Police Apprehend Man in Chimney at Springfield Home

PHOTO: Carleen Painter was charged with Obstruction of Justice; the man apprehended in the chimney, Michael Rocca, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, resisting arrest, and driving on a revoked license. Rocca will be transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center upon release from the hospital.

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A 49-year-old man attempting to avoid apprehension for outstanding arrest warrants, fled and hid from officers on Thursday, according to Fairfax County Police.

Patrol officers responded to a report of an assault in progress at a home in the 7400 block of Oriole Avenue in Springfield (see map below) Thursday at around 3:15 p.m.

When they arrived, officers saw a man attempting to drive away in a vehicle, police said. An officer ordered him to stop and the man got out of the car, ran back into the home, closed and locked the door, according to FCPD.

The officer spoke to the man through a window and asked him to come outside to speak with him, police said. The man refused, according to police.

After a few minutes, the door opened and police entered and spoke to residents of the home. Officers spoke to other people in the home regarding details about the original request for service pertaining to an assault in progress and learned that the suspect had an outstanding felony warrant for a probation violation in Prince William County and a warrant for fraud from the Virginia State Police, according to Fairfax County Police.

There were numerous weapons in the home; in plain sight, and the family was concerned of the whereabouts of the suspect, FCPD noted. Officers, assisted by a K-9 and Fairfax One (the Fairfax County Police helicopter) also responded to the area to assist with searching the neighborhood.

At approximately 5:40 p.m., officers were alerted to a possibility that the man had holed himself in the tiny ash room adjacent to the home’s chimney. Access to the chimney was a small metal door. Officers, along with a K-9, spotted the suspect and ordered him to surrender. He initially refused, police said.

An officer gripped the suspect, removed him from the chimney but he continued to be combative, non-compliant and ignoring the officer’s verbal commands, police said. The officer, a 6-year veteran of the department, utilized bodily force and was eventually able to apprehend the man, identified as Michael Rocca, by handcuffing him.

Rocca complained of pain and was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital for non life-threatening injuries. Warrants were obtained charging Michael Rocca with Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Resisting arrest, and Driving on a revoked license. Rocca will be transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center upon release from the hospital.

A woman in the home, Carleen M. Painter, 48, was charged with Obstruction of justice. She appeared before the magistrate; was charged and released.

The investigation is continuing.