WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/23/96

08:25-01

55Police-Chase

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=rjo
TAPE#96-26
GRAPHIC=Police Chase

The investigation continues into Sunday's fatal high speed police chase in Roanoke County.
Officials say a dispatcher mistakenly told an officer the car he was pursuing was stolen.
The high speed chase ended in death for a Vinton Family.
Ron Jones has the story.
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IN Q=What started out as
SUPER=@CEASE; :08
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./Yesterday; :28
SUPER=@Ron2; :52
SUPER=04-Sunday; 1:07
RUNS=1:56
OUT Q=Ron Jones, News 7.
(( Roanoke County's police chief says his officers did the right thing when they pursued 21-year-old Scott Carlton Allman.
SOT 14:56:35
((JOHN CEASE/ROANOKE CO. POLICE CHIEF: WE CAN FIND NOT A SINGLE PLACE WHERE THE OFFICER DID NOT OBEY POLICY. IN FACT FROM SOME OF THE WITNESSES AND SOME OF THE INTERSECTIONS HE ALMOST WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF THE POLICY.))
RUNS=:12

The 12 mile chase started in the 5000 block of Franklin Road and ended on the corner of Williamson and Plantation Roads.
Sunday afternoon around 1:40 an officer noticed a suspicious vehicle with tinted windows in a parking lot.
When the officer approached the car the chase was on.
They traveled on 220 to 581 North at speeds sometimes reaching as high as 90 miles per hour.
After numerous twists and turns the chase continued west on Plantation Road.
Moments before the fatal collision police say the officer called off the pursuit but the suspect continued. GRAPHIC OF MOVING CARS
Police say the suspect vehicle went through the intersection at Williamson road and rammed a black Monte Carlo ejecting 36-year-old Lori Mason from the car.
She died in the street.
The driver of the Monte Carlo, 34-year-old Thomas Faucher was also killed.
And six- week- old Joleen Faucher was thrown from the car to the side of road-- she died at the hospital. TODAY'S COURT STUFF
The suspect, Scott Carlton Allman, was uninjured.
He was charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Allman's wife was also in the car with him.
She had to be cut out of the wreck and airlifted to a local hospital.
The chief says the incident has been hard on his department.
SOT 14:41:36
((FIRST THE FAMILY THAT SURVIVED THOSE WHO WERE KILLED. OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM. AND WE FEEL VERY BADLY FOR THEM.))
RUNS=:09

The chief says their pursuit policy is a good one-- but they will review it to see if changes need to be made.
Ron Jones, News Seven.))

55L'burg-Crash

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-40
GRAPHIC=NONE

Three people were taken to the hospital following a head on Collision in Lynchburg last night.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Last Night;

Three vehicles were involved in the accident at the intersection of Rivermont and Bedford Avenues.
Shortly after 7 o'clock this Pontiac convertible and a Ford pickup truck hit head-on, then crashed into another car.
The three people were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.
None of the injuries was life-threatening.
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55Missing-Man

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-36
GRAPHIC=NONE

In Henry County, divers will resume their search this morning for a missing man.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./Last Night;

Police say 43 year old Danny McMillan of Collinsville hasn't been seen since Saturday night.
Yesterday authorities noticed McMillan's red Ford truck parked near the Martinsville Reservoir.
A helicopter searched the area.
Divers were called in after a dog tracked McMillan's scent to the edge of the water.
Authorities do NOT suspect foul play.
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55weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Turning to the forecast -
It's going to be breezy and mostly cloudy today, with a chance of rain and thunderstorms.
Highs will be in the upper 70s.
Tonight, expect breezy conditions and the chance for more rain.
Lows will be in the upper 40s.
Looking ahead the sun will return tomorrow, but it'll be a little cooler - highs only reaching the upper 60s.
Nightime lows will be in the 40's.
Look for the chance of the rain later in the week with highs in the mid 70's.
And nightime lows in the 50's.

