[Gasoline soaked] Maryland man charged with crashing Jeep into downtown D.C. office building

Washington Post ^ | June 9, 2012 | Mike DeBonis

[grundle]

Authorities have charged a Maryland man with arson and destruction of property for driving an SUV into the lobby of a downtown Washington office building Friday evening.

Charles Morrell Ball, 32, of New Market has been charged with three felonies, said police spokeswoman Tisha Gant. Ball is also charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Ball’s sport-utility vehicle was doused with gasoline when it crashed into the Washington Square building on the southwest corner of Connecticut Avenue and L Street NW at about 7:30 p.m.

At least one gasoline container was taken from the SUV, a red Jeep.

With its similarities to car bombings, the crash provoked a vigorous response.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force was called to the scene Friday, but Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said Saturday morning that initial indications are that “his motive was not a terrorist motive.”

“I don’t think it was a terrorist act,” she said.

Police said the car had been stolen. A law enforcement official not authorized to speak about Ball’s condition said he has “mental-health issues.”

A Charles Morrell Ball of the 10200 block of Ladoga Place in New Market is listed in the Maryland registry of sex offenders. He was convicted in 2008 of a third-degree sexual assault and is listed as having complied with reporting requirements.

Ball was taken to a hospital for evaluation but has since been released, Lanier said.

There was no report of any other injuries.

Lanier said it was “miraculous” that Ball didn’t hit any bystanders.

”I think we’re extremely fortunate that no one was hurt in there last night,” Lanier said. “We’re very lucky.”

As the SUV crashed through plate glass at street level, diners were enjoying drinks and dinner in the Morton’s steakhouse a floor above.

[grundle]

Why hasn't this person been charged with attempted murder?

And why are they saying that this is not a terrorist act?

[Tammy8]

It is not a terrorist act because sex offenders are not on the Homeland Security list of potential terrorists- remember that list has military, firearm owners, conservatives, etc...

[ConorMacNessa]

And why the Hell isn’t he in jail?

[Mr. K]

did anything in “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force” think to ask the dumba$$ in question whether he INTENDED to commit a terrorist act?

[raccoonnookkeeper]

Not Amish.

[EDINVA]

The story refers to his arrest. Sounds like they should send him to St E’s. Don’t know if there is/was bond or if he could post it.

[ConorMacNessa]

He's a repeat offender and arson is a major felony. He should be locked up and no bond set. This happened on a Friday night. At the minimum he should have been held awaiting a bond hearing Monday morning. I work right around the corner from the building he rammed - Washington Square. The Farragut North Metro Station is on that corner and was open at 7:30 last night. Thank the Lord no one was killed.



Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[ConorMacNessa]

Here's his pic from the Maryland State Sex Offender Registry:





Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kirkwood]

Where does it say he is not in jail? It says he was released from the hospital, but it doesn’t say he was released from custody.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Send People Like Michael Jackson To Lifetime Halfway Houses In Alaska
http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/may/article120.html

[ConorMacNessa]

The article does not say one way or the other. I read several other articles from various sources and none of them say anything one way or the other as to whether he is incarcerated. Several of the articles state that he is being kept under observation at a hospital.

I jumped to the conclusion that he was out of jail. On reflection, the normal course of action when an arrest is made after hours is to hold the accused over for a bond hearing the next business day. That is probably what has happened here. He's probably spending the weekend either in the D.C. Jail or in the holding cell on the C Street level of the Moultrie Courthouse.



Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Ann Archy]

OK, he’s black, is he Muslim also??? And Liberalism IS a Mental Disorder.

[Terry Mross]

What the police chief really said was “We checked and he’s not a member of the Tea Party or the GOP therefore we don’t think he’s a terrorist.’

[null and void]

(Reposting without the Getty image)

grundle ~ ”I think we’re extremely fortunate that no one was hurt in there last night,” Lanier said. “We’re very lucky.”

WilliamofCarmichael ~ Talk about being lucky.. only the driver was killed in this 2001 attack on the California Capitol building.

TRUCK RAMS CAPITAL Legislators' Narrow Escape -- State Assembly adjourns just as big rig slams into Senate steps Driver Killed In Fireball -- Witnesses say speeding semi circled building before crash

"Blaring its air horn and accelerating at high speed, a big rig smashed into the south side of the state Capitol last night and exploded in a fireball as the Assembly ended a meeting on California's energy crisis . . . ."

(offending Getty image can be found here)

[EDINVA]

The language of the article is not very clear. I think he was released from the hospital; he was arrested. Nothing one way or the other clarifies whether he’s in jail or not, but I would assume he IS in jail (or at St E’s), at least through the weekend until he can be arraigned on Monday.

I used to work at 17th & L, and also Conn/K, so know the area really well. Even pre-Metro. Remember when that location was Scholl’s? I remember watching the old Scholl’s building come down, this one go up, Duke Zeiberts opening there, and now Morton’s.