work. Metro is also recommending against taking trains and buses to the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which has already canceled a number of its events next month

These days, local commuter Celeste Byrd’s trip on the Metro is easy. Even though trains are operating at the King St-Old Town Metro station every 12 minutes, the trains are mostly empty.

“I really sanitize before I leave for work and I change clothes as soon as I get home,” Byrd told ALXnow while walking from the King Street station on Monday afternoon after work. “Metro is really keeping the stations clean. It feels like a hospital-type scenario.”

The 44-year-old Alexandria resident arrives at the King St-Old Town Metro station at around 9 a.m. during the week for her job as a receptionist for an Arlington psychiatrist.

“I didn’t know that the elevator doors at the Ballston Metro station were bronze. They used to be black and now they are thoroughly clean. You can smell the disinfectant all over,” Byrd said.

URGENT: METRO SERVICE FURTHER REDUCED TO SUPPORT *ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY* — EFFECTIVE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) | INFO: https://t.co/xIzpCBOjBn #WMATA #dc #md #va #coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/kFCZXDyt3y

— Metro (@wmata) March 17, 2020

The transit system will also not be accepting job applications during the shutdown, as its MetroAccess Eligibility Center will be closed until further notice.

Metro is operating in Phase 3 of its Pandemic Flu Plan — the highest level of response that “will include all subsequent mitigation steps,” according to a Monday press release. “Metro expects to be at Phase 3 until further notice. Phase 4 is the ‘recovery phase’ of the plan that involves Metro’s return to normal operations after the situation is under control.”

Tuesday’s full release is below.

Metro’s Pandemic Task Force today announced major service reductions during the ongoing pandemic response. The changes further draw-down service to protect frontline employees, while maintaining regional mobility for essential trips taken by hospital staff, government officials, and emergency responders. The reduction takes into account the urgent public guidance from regional leaders, along with emergency orders to cancel events, close schools and offices, and limit social gatherings across the nation.

Our region is speaking with one voice: Stay home. Essential travel only.

Metro ridership was down nearly 70 percent across the board yesterday. As a result, starting tomorrow, service will be further reduced – on both bus and rail – to allow even more cleaning and to reduce sharing of workspaces and vehicles for employee safety. For the first time, the Metro Task Force will reduce rail system hours with an earlier closing time across the week.

“As members of our community stay home from work, school and social gatherings – following the critical emergency guidance of Governors Hogan and Northam and Mayor Bowser – Metro will reduce service and implement measures to reduce risk for employees and the public,” said Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. “To be clear, Metro intends to be there to provide service for essential trips in our community – as long as it is safe and appropriate to do so. If everyone does their part and stays home whenever possible, Metro will be there for hospital staff and other heroes who need us at this unprecedented moment in our lives.”

Specifically, the Task Force is urging the public to NOT travel to the Cherry Blossom Festival to keep Metro’s limited capacity available for essential travel (e.g. doctors, nurses, essential governmental functions, etc.). Metro reserves the right to close stations near the Tidal Basin at any time to reduce the use of Metro for tourist trips.

In addition, Metro is acting urgently to further reduce the number of employees required at any time and working to create additional redundancy in Metro’s workforce to protect service continuity.

“The actions directed by the Task Force today will help Metro return to normal service when the pandemic emergency is over and our region begins to recover,” said Theresa M. Impastato, Metro’s Chief Safety Officer, who is leading Metro’s response to the pandemic and advising the General Manager.

Effective tomorrow (Wednesday, March 18)–and continuing until further notice–Metro service will operate as follows:

Metrorail:

• Rail system hours and service levels are further reduced to support ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY. DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and follow guidance from your state and local authorities.
• New hours: Weekdays 5AM-11PM, Sat/Sun 8AM-11PM
• Trains will run every 15 minutes on each line at all times, including the Red Line. All trains will operate with 8 cars, the maximum possible length, to help maintain social distancing between customers.
• Metro’s Rail Operations Control Centers (two) will actively monitor trains and station platforms for any possible crowding, something that has not been an issue at any point during the pandemic emergency response.
• Metro is reducing/cancelling track work, except emergency maintenance and inspections, to avoid unexpected delays and maintain 15-minute intervals between trains.

Metrobus:

• Bus hours and service levels are further reduced to support ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY. DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and follow guidance from your state and local authorities.
• Buses will operate on a Sunday schedule, with supplemental service on selected routes to prevent crowding and ensure areas are not cut off. Visit wmata.com for information about “supplemental” routes that will operate, in addition to Sunday routes.
• IMPORTANT: Bus operators are granted the authority to bypass bus stops to maintain safe social distancing aboard the vehicle.
• These actions reduce the number of Metro employees and buses required to maintain service by more than 60 percent.

MetroAccess:

• All subscription trips are cancelled until further notice. Customers with a critical need to travel should make a separate reservation calling 301-562-5360 (TTY 301-588-7535) or via the online reservation system.
• Customers are strongly encouraged to travel ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

IF YOU ARE NOT FEELING WELL OR HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS, YOU MUST AVOID TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THIS INCLUDES METROACCESS CUSTOMERS. Instead, do the following:

1. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOME. Do NOT show up without calling first. Your healthcare provider may want to send you to an alternate location.
2. FOLLOW YOUR PROVIDER’S INSTRUCTIONS. DON’T USE PUBLIC TRANSIT. Let your doctor’s office know if you have transportation needs. They will provide instructions for you to get help. Again, to protect the health and safety our employees, their families, and your fellow passengers, do not use Metro if you are not feeling well.

Due to the emergency service adjustments, Metro’s online trip planner, electronic bus information displays and third-party app-based services may not immediately reflect the schedule changes taken by the Pandemic Task Force. Metro is not adjusting fares, despite service reductions.

“We want everyone to follow the guidance of state and local leaders. Stay home. Travel only if it’s essential and limit your exposure to others,” Impastato said. “The health and well-being of our employees and riders is paramount, and our team will continue to work around the clock to prioritize public health and safety in Metro’s response to this unprecedented emergency.”

Metro has already taken the following steps to protect the health and safety of its frontline employees:

• Increased Metro’s on-hand warehouse inventory of essential supplies, such as hospital-grade disinfectant, wipes, face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and other items used by Metro’s front-line employees.
• Allowing Station Managers to remain in kiosks at all times to minimize their public exposure. Access to kiosks–even among Metro employees–has been further restricted.
• Closed all public restroom access systemwide.
• Giving Bus Operators discretion to bypass bus stops if their vehicle is too crowded to maintain safe social distancing.
• Directed train operators to remain in operating cabs except in an emergency.
• All Metrobuses are equipped with protective safety shields for operators and are to remain closed.
• Implemented mandatory telework for most job functions.
• Banned visitors and non-essential access to buildings and worksites.

Still No Motive for Student Accused of Double Homicide — “George Ivan Maertens Aramayo said police have not told him why his daughter, 19, and Bianda, 21, were killed. He is not familiar with Mohamed Aly, the 18-year-old from Alexandria who is facing two first-degree murder charges. Aly attended T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, where friends say he was a strong student and athlete hoping to play college football.” [Washington Post]

APD Testing Electric Parking Enforcement Vehicle — “APD’s Parking Enforcement Unit conducted a test of an electric GO-4 vehicle today. Pictured is Parking Enforcement Officer Ms. Fuller, who has operated the GO-4 type vehicle for the last 23 years.” [Twitter]

For Alexandria Families, $100K Doesn’t Cut It — “An analysis by personal finance site MagnifyMoney found that in some pricey cities it’s particularly hard to make it on $100,000. ‘The worst metro area for a family earning $100,000 includes Washington, D.C. and neighboring cities Arlington and Alexandria, Va. After factoring in monthly expenses, families would be $315 in the red.'” [MarketWatch]

Fail: King Street Metro Screens — “The status of the fancy new displays at King Street Station: THREE bios screens and a fourth dead one. The one beside the manager’s station has been showing the bios screen for WEEKS.” [Twitter]

Patent Office Holding Job Fair — “The United States Patent & Trademark Office is holding a job fair and hiring 100s of engineers to examine America’s patents in 2020… The Patent Examiner Recruitment Open House event in Alexandria, VA is designed to attract soon-to-be graduates and professionals.” [Zebra]