WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 12/14/02

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Ahead on NEWS 7 at six.
A head- on collision leaves a Chatham judge and two members of his family hospitalized.
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[VO-NAT]
And, state police say charges are pending following yesterday's 40- car pileup on Afton Mountain.
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((CLIFF HAPGOOD: WE'RE JUST THINKING AND PRAYING THAT HE GETS BETTER THAT EVERYTHING IS OK HIM AND HIS FAMILY.))
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[VO-NAT]

A local judge is seriously injured in a car accident.
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[ANCHOR=Teresa]
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Good evening, I'm Teresa Hamilton.

[Judge-Crash]

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Judge George Jones of Chatham is in guarded but stable condition at a Farmville hospital. He along with his wife and mother were injured in a head-on collision in Cumberland County.
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Justin McLeod has been working on this story. He joins us now with an update on the judge's condition. Justin?
Teresa, we don't know much about his condition but we do know Judge Jones remains in intensive care.
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His wife is ok but his mother Doris is in critical condition at the UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville.
This is all the result of a serious accident on Route 60 in Cumberland County just after two o'clock Friday afternoon.
State Police say a driver crossed the center line and hit Jones' vehicle head on.
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[VO-NAT]

The news of the accident quickly spread in Franklin and Pittsylvania County where Jones is a General District Judge for the 22nd judicial district.
He's been on the bench for more than eight years, before that he was a Commonwealth's Attorney.
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The judge's colleagues are praying for a speedy recovery.
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[IN Q=We were greatly shocked]
((CLIFF HAPGOOD/FRANKLIN CO. COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: WE WERE GREATLY SHOCKED, I THINK EVERYBODY RESPECTS AND ADMIRES JUDGE JONES. HE'S A VERY FAIR AND EVEN HANDED JUDGE AND IT WAS JUST A TERRIBLE SHOCK TO HEAR. A LOT OF PEOPLE ROOTING FOR HIM? ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE ALL PRAYING FOR HIM. IT WAS JUST A TERRIBLE SITUATION JUST AWFUL TO BE HIT IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT.))
[SUPER=01-Cliff Hapgood/Franklin Co. Commonwealth's Attorney]
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Franklin County Sheriff Quint Overton had a chance to talk to Jones' wife Kay before he went into surgery last night.
She said all three were trapped in the vehicle for awhile after the crash.
Again, Judge Jones is in guarded but stable condition at Southside Community Hospital in Farmville.
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Teresa, Troopers say the driver of the other vehicle will most likely face reckless driving charges.

[Afton-Pileup]

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Everyone injured in a 40-car pileup on Afton Mountain Friday afternoon have been released from the hospital.
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[VO-NAT]
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The multi-car accidents shut down westbound Interstate 64 for more than five hours yesterday.
State Police blame fog and driver inattention for the pileup.
Afton Mountain has been the site for accidents like this in the past, but Troopers say new initiatives are making a difference.
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((FIRST SGT. JOE RADER/VA STATE POLICE: I THINK V-DOT'S TECHNOLOGY HAS GOTTEN A LOT BETTER. WE'VE GOT MESSAGE BOARDS AND IT'S ALL ABOUT ALERTING DRIVERS BUT WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THE DRIVERS RESPOND TO THE MESSAGES AND THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY ARE CONFRONTED WITH, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.))
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[VO-NAT]

The investigation into the accidents is continuing and troopers say charges could be filed because some drivers may have been speeding.
In all 20 people were injured, none with life threatening injuries.
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[B'burg-Robbery]

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Police are investigating an armed robbery at a Blacksburg hotel. It happened early this morning at the Four Points Sheraton on Prices Fork Road. Investigators say a white male, dressed in dark clothing entered the lobby and demanded cash. The gunman made off with an undisclosed amount of money. Police say no one was injured.

