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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 27, 1991                   TAG: 9103270370
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ron Brown
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AIRBAG PREVENTS INJURY TO SALEM OFFICER

A driver's-side airbag saved a Salem police officer from possible injury in a rush-hour traffic accident on Virginia 419 Tuesday afternoon.

Salem Police Lt. R.E. Gray said Officer T.W. Thomas was responding to an unfounded report of shots fired on Ward Street at the time of the accident.

Thomas' patrol car collided with a vehicle driven by Anita Lavinder of Roanoke after Thomas attempted to make a left turn from Boulevard onto northbound 419.

Thomas had his emergency lights flashing and siren blaring as he stopped and eased through a red light and started to cross the southbound lanes of 419, Gray said.

Although traffic in the lane closest to Thomas stopped, Lavinder, who was in the middle lane, didn't see him as the two cars met and crashed.

"I think that stopped lane of traffic blocked the view of both Officer Thomas and Ms. Lavinder," Gray said.

Neither Thomas nor Lavinder was injured, said Gray, who estimated the damage to both cars at several thousand dollars.

No charges were placed.

by CNB