Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 15, 1990 TAG: 9004150270
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: CHILHOWIE LENGTH: Medium
State Police said Eugene Frank Oltz of Lansing, N.Y., had been identified as the driver of the motor home.
The vehicle, which was towing a pickup truck, was seen weaving on Interstate 81 near Exit 21 in Wythe County. Trooper Mark Fleenor tried to pull it over, but police said the driver kept traveling south at speeds up to 80 mph.
The pickup truck soon came loose and overturned.
More state troopers, deputies from the Wythe and Smyth county sheriffs' offices, and police from Marion and Chilhowie joined the pursuit. A state police helicopter was called in to advise law-enforcement officials of what kind of traffic was ahead of them as the chase continued.
State Police Sgt. Don Orfield said the Winnebago ran a number of other southbound vehicles off the road and sideswiped a car near the Seven Mile Ford exit in Smyth County.
Trooper D.W. Sawyer, who was driving from Richmond to Dickenson County, caught up with the motor home but was run off the highway into the median. The Winnebago then rammed the car, but Sawyer escaped injury.
When the Winnebago swerved back onto the highway from hitting the police car in the median, it turned over in the road and caught fire. Oltz was trapped inside.
Fire department units from Chilhowie and Marion finally got the fire out, but could not save the driver. Both lanes of traffic on the southbound side of I-81 were blocked for more than three hours after the 9:20 p.m. crash. At that time, just one lane was reopened.
Orfield said police did not know why Oltz refused to stop for the first trooper.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB