Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 22, 1990 TAG: 9005220158
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Lisa Scott, a 16-year-old junior at Franklin County High School, dressed early so her mother could take pictures of her in her prom dress.
Lisa was going to the dance with her boyfriend, Todd Crowe, a senior at Franklin County High School.
Her mother was so proud of Lisa that she wanted her sister-in-law, Garnett Woods, to see her in her black prom dress.
Janice and her two younger children, Stacie, 11, and Kevin, 5, drove several miles to the Woods' home on Virginia 40 east of Ferrum early Saturday afternoon for a visit.
She told Lisa to stop by the Woods' house on their way to the prom in Rocky Mount so she could take pictures of the couple.
It was a festive and happy time.
"Her mother was so proud of her and everybody was so happy, laughing and having a good time," Woods said.
Shortly after 6, after Janice had finished taking the pictures, Lisa and Todd left for the prom. Janice and her younger children started for home west of Ferrum, about 6 miles from Woods' home.
But Lisa didn't get to dance Saturday night.
Lisa and Todd had reached the parking lot at Franklin County High School and were getting ready to go inside for the prom when authorities arrived to tell her about an accident.
State police said a car driven by Stefan Darrell Helms entered a right-hand curve, slid off the left side of the road, came back onto the highway and struck head-on the car in which Janice and her younger children were riding.
Janice died at the scene. Stacie died about an hour later at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Kevin was in "very serious" condition Monday at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Helms also died at the scene of the accident.
Authorities then had to contact Carl Scott to tell him that his wife and daughter were dead and that his son was in serious condition. Scott, who plays in a country music band, was playing at a dance Saturday night in Floyd County.
"He is taking it hard. He doesn't know where he is today," his sister said Monday.
"Last year, we had only four fatalities in the county the whole year. Now we got three in just one accident," said Sheriff Quint Overton.
by CNB