
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 3, 1990                   TAG: 9007030240
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARY BISHOP STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

HIT-AND-RUN CASE HEARD

Edward Wayne Bradshaw told a friend his pickup swerved when he reached for some food he'd dropped on the floor and, although he felt an impact at that moment, he did not realize he had fatally struck a pedestrian.

But Bradshaw must have known he hit someone late that February night, Bedford County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Philip Baker argued at a preliminary hearing Monday, because the 20-year-old victim, Richard Darrell Wilson of Moneta, was thrown onto the hood.

General District Judge James Farmer certified hit-and-run charges Monday against Bradshaw, a potato-chip salesman from Goodview, to the Bedford County grand jury.

The impact of the Feb. 19 accident was strong enough to blow out a headlight and leave windshield splinters in Wilson's clothing, Baker said. He said a fabric imprint on the truck's hood was consistent with Wilson's jeans.

Bradshaw's attorney, Harry W. Garrett Jr., said his client was unaware he had run into anyone. "He saw nothing. He realized he had hit something, but he continued on."

Wilson apparently was pushing his bicycle along Virginia 24 near Stewartsville, according to Trooper Mike Rorer, who came to the accident scene at 11:48 p.m., minutes after motorists had spotted the body.

An autopsy determined Wilson died from blunt head trauma. The report showed no alcohol or drugs in his body.

Arthur Munsey, operator of a Northwest Roanoke pool hall where Bradshaw, 45, played on a billiard team the night of the accident, said he served Bradshaw two beers between 6:15 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.

Munsey said Bradshaw told him later he had picked up some food in Vinton and was eating it as he drove home. As he reached down to pick up some dropped food, Bradshaw felt his truck hit something - "a tree limb or something" - but he saw nothing when he looked back, Munsey testified.

Bradshaw's son, Edward Bradshaw II, testified that his father said he had stopped along the road after the impact but did not see what he had hit. When the son went by his father's house about 9 a.m. the next day, there was a tarp over his father's damaged pickup.

Rorer found one of the side-view mirrors from Bradshaw's 1982 Subaru Brat and part of a headlight and parking light at the scene. The trooper said there was no indication Bradshaw was driving faster than 45 or 50 mph.

Bradshaw, who turned himself in to police on Feb. 20, has been free on bond since the accident.

by CNB