ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 17, 1996 TAG: 9602190106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Leggett Stores has acknowledged that it was responsible for the two-month delay in pressing charges against two University of Virginia basketball players accused of shoplifting from a Charlottesville store.
The two freshmen roommates - Scott Johnson and Darryl Presley - were arrested Tuesday on charges of petty larceny. They were accused of shoplifting $200 worth of merchandise on Dec. 16 from the Leggett Department Store in Fashion Square Mall.
``This situation was recently brought to our attention in the corporate office,'' Leggett spokesman Jeff V. Haley, who is based in Danville, said in a written statement. ``We investigated it immediately and determined that our Charlottesville, Va., store erred in its handling of this situation.
``Our policy is to prosecute all shoplifting in our stores,'' the statement said. ``We have filed charges against these two individuals in compliance with our policy.''
Haley added in an interview: ``We instructed our store to take out a warrant. When we found out about it, we weren't satisfied with the way the store handled the situation.''
Presley said in an interview that he had not been contacted by the store before his arrest. He declined comment on the alleged incident at Leggett. Johnson could not be reached.
Johnson and Presley were suspended for two games - on Dec.21 and 28 - for ``team rules violations,'' UVa sports information director Rich Murray said. Johnson and Presley have since been kicked off the team.
ETC. UVa hires running backs coach
Virginia has filled the vacancy on its football staff by hiring Andre Powell, who previously served on the staff at VMI.
Powell, most recently at Army, will coach the running backs at Virginia. He replaces Ken Mack, who left the UVa program after 14 years to coach at North Carolina, his alma mater.
Powell is a 1988 graduate of Indiana University, where he lettered twice in football. A native of Lockhart, S.C., Powell also attended Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., for two years.
Powell was a graduate assistant at Indiana and South Carolina before joining the Army staff in 1991. He coached running backs at VMI in 1992 before spending two years on the staff at Rhode Island.
* Blair Huffman won the girls' 100 butterfly and finished second in the 200 individual medley as the North Cross girls finished fifth during the first day of the Virginia Independent Schools Swimming and Diving Championships in Chatham.
Huffman completed the 100 butterfly in 1 minute, 59 seconds and the 200 individual medley in 2:16.93. Teammate Laura Dichtel won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:57.56 as the girls' team finished with 57 points.
Two third-place finishes highlighted the North Cross boys' competition. David Krell, Ben Allen, Geoff McLeod and Trent Johnson placed third in the 200 medley relay in 1:45.96. McLeod also finished third in the 200 individual medley in 2:06.87.
Teammate Will Dichtel was fifth in the 200 freestyle race, Johnson was fifth in the 100 butterfly and Allen placed sixth in the 50 freestyle. McLeod also finished eighth in the 50 freestyle.
The competition, which features teams from 27 schools, will conclude today.
* The Blue Ridge wrestling tournament, scheduled for Dabney-Lancaster Community College in Covington, has been switched to Alleghany High starting today at 11 a.m.
Championship matches are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
* The Roanoke Valley District wrestling tournament will be held today at Franklin County. Championship matches will begin at 7:30 p.m.
* The New River District wrestling tournament, set Friday for Christiansburg, has been rescheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. at the same site.
* The Blue Ridge District volleyball tournament has been postponed from today until Monday at Lord Botetourt. Semifinals will start at 4 p.m.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB