Christmas festivities were interrupted Friday night when a vehicle crashed through a police barricade during the annual Santa Lights Manassas celebration, injuring an officer and sending families scrambling during one of the city’s most heavily attended holiday events.
The crash occurred around 7:43 p.m. in Old Town at the intersection of West and Center streets, where officers were directing traffic as thousands gathered for the tree lighting, wagon rides, and Santa’s arrival by Virginia Railway Express train.
According to Manassas City Police, the driver ignored officers’ instructions and drove through road-closure barriers, hitting a stationary police cruiser and striking a uniformed officer, who suffered a minor injury. Another officer was forced to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.
Police said the driver, identified as 24-year-old Jackson Burnley Harlow, briefly stopped but then accelerated again, swerving onto the sidewalk and striking a street sign before turning onto Prince William Street. There, the vehicle hit two more police cruisers that were blocking the roadway before coming to rest at Prince William Street and Liberty Street. Officers then converged on the vehicle and took Harlow into custody.
Harlow, the son of Historic Manassas, Inc. Executive Director Lisa Harrover Harlow, is being held without bond. His charges include:
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Two counts of attempted malicious wounding
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Disregarding a law-enforcement signal to stop resulting in endangerment
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Driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content greater than 0.20%
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Obstruction of justice
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Two counts of hit-and-run involving unattended property damage
Councilman Mark Wolfe said the outcome could have been catastrophic.
“You could have had mass casualties if it didn’t happen an hour earlier and that area was full of people,” Wolfe said. “Our police department is really, really good at what they do… this could have been horrific.”
Police shut down Santa Lights Manassas early as they secured the area. The event, a more than 30-year Old Town tradition, typically marks the start of the city’s holiday season.
Potomac Local News has reached out to Lisa Harrover Harlow for comment. She has not responded.
Friday’s crash occurred three years to the day after the death of Justin Burns, who was struck and killed by a drunken driver outside Old Town Sports Pub. The driver in that case, Jose Rafael Lizama, was sentenced in April to 10 years in prison, with five years suspended.
Manassas City Police said the investigation into Friday’s crash remains active.
