Trooper Injured, 2 Arrested after DUI Crash on Beltway in Fairfax County
A Virginia State Trooper was injured and two individuals were arrested on DUI charges following a crash on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Wednesday evening. According to the Virginia State Police, the incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. on the Outer Loop of the Beltway near exit 56 for Fairfax County Parkway. A trooper attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle that was speeding and driving erratically. The vehicle initially stopped but then sped away. A pursuit ensued, and the fleeing vehicle eventually crashed into a guardrail near exit 56. The trooper’s cruiser was also involved in the crash. The trooper sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The two occupants of the suspect vehicle were also taken to the hospital, but their conditions are unknown. Police said that both occupants of the suspect vehicle were arrested and charged with DUI. The driver was also charged with felony eluding. The Beltway was closed for several hours while police investigated the crash. Traffic was diverted to local roads. The incident remains under investigation by the Virginia State Police.Iceland Resumes Whaling Despite Outcry
Iceland Resumes Whaling Despite Outcry
Despite widespread protests from animal rights activists and celebrities, Iceland has granted a new permit to Hvalur hf, its sole remaining whaling company, to continue hunting fin whales this season. The decision has sparked outrage among campaigners seeking to protect the animals. According to the Fisheries Ministry, Hvalur hf will be allowed to hunt 99 fin whales in the Greenland and West Iceland regions, and another 29 in the East Iceland and Faroe Islands regions. Whaling in Iceland has long been a source of contention, with animal welfare groups and Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio calling for an end to the practice. However, the government maintains that the decision is based on a “precautionary approach” and emphasizes sustainable resource use. The whaling season in Iceland typically runs from mid-June to the end of September, with most of the whale meat exported to Japan. Patrick Ramage, director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, condemned the decision, calling it “ridiculous” that target lists are still being set for whales in 2024. He emphasized that the products derived from whale hunting are not essential. Last year, the Icelandic government briefly suspended hunting after the Food and Veterinary Authority reported that the time taken to kill the whales exceeded the limit set by animal welfare laws. Despite an international moratorium on commercial whaling imposed in 1986, Iceland resumed hunting in 2006. Norway also engages in commercial whaling, while Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and resumed hunting in its territorial waters. The moratorium allows indigenous peoples in certain regions, including Greenland and Alaska, to hunt whales for nutritional and cultural reasons.Two people were arrested and a trooper was injured after a DUI crash on the Beltway in Fairfax County. Virginia State Police responded to the two-vehicle crash on the inner loop of the Beltway at Route 606 just after 3 a.m. Saturday. Police said a 2015 Toyota Camry rear-ended a 2007 Toyota Yaris, causing the Yaris to overturn. The driver of the Yaris, identified as 23-year-old Andres Perez-Hernandez of Manassas, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Camry, identified as 21-year-old Jose Luis Cruz-Martinez of Centreville, and his passenger, identified as 20-year-old Jose Angel Cruz-Martinez of Centreville, were both arrested for DUI. A Virginia State Police trooper who responded to the crash was also injured when he was struck by a piece of debris. The trooper was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The crash caused major delays on the Beltway for several hours.