8Drowning

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-36
GRAPHIC=NONE

The search continues today in Henry County for a missing man.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./Last Night;

Police say 43 year old Danny McMillan of Collinsville hasn't been seen since Saturday night.
Yesterday authorities noticed McMillan's red Ford truck parked near the Martinsville Reservoir.
A helicopter searched the area.
Divers were called in after a dog tracked McMillan's scent to the edge of the water.
Authorities do NOT suspect foul play.
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8Cole

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-38
GRAPHIC=NONE

Radford City Police have charged five Radford University students with burglarizing the dorm room of a college freshman after she had died.
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VO-NAT

Valerie Cole died of alcohol poisoning in February.
SUPER=03-Radford/File Tape;

Police say after the investigation into her death was complete, several students kicked in the door of her room and stole jewelry before her family had a chance to collect her belongings.
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TALENT=Melanie
SS=NONE

Police say more charges may be forthcoming against Anthony Somers, Brent Recker, Christopher P. Green, Joseph B. Rogers and Gina Roppolo.

8Ward-System

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-39
GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Seal

A heated public hearing in Roanoke over the process of electing City Council members.
With City Council election just a a couple of weeks, members are again looking at the modified ward system.
It would allow some members to be elected by district.
Kimberly McBroom has more.
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IN Q=We can't be everything
SUPER=01-Rev. Vader Colbert/Modified Ward Supporter; :04 quick!
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night; :09
SUPER=01-Gary Waldo/Modified Ward Supporter; :22
SUPER=01-Dr. Anthony Stavola/Modified Ward Opponent; :42
SUPER=@Kimberly1; 1:00
RUNS=1:14
OUT Q=McBroom, News 7
((
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SOT 19:39:38
IN Q=
((REV. VADER COLBERT/MODIFIED WARD SUPPORTER: WE CAN'T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY....SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY. ))
RUNS=:09

That was the sentiment of many who spoke before Roanoke City Council regarding the current at- large electoral system.
Several citizens believe the much- debated modified ward system would make council members more accountable to all districts-- not just their own.
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SOT 19:26:29
IN Q=
((GARY WALDO/MODIFIED WARD SUPPORTER: I THINK IT'S PATRONLY FALSE...ELECTED FROM. ))
SUPER=
RUNS=:09

The lone opponent who spoke at the hearing says Roanoke faces more crucial issues, like providing adequate housing-- and dividing the city into wards
would also divide the citizens. (/////SOT/////)
SOT 19:22:07
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((DR. ANTHONY STAVOLA/MODIFIED WARD OPPONENT: I FEEL IT WILL DISTRACT AND DIVIDE....PART OF OUR CITY. ))
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OUT Q=

Meanwhile, residents continued demanding council allow citizens to vote on the issue-- but the city attorney explained there are many steps in the process. Standup, second one please
Council ended up approving a motion to form a task force of neighborhood organizations to come up with a plan for a modified ward system-- with the idea that it will eventually be placed on the ballot as a referendum.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7.))

8Radford-Web

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-31
GRAPHIC=NONE

The city of Radford now has a spot on the cyber-map.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Radford;

The new Radford Information Network provides a World Wide Web site which web browsers may look at to see what the city has to offer.
Currently the site is only for information, but soon it will become more interactive.
One of the first steps- creation of discussion groups.
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SOT 11:31:49
IN Q=
((BRACK STOVALL/R.I.N STEERING COMMITTEE: SO THAT PEOPLE CAN START TO CREATE THEIR OWN ACTUAL NEWS GROUP LINKS WHERE THEY CAN COME IN AND ACTUALLY DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT ISSUES. WE'RE GOING TO, WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS HAVE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. ))
SUPER=01-Brack Stovall/R.I.N. Steering Committee;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=city council meetings.
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VO-NAT

Officials are encouraging Radford citizens and businesses to use the web site to post information of their own.
The BLACKSBURG Electronic Village is using a federal grant to help create the site and train Radford employees.
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8weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Turning to the forecast -
It's going to be breezy and mostly cloudy today, with a chance of rain and thunderstorms.
Highs will be in the upper 70s.
For tonight, expect it to be breezy with clearing clouds and rain.
Lows will be in the upper 40s.
The sun will return tomorrow, but it'll be a little cooler - highs only reaching the upper 60s.