Thursday, February 26, 2004
Police Briefs ± FROM STAFF REPORTS
CRASH
Wife dies, husband hurt
half-mile from their farm
A Millboro woman was killed and her husband was injured when their van crashed in Bath County Wednesday.
Sgt. Tom Foster, spokesman for the Virginia State Police, said Edward Terrel Walters, 75, was driving a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country van, and Rita Baird Walters, 72, was the only passenger. They were headed north on Virginia 42 about 4 p.m. when they entered a slight left-hand curve, ran off the left side of the road and struck two large trees, Foster said. They were only about a half-mile from the entrance to their farm, he said.
Rita Walters died at the scene. Ed Walters was flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Hospital spokesman Eric Earnhart said Walters was in serious condition Wednesday night.
Foster said it's unclear what caused the crash. The road was level, and there were no skidmarks.
Ed Walters was wearing a seat belt, Foster said, but Rita Walters was not. He said it was unclear whether she had been sitting in the van's front or rear.
Ed Walters was featured in a Roanoke Times article Monday about the environmental status of the Cowpasture River.
- Shawna Morrison
ROBBERY
18-year-old arrested
after Sparky's robbed
A Roanoke man was arrested Wednesday morning after a store near his house was robbed, police said.
A clerk at Sparky's food store in the 500 block of Elm Avenue Southwest told police that a man entered the store just as he was about to close at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday. The clerk said the man had a garment across his face and was armed with a hammer.
The man demanded money from the clerk, who complied, and then left, police said.
Roanoke police spokeswoman Shelly Alley said a police investigation led officers to 18-year-old Donta' Lamar Payne of the 500 block of Day Avenue Southwest.
Payne was charged with robbery and was being held without bond in the Roanoke City Jail on Wednesday.
- Lindsey Nair
WACHOVIA
Police seeking man
in Radford robbery
Police are looking for a man who robbed a Radford bank Wednesday morning.
Lt. J.F. Lawson of the Radford Police Department said in a news release that a man robbed the Wachovia Bank on East Main Street about 9:20 a.m. The man handed a teller a note that said he had a gun and instructed the teller to give him money.
The man never displayed a weapon, Lawson said. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.
The robber is described as a thin, white man, 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 130 to 140 pounds, with a fair complexion and freckles, Lawson said. Across his nose was a bandage. The man was wearing a black, hooded sweat shirt with a zipper down the front, gray sweat pants, black gloves and sunglasses. He also wore a navy-blue baseball cap with gold trim around the bill and with "CAL" on the front in cursive lettering.
Anyone with information is asked to call Radford police at 731-3627 or 731-3628.
- Shawna Morrison
Wife dies, husband hurt
half-mile from their farm
A Millboro woman was killed and her husband was injured when their van crashed in Bath County Wednesday.
Sgt. Tom Foster, spokesman for the Virginia State Police, said Edward Terrel Walters, 75, was driving a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country van, and Rita Baird Walters, 72, was the only passenger. They were headed north on Virginia 42 about 4 p.m. when they entered a slight left-hand curve, ran off the left side of the road and struck two large trees, Foster said. They were only about a half-mile from the entrance to their farm, he said.
Rita Walters died at the scene. Ed Walters was flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Hospital spokesman Eric Earnhart said Walters was in serious condition Wednesday night.
Foster said it's unclear what caused the crash. The road was level, and there were no skidmarks.
Ed Walters was wearing a seat belt, Foster said, but Rita Walters was not. He said it was unclear whether she had been sitting in the van's front or rear.
Ed Walters was featured in a Roanoke Times article Monday about the environmental status of the Cowpasture River.
- Shawna Morrison
ROBBERY
18-year-old arrested
after Sparky's robbed
A Roanoke man was arrested Wednesday morning after a store near his house was robbed, police said.
A clerk at Sparky's food store in the 500 block of Elm Avenue Southwest told police that a man entered the store just as he was about to close at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday. The clerk said the man had a garment across his face and was armed with a hammer.
The man demanded money from the clerk, who complied, and then left, police said.
Roanoke police spokeswoman Shelly Alley said a police investigation led officers to 18-year-old Donta' Lamar Payne of the 500 block of Day Avenue Southwest.
Payne was charged with robbery and was being held without bond in the Roanoke City Jail on Wednesday.
- Lindsey Nair
WACHOVIA
Police seeking man
in Radford robbery
Police are looking for a man who robbed a Radford bank Wednesday morning.
Lt. J.F. Lawson of the Radford Police Department said in a news release that a man robbed the Wachovia Bank on East Main Street about 9:20 a.m. The man handed a teller a note that said he had a gun and instructed the teller to give him money.
The man never displayed a weapon, Lawson said. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.
The robber is described as a thin, white man, 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 130 to 140 pounds, with a fair complexion and freckles, Lawson said. Across his nose was a bandage. The man was wearing a black, hooded sweat shirt with a zipper down the front, gray sweat pants, black gloves and sunglasses. He also wore a navy-blue baseball cap with gold trim around the bill and with "CAL" on the front in cursive lettering.
Anyone with information is asked to call Radford police at 731-3627 or 731-3628.
- Shawna Morrison