[CHIP]

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Hundreds got into the holiday spirit today and "chipped" in to help an area organization.
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Child Health Investment Partnership or CHIP held its third annual "breakfast with Santa" at the Hotel Roanoke this morning.
Nearly three hundred kids got the chance to eat breakfast with Old St. Nick as well as have their pictures taken with him.
Proceeds from the event benefit medically underserved children up to six years old who live in the Roanoke Valley.
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((ROBIN HALDIMAN/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: CHIP COORDINATES HEALTHCARE BY PROVIDING A MEDICAL HOME FOR CHILDREN AS WELL AS HAVING RN'S WHO HELP TO MAKE SURE ARE UP TO DATE WITH THEIR IMMUNIZATIONS THEIR WELL BABY VISITS AND ARE REFERRED TO SPECIALISTS WHEN NEEDED.))
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[VO-NAT]

The organization also collected unwrapped toys and raised funds through a silent auction.
Today's event raised nearly ten thousand dollars.
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[S-Liberty]

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We start our state championship tour in the Hill City where the Liberty Minutemen made the short trip to battle New Kent for the Group 2-A Division Three Crown. With a win, the Minutemen would wrap up the first state football title in school history.
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[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Liberty vs. New Kent; :00]

Liberty's rookie coach Chris Watts had a few last minute words for his players before they took the field. Late in the first quarter, the Minutemen opened the scoring when fullback Chris Spinner broke free, threw a stiff arm and carried three New Kent defenders into the endzone on a 47 yard TD run. It was 7-nothing Liberty.
In the second quarter, the Minutemen went to the big play again. Quarterback O-B Blake ran the option to the left and then cut back across the field. Blake bolted 56 yards for the touchdown and a 13-nothing lead.
New Kent regrouped though. Ryan Wilder found the opening on the left side and motored 40 yards for the score cutting Liberty's lead to 13-6 with 6-45 left in the first half.
The Minutemen scored once more before intermission. Blake did the honors from 8 yards out. Watts and company led 20 to 6 at halftime.
Blake then opened the second half by scoring his third touchdown of the game. This one went for 94 yards and a touch. O-B broke thru the line and found nothing but daylight on his way to the zone. It was 27 to 6 Liberty just 2 minutes into the third quarter.
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The Minutemen weren't done yet. Michael Pennix went off the left side for 72 more yards and 6 more points. Liberty rolled to the Group AA, Division 3 title, pounding New Kent 41 to 6.
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[SUPER=01-Chris Spinner/199 Rushing Yards, 1 TD vs. New Kent; :]
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[OUT Q=have a good time."]
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[S-Heritage]

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[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Heritage vs. Lafayette; :00]
The Heritage Pioneers came into the stadium trying to finish off the first perfect season in school history as they battled Lafayette. It was a defensive game for most of the first quarter as Lafayette's Mako Calderin is dropped in the backfield by Heritage's Brad Harris. The Pioneers took over, and on their first play - quarterback Craig Ford hits Pierre Penn on a slant-in and 57 yards later Penn is in the endzone. The Pioneers break out to 6-to-nothing lead after the failed two point conversion. A Heritage fumble set up Lafayette's only first half score. Stanley Charity takes advantage of the Pioneers' kindness and walks in from the one. It's 7-to-6 Lafayette. Heritage had a chance to take the lead into the lockeroom, Ford's pass to Penn is caught for an apparent 53 yard score. But a holding penalty wiped it out.
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Heritage had 3 turnovers in the first half including this interception. Heritage leads the division four final 28-to-7 in the 4th.
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[S-Wythe]

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In the division Two title game - George Wythe also managed to win the school's first ever state title today with a 26-to-12 win over Buckingham at JMU.
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Maroons' head coach Donnie Pruitt not only donned the jacket from the last state finalist team in 1983, but he also wore shorts today. But more than anything he had in his wardrobe - Pruitt had Robert Barcliff. He takes the handoff from Grant Throckmorton and sprints in for the 38 yard touchdown and it's 7-to-nothing. In the second quarter, Buckingham's Morgan Smith lets John Perkins score. He makes it in but the kick is no good. It's 7-to-6. George Wythe hit two field goals before halftime to make it 13-to-6 Maroons at intermission. Then in the third, Throckmorton goes to the air and finds Josh Yates on the scoring strike. George Wythe is now on top 20-to-6 in the third. Barcliff would pad the lead as he score his second TD of the game. He rushed for 276 yards and almost set the state single game record.
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George Wythe captures the first state football title in school history with the 26-to-12 win.
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[S-Campbell]

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In the Group A, Division 1 contest, William Campbell leads Appalachia 42 to nothing in the third quarter. We'll h ave some highlights of that one tonight at eleven.