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Crime Report: Parking Lot Rage Edition

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, there were two separate cases of men being arrested and accused of assaulting someone during an argument over a parking space.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 11/19/11, 400 block of N. Thomas Street. On November 19 at 7:30 pm, a man brandished a knife at another man during an argument over a parking space. Roger Redman, 62, of Arlington, was charged with Assault and Battery. He was held on a $3,000 bond.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 11/19/11, 2300 block of Columbia Pike. On November 19 at 8 am, a man hit another man on the leg with a pole during an argument over a parking space. Farhan Ali, 35, of Alexandria, was charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

Another crime occurred while a woman was exiting her vehicle on Columbia Pike. She managed to flee from a man with a knife by jumping across to the passenger seat, opening the door and running into her apartment building.

ATTEMPT CARJACKING, 11/20/11, 3800 block of Columbia Pike. On November 20 at midnight, a woman was exiting her vehicle when an unknown man brandishing a knife approached her. He told her to move to the passenger seat, she fled through the passenger door of the vehicle. The victim then ran to her apartment building and called police. The suspect is described as a white male between 40 and 50 years old. He was wearing a blue knit hat and a dark jacket.

Also on Columbia Pike, a woman’s dog saved the day when it woke her up while a man was peeping through her apartment’s sliding door.

PEEPING TOM, 11/19/11, 1900 block of Columbia Pike. On November 19 at 5 am, a woman awoke to her dog barking at a man watching her through the apartment sliding door. The suspect fled when he saw her wake up. He is described as a white male, between 30-40 years old, 5’11” and 190 lbs. with light facial hair. He was wearing a thick gray jacket and dark pants.

The rest of this week’s crime report after the jump, including three men arrested for allegedly attacking another man with a pool cue in a pool hall near Shirlington.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 11/19/11, 2600 block of S. Shirlington Road. On November 19 at 1:30 am, three men assaulted a man with a pool cue. Police located all three suspects. Jeffery Mason, 30, of Falls Church, was charged with Assault by Mob. He was held on a $5,000 bond. Gregory Moss, 30, of Falls Church, was charged with Assault by Mob, Possession of Cocaine and Possession of Marijuana. He was held on a $5,000 bond. Neil Blaney, 27, of Falls Church, was charged with Assault by Mob, Attempted Malicious Wounding, Obstruction of Justice and Possession of Marijuana. He was held without bond.

ROBBERY, 11/20/11, 5500 block of Columbia Pike. On November 20 at 7:45 pm, a man was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle in a convenience store parking lot. Two unknown men approached him, displayed a handgun and robbed him of his cell phone and wallet. The suspects fled in a four door Nissan. The suspects were both described as African American males between 19-20 years old. The first was 5’6”, 180 lbs. and wore dark clothing. The second suspect was 5’4”, 210 lbs, and worse all dark clothing.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 11/17/11, 4200 block of Fairfax Drive. On November 17 at 6 pm, a man grabbed the breast of a female acquaintance.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 11/20/11, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. On November 20 at 2 am, a man and woman assaulted another couple outside a bar. Brad Weil, 31, of Jasper, IN, and Madelyn Doychinov, 28, of Falls Church, were both charged with Assault and Battery. Mr. Weil was held on a $5,000 bond and Ms. Doychinov was held on a $4,000 bond.

BURGLARY, 11/16/11, 900 block of N. Stuart Street. On November 16 between 7 am and 4 pm, an unknown subject entered apartment and stole cash and electronics. There is no suspect information.

BURGLARY, 11/22/11, 1500 block of N. Jefferson Street. On November 17 between 10 pm and midnight, an unknown person entered an unlocked house and stole various items from a utility room. There are no known suspects.

BURGLARY, 11/22/11, 1000 block of S. 23rd Street. On November 22 between 7:30 am and 8 pm, an unknown person entered a house and stole valuables. There is no suspect description.

BURGLARY, 11/22/11, 1000 block of S. 23rd Street. On November 22 between 6:30 am and 8 pm, an unknown subject forcibly entered a residence and stole items. There are no known suspects.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/20/11, 1200 block of S. Hayes Street. Between 10 pm on November 19, and 8 am on November 20, an unknown person broke into a parking booth and stole the register. There are no known suspects.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/20/11, 4800 block of Lee Highway. On November 20 between 4 am and 8 am, an unknown person broke into a business through the glass front door, and stole cash from the register. There is no suspect description.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/22/11, 600 block of S. Carlin Springs Road. Between 7:30 pm on November 21, and 7 am on November 22, an unknown person forced entry into an office suite. There is no suspect description.

ATTEMPT BURGLARY, 11/22/11, 900 block of S. 20th Street. On November 22 around 4 pm, an unknown subject attempted to enter an occupied residence through a window. The suspect fled when confronted. He is described as an African American male, 5’11” and 150 lbs. he was wearing a dark gray zip up hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

GRAND LARCENY (SERIES), 11/17/11, 3500 block of S. Clark Street. On November 17 between 7:30 pm and 8:20 pm, an unknown person broke into at least six gym lockers. Various items were stolen. There is no suspect description.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (SERIES), 11/17/11, 4000 block of Columbia Pike. Between 7 pm on November 16, and 6 am on November 17, an unknown suspect broke into at least two vehicles in the same block. Various items were stolen.


Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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