Crime & Safety
Charges Filed Against Arlington Student in Skateboarding Death
Authorities have not released teen's name.
Authorities have charged a 17-year-old Washington-Lee student with reckless driving following an incident earlier this month that left his friend dead.
The teen was driving a pickup truck June 4 while John Malvar, 18, was hanging on to the side, riding a skateboard, according to an Arlington County Police Department news release.
Malvar lost his balance, fell to the road and hit his head. Emergency responders found him in cardiac arrest, and he died later at a nearby hospital from his injuries.
Malvar was a senior at Washington-Lee High School and the Arlington Career Center. The teen driving the pickup truck was a junior.
The day of the incident, that teen stayed on the scene and cooperated with investigators, police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said. His parents responded and accompanied him to police headquarters that day.
The 17-year-old, who authorities have not named, was charged Tuesday with reckless driving after appearing before a judge in Arlington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, according to a news release.
He was released into the custody of his parents.
A trial date has been set for Aug. 8.
Police collaborated with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for Arlington and Falls Church, which ultimately brought the charge, Sternbeck said.
The charge is a misdemeanor, and the judge will have a range of sentencing options given the defendant's age.
Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos would not discuss the investigation that led to the charge. But she said she believes it is "appropriate" given the evidence and circumstances.
Malvar's father, George, told the Washington Post that he did not have any immediate comment on the charge.
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