Muggers on Custis

[Two Wheels]

Last night around 10 or so two men tried to mug me at gunpoint on the Custis just before Glebe Road/footbridge over the I-66 westbound offramp. As I topped the last of the two hills, I saw one walking slowly towards me on the far left side, then saw the other on the edge of the path on the right. The one on the left pulled a semiauto handgun. I accelerated as hard as I could, rammed them, stayed upright and fled. Called 911 ASAP. They also mugged another guy. He stopped, they put the gun in his mouth and beat him, broke his collarbone. The police took his report from the hospital.

Be careful out there.

Topic

[bobco85]

@Two Wheels 48402 wrote:

Has anyone heard how the other guy is doing? I’ve been worried sick about him.

An article on WJLA says that the guy sustained non-life-threatening injuries: http://wj.la/YTyTqh

Hopefully that means he just has some cuts and bruises. I imagine he probably has a concussion, but I do not know.

[sblanco]

I bike through that area all the time on my way to and from work. I always attempt my best at keeping an eye out for anyone, especially for someone or something in my peripheral. But after a long day of work its hard to stay focused, you simply want to enjoy the ride and not worry about some creep lurking in the shadows. I will try and ride with others if I get the chance, if not I might start taking the metro more often.

[txgoonie]

@bobco85 48415 wrote:

An article on WJLA says that the guy sustained non-life-threatening injuries: http://wj.la/YTyTqh

Hopefully that means he just has some cuts and bruises. I imagine he probably has a concussion, but I do not know.

Victim reported on the MABRA listserv:
Just a heads up to everybody that uses the Custis trail in Arlington. I was attacked by two guys with a gun at 10pm last night and robbed and beaten. They knocked me off my bike and unfortunately I broken [sic] a number of bones in the fall. I fought back which made things worse. Please be vigilant on that trail as I thought it was pretty safe!

[pfunkallstar]

Weirdly enough, that assault happened in the exact same spot where my buddy was jumped about 15 years ago. I’ve had people gander at me a couple of times with that menacing “moving money bag” look, but then they start to notice the ripped cycling clothes and poor body grooming.

[Two Wheels]

@txgoonie 48458 wrote:

Victim reported on the MABRA listserv:
Just a heads up to everybody that uses the Custis trail in Arlington. I was attacked by two guys with a gun at 10pm last night and robbed and beaten. They knocked me off my bike and unfortunately I broken [sic] a number of bones in the fall. I fought back which made things worse. Please be vigilant on that trail as I thought it was pretty safe!

Cr@p. I’m not a member of MABRA, so I can’t post. Please give “big-john” my heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery. I don’t know who he is, but I’ve been worried sick about him since that night.

[vvill]

3 cops on motorbikes going east bound on Custis around 3:45pm. I gave the first guy a wave, but they looked very serious. Nice to see them out there.

[OneEighth]

Not sure the target audience is on the trails at 3:45 pm. Or even 7-something.
Just sayin’.

[mstone]

@OneEighth 48522 wrote:

Not sure the target audience is on the trails at 3:45 pm. Or even 7-something.
Just sayin’.

The target audience is irate voters.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Two on segways on the way home. Hopefully they’re out there after dark too.

[Jason B]

@OneEighth 48522 wrote:

Not sure the target audience is on the trails at 3:45 pm. Or even 7-something.
Just sayin’.

Kids leaving school. There is the little guy school right there and a number of w-l kids take the cutis home. I know that is not a high crime time, but a very common time for little ones to be on the trail.

[Dickie]

Two policeman on bikes heading West on the W&OD last night around 7:30, gave them the thumbs up and they said hi. I still took Fairfax Drive into Clarendon and skipped the trail though.

[consularrider]

Saw two bike patrol volunteers on the MVT (one twice, going each way), then on the 4MRT at West Glebe there were two park police (unknown jurisdiction) stopped with teir bikes on the spur over to the stop light. Last night around 9 pm, I watched from my second floor window as a park ranger drove a SUV heading east. The driver pulled over into the power pylon bypass as a cyclist was headed directly towards the vehicle. All of a sudden we’re seeing more official presence on the trails. Not a bad thing at all.

[acc]

@consularrider 48556 wrote:

Saw two bike patrol volunteers on the MVT (one twice, going each way), then on the 4MRT at West Glebe there were two park police (unknown jurisdiction) stopped with teir bikes on the spur over to the stop light. Last night around 9 pm, I watched from my second floor window as a park ranger drove a SUV heading east. The driver pulled over into the power pylon bypass as a cyclist was headed directly towards the vehicle. All of a sudden we’re seeing more official presence on the trails. Not a bad thing at all.

*cough* Consularrider, seems to me you might be the Green Hornet, or Superman. You’re all over it.

[JorgeGortex]

I hope we can keep pressure on ACPD and the County Board to continue this sort of police presence into the warm summer months that are coming. Its great that they are getting out on the trails, but they need the resources and drive be out on bikes everywhere in the county, and to do so not just now, but all the time. If you are an Arlington resident (or someone who commutes through Arlington regularly) I’d encourage you to write your own letter and statement. The more they hear it and the more they keep hearing it, the higher the likelihood our efforts will stick. This is about our community even more so than our trails.

[consularrider]

@consularrider 48556 wrote:

Saw two bike patrol volunteers on the MVT (one twice, going each way) …

Forgot to mention that one of these appeared to be on an electric assist bike. I was crossing over to Vernon View Dr when he went past.

[Author]

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