Fairfax Officer Accused of Threatening Ex-Girlfriend
July 3, 2007 Tuesday
Washington Post Staff Writer
A Fairfax County police officer was charged yesterday with assault and burglary for allegedly breaking into an ex-girlfriend's house and threatening her, Montgomery County police said.
Richard L. Streeter, 24, of Fairfax was arrested yesterday after an altercation Thursday with his ex-girlfriend at her Bethesda area home, according to police and court records.
Streeter, who has been on the force since August 2004, has been suspended without pay, Fairfax police spokeswoman Mary Ann Jennings said. Streeter was transported to Montgomery yesterday afternoon and was being interviewed by detectives last night. He was also charged with stalking and misuse of a telephone. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney. A bond hearing is expected today.
His ex-girlfriend, Laurie M. Mavica, 21, walked into a Montgomery police station after he pursued her relentlessly following their breakup after a four-month relationship, according to a complaint Mavica wrote in a petition for a restraining order. The petition provides the following account:
The pair severed ties June 25. On Wednesday, Streeter called Mavica numerous times, but she didn't answer. That night she and another ex-boyfriend fell asleep at her house while watching a movie. About 6:30 the next morning, Streeter "broke into my house and stormed upstairs," Mavica wrote.
"Rick started yelling at me saying he couldn't believe what he saw," Mavica wrote.
Streeter left but returned and demanded that the other ex-boyfriend leave so he and Mavica could talk, Mavica said in the petition. Montgomery police said Streeter physically assaulted her when he returned.
Mavica wrote in the complaint that she "kept telling him to get out and that he was acting crazy," and he responded, "If I were crazy I would have shot you both."
"At this point I feel it is important to state that Rick is a police officer [with] Fairfax County," Mavica wrote, adding that he was wearing part of his uniform and had his firearm strapped on. He didn't have keys to the house, she said.
Streeter left but attempted to contact her by calling her cellphone and sending a flurry of text messages.
Mavica said one of the text messages said: "pick up your phone. 25 cent texts add up quick and I'll send 1,000 today."
On Friday, Mavica said, she found Streeter sitting in front of her car. When she attempted to leave, he began to follow her. She called 911 and drove to a police station, she said.
A District Court commissioner approved the temporary restraining order Friday barring Streeter from going to her house in the 4900 block of Berkley Street and to American University. It was not immediately clear why he was prohibited from going to the university.
The two were scheduled to appear before a District Court judge today for a hearing on the order.
Staff writer Tom Jackman contributed to this report.