RADFORD MAN'S A WRECK AFTER 2 COLLISIONS IN 1 DAY

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

DATE: THURSDAY, January 28, 1993                   TAG: 9301280139
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium
RADFORD MAN'S A WRECK AFTER 2 COLLISIONS IN 1 DAY
Not that he's proud of the distinction, but you might call Jason Abbs an automotive lightning rod.
Abbs was struck twice Tuesday morning in separate accidents within three hours - once as a driver, the second as a passenger.
The second accident occured as Abbs was delivering papers to his insurance agent's office regarding the first accident.
Abbs, 21, reported some day-after stiffness Wednesday, and said, "I'm trying not to go out in the car." Which is no problem, because both cars were heavily damaged.
At 8:28 a.m., on his way to work at Little Caesar's Pizza, the Radford resident had the first collision when another car turned in front of his on Auburn Avenue.
Abbs' car glanced off the other, driven by 28-year-old Tena Lowe of Christiansburg, and ran into an embankment. No charges were filed.
He was treated at Radford Memorial Hospital for minor back and neck injuries.
At 11:13 a.m., Abbs was riding in a car driven by his fiancee when they were struck broadside at Third and Berkeley streets and knocked into a tree. Police said the other car, driven by 79-year-old Eugene Lyons of Radford, ran a stop sign.
The same ambulance crew came to both accidents. "When they saw me, they just all started laughing, and said, `You again.' "
He got the same response at the hospital emergency room second time. "It was just funny," he said.
The second collision didn't injure Abbs but it caused his fiancee, Kristie Everman, to cut her head when she hit the windshield.
Abbs said he wasn't wearing a seat belt either time; he still isn't convinced of their value. "If a seat belt is going to save my life, I'm going to be pretty messed up anyway," he said. "On the other hand, I've never been in a really serious accident before."
Abbs said he's nervous about riding in a car again. "But we were both pretty lucky. We just walked away.
"There for a while, though, it seemed like [cars] were just jumping out in front of me."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB