WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 12/06/02

[7-11Salem-Death]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-39 TC1:24:08]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

This week's storm claimed two lives in Southwest Virginia.
A 54-year old woman died from exposure in Salem.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :20.5]
[SUPER=03-Salem;]
Carol Yvonne Dickerson of Floyd County was found dead yesterday morning outside a medical building under construction.
Police say Dickerson got her car stuck on a curb on Keagy Road, and went up to the empty building instead of a nearby hotel. The construction worker who found her around 6 yesterday morning, tried to find a pulse and then called 9-1-1.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT -23:21:08/1:41:42]
[IN Q=I went up there...]
((PERRY HYPES/CONSTRUCTION WORKER: I WENT UP THERE, THEY SHOWED UP, I SHOWED THEM WHERE SHE WAS AT. THEY TRIED TO REVIVE HER, BUT THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT SO GOOD.)) ((R.E. GRAY/SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT: THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY SUSPICIOUS NATURE TO THIS. IT'S A VERY SAD OCCURRENCE WHEN SOMEONE WAS WITHIN 50 YARDS OF WARMTH, SHELTER AND HEALTH.))
[SUPER=01-Perry Hypes/Construction Worker; :00]
[SUPER=01-R. E. Gray/Salem Police Department; :12]
[RUNS=25]
[OUT Q=warmth, shelter and health.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :08+]
An autopsy is scheduled for later today to find out how she died, and try to answer why she went to a dark building instead of the hotel.
(------------)

[7-11Patrick-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The storm is also being blamed for the death of a 14-year old in Patrick County.
State Police say Matthew Dugger of Patrick Springs was killed Wednesday on his way home from school.
Witnesses told police that the vehicle he was riding in skidded off a snow-covered road, ran into a creek and overturned.
Police say the female driver, also a teenager, crawled out of the wreckage with minor injuries.

[7-11Botetourt-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC1:06:03]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

A fire broke out in a log home yesterday in Botetourt County.
Authorities believe a candle was to blame.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

The home is located on Dry Branch Road near Arcadia. Members of the family discovered the blaze and tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher, but were unsuccessful. They managed to escape without injury.
Most of the damage was contained to the interior of the house, but fire officials believe the home will be declared a total loss.
(------------)

[7-11Pledge]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Ex- Roanoke Police Officer Fred Pledge has lost the appeal of his robbery conviction.
(-----------------)
[V/O-NAT SOT]
Pledge pled guilty last year to racketeering, accepting kick-backs, bribes and protection pay-offs. While the former patrolman admitted to taking money from people, he insisted it did not amount to robbery.
(-----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]
The federal appeals court in Richmond disagreed and upheld the robbery conviction.

[45-11220-React]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-44 TC1:05:39]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

Winter weather caused hundreds of drivers to be stranded on Route 220 for hours Wednesday night. But authorities say the incident has taught them an important lesson.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]

Abandoned cars still line the road where some motorists were stranded for as many as 8 hours Wednesday night.
John Griesenbeck says he was stuck in traffic for six hours, just one mile from his home in Roanoke County.
He and other motorists say that NO police or emergency officials came to help.
Drivers found their own solutions to get moving again.
(///// SOT /////)
[BUMP SOTS]
[COVER FIRST SOT 9:42:58]
[IN Q=I didn't see any]
((JOHN GRIESENBECK/STRANDED MOTORIST: I DIDN'T SEE ANY VDOT, I DIDN'T SEE ANY EMERGENCY VEHICLES, I DIDN'T SEE ANY POLICE.... ))
[BUTT BUTT BUTT WITH SOT 9:46:17 -- SHOW JOHN ON CAMERA]
(( ... THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BLAME BUT I THOUGHT ROANOKE COUNTY LET US DOWN. ESPECIALLY AFTER I CALLED DISPATCH AND I ASKED THEM WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND THEY COULDN'T GIVE ME AN ANSWER AND FINALLY HUNG UP ON ME. ))
[SUPER=01-John Griesenbeck/Stranded Motorist; :05]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=hung up on me.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Roanoke County police say they were stuck in the traffic too and had to give accidents with injuries first priority.
State police say they don't work that part of 220.
And V-DOT says it only helps on accidents when police ask.
Franklin County's Sheriff says he and Roanoke County will work together to make sure they can coordinate a better response in the future.
(------------)

[45-Roanoke-Weather]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

Officials are warning drivers to watch out for icy spots.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
They say even on primary roads where snow has been pushed aside, during the day it may have melted, leaked back on the street and re-froze again after temperatures dropped last night. Meanwhile, Crews are still working to clear roads through the area. V-DOT's goal is to make roads passable within 48-hours. Plows are now making a dent on snow covered roads in neighborhoods and subdivisions. Still V-DOT officials say that doesn't mean your street will be clear today.

(+++++++)
[TAKE FS VDOT INFO BOARD]
If you need detailed information on road conditions, you can call VDOT at 1-800-367-R-O-A-D.

(+++++++)[45-11Botetourt-Fire]

[8-11Salem-Death]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-39 TC1:24:08]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

This week's storm has left two people dead in our region.
A 54-year old woman died from exposure in Salem.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :20.5]
[SUPER=03-Salem;]
Carol Yvonne Dickerson of Floyd County was found dead yesterday morning outside a medical building under construction.
Police say Dickerson got her car stuck on a curb on Keagy Road, and went up to the empty building instead of a nearby hotel. The construction worker who found her around 6 yesterday morning, tried to find a pulse and then called 9-1-1.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT -23:21:08/1:41:42]
[IN Q=I went up there...]
((PERRY HYPES/CONSTRUCTION WORKER: I WENT UP THERE, THEY SHOWED UP, I SHOWED THEM WHERE SHE WAS AT. THEY TRIED TO REVIVE HER, BUT THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT SO GOOD.)) ((R.E. GRAY/SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT: THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY SUSPICIOUS NATURE TO THIS. IT'S A VERY SAD OCCURRENCE WHEN SOMEONE WAS WITHIN 50 YARDS OF WARMTH, SHELTER AND HEALTH.))
[SUPER=01-Perry Hypes/Construction Worker; :00]
[SUPER=01-R. E. Gray/Salem Police Department; :12]
[RUNS=25]
[OUT Q=warmth, shelter and health.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :08+]
An autopsy is scheduled for later today to find out how she died, and try to answer why she went to a dark building instead of the hotel.
(------------)

[8-11Patrick-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The storm ALSO played a role in the death of a 14-year old in Patrick County.
State Police say Matthew Dugger of Patrick Springs was killed Wednesday on his way home from school.
Witnesses told police that the vehicle he was riding in skidded off a snow-covered road, ran into a creek and overturned.
Police say the female driver, also a teenager, crawled out of the wreckage with minor injuries.

[8-11Pledge]

[8-11Botetourt-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC1:06:03]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

A fire broke out in a log home yesterday in Botetourt County.
Authorities believe a burning candle got out of hand.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

The home is located on Dry Branch Road near Arcadia.
Members of the family discovered the blaze and tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher, but were unsuccessful.

They managed to escape without injury.
Most of the damage was contained to the interior of the house, but fire officials believe the home will be declared a total loss.
(------------)

[Mornin' Promo] [ANCHOR-Kim] [Animation]
(///////SOT///////)
((Tomorrow on News 7 Mornin'.))
[RUNS=03]
(-------------)
[Kim on Camera] He has played the banjo for 45 years. During his career, Lester Pate has shared the stage with bluegrass legends Ralph Stanley and Reno and Smiley.
He'll perform for us

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Tomorrow on News 7 Mornin'.[Animation full]