Falls Church police said they arrested the man responsible for a string of incidents over the past few weeks where he either followed or chased after women on both the W&OD Trail and through residential neighborhoods.
Lamar Dontae McCarthy, a 23- year-old from Stafford, was charged with assault for his latest instance on Saturday, authorities said.
Police said a woman called them from the Grove Avenue crossing of the W&OD Trail that day to report that McCarthy had chased after her.
According to the police, the woman stated that she saw a man in a red hooded sweatshirt suddenly stop his vehicle and begin sprinting at her.
The woman changed direction several times to try and elude the man, police said, but McCarthy continued to chase her.
Police said that she eventually ran to her home and called the authorities, where she gave a description of McCarthy and his vehicle.
Officers said they located and pulled over McCarthy in the car described. He confirmed the incident on the trail and was arrested, per the police.
The police said they confirmed that McCarthy was also involved in two previous cases in the City of Falls Church, such as the May 4 incident previously reported in the News-Press where the suspect was described as wearing a red hoodie.
“I admire the bravery of this woman who did everything right,” Falls Church Chief of Police Mary Gavin said via a news release. “She was aware of her surroundings, she acted quickly to evade a dangerous assault, and she found a safe place to call the police immediately. I am also proud of the quick-acting officers who found the suspect in his vehicle and made the arrest.”
McCarthy is currently being held in the Arlington County Adult Detention Center.
