After Attacks on Women, Broken Streetlights Seen as Safety Issue

After four attacks on women near the Georgetown University since the beginning of August, police caught a man in the early hours of Sept. 17 on Prospect Street NW.

The night before that crime, Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Bill Starrels and Terry Lynch, executive director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, walked around town to count how many street lights were dim or not working at all and said the lack of light is a safety issue.

Concerning the latest incident on Sept. 17, the Metropolitan Police Department “charged a Virginia man with sexual abuse after he allegedly groped a woman in Georgetown,” the Washington Post reported. A woman was walking on a sidewalk in the 3300 block of Prospect Street about 1 a.m. Saturday when police officers saw a man following her. The suspect ran off before officers apprehended and arrested him, police said, identifying the man as Sergio Waldo Velaquez-Cardozo, 34, of Falls Church. Velaquez-Cardozo has been charged with third-degree sexual abuse. (It is not clear if the suspect is connected to other crimes in the area.)

Here is a recap of details from MPD of related crimes in the neighborhood.

On Wednesday, August 3, 2016, at approximately 1:10 am in the 1600 block of 35th Street, Northwest a suspect armed with a knife grabbed a victim and attempted to sexually assault her. CCN: 16-128-976. The suspect was described as a black male, 5’9”to 5’11” in height, with a slim build. He was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and gym type shorts. He was armed with a knife.

On Tuesday, August 23, 2016, at approximately 10:10 pm near the intersection of 37th and T Street, Northwest a suspect assaulted a victim by grabbing her. CCN: 16-142-037. The suspect was described as a possible Hispanic male in his early twenties, 5’6” in height. He was wearing a light colored t-shirt, dark basketball style shorts, and a dark colored mask.

On Monday, September 5, 2016 at approximately 10:30 pm in the 1200 block of Potomac [Street], Northwest a suspect approached the victim from behind and groped her. CCN: 16-150-866. The suspect was described as an unknown male, 6’1” in height. He was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.

On Monday, September 12, 2016 at approximately 10:40 pm in the 1300 block of 35th Street, Northwest a suspect approached a victim from behind and groped her while exposing himself. The suspect exposed himself to another victim as he fled. CCN: 16-154-854. The suspect was described as a possible Hispanic male in his twenties, 5’6” in height. He was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and dark gym shorts.

Meanwhile, Lynch and Starrels report that they found streetlights out or dim in the areas where sexual assaults were committed.
 
The following is part of their list of streetlights not working or dim: Two at 33rd and M Streets, NW; one on Potomac Street near M Street; three along 3300 block of M; two at 34th and M; one at 1213 34th; one at 1219 34th; one at 35th and Prospect Street; one at 35th and O Streets NW; one at at 1642/44 35th Street; two at the corners of 35th and Reservoir Road NW; one at 34th and Dent Place; one at 1631 Wisconsin Ave.; two in the alley near 37th and T Streets; one at 38th and T Streets.

“It is appalling,” said Starrels, in whose ANC 2E single-member district one of the crimes occurred. “It seems there is a definite correlation about where these attacks occurred and streetlights are not working.”

“I have found streetlights out in other neighborhoods with safety issues,” Lynch said. “Streetlight maintenance has failed to keep up with the growth of the city. It is not just a matter of fixing these. The staff and system need to be overhauled and modernized.”

“The streetlights out were reported to city officials for repair,” Lynch and Starrels said. “A report of the findings were sent to the city’s director of the D.C. Dept. of Transportation as well as the City Administrator.”