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

DATE: MONDAY, May 17, 1993                   TAG: 9305170147
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SWERVE ACROSS EXPRESSWAY KILLS 3, INJURES 2 IN ROANOKE

Roanoke police said the accident occurred about 12:13 a.m. when a 1988 Mustang traveling south at a high rate of speed hurtled across the median, sailed through the air and crashed into a 1989 Hyundai headed north on the segment of U.S. 220 known as the Roy Webber Expressway.

The force of the collision spun the Hyundai into the path of a third vehicle, blocking the highway and stalling traffic.

The driver of the Mustang, 22-year-old Stanley W. Brooks, and a passenger in his car, Gregory S. Kinzie, both of Roanoke, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Rescuers rushed Geoffrey R. Pelton, 20, of Roanoke County, the driver of the Hyundai, to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but he died a short time later.

A passenger in that car, Raymond E. Dykes, 21, remained hospitalized Sunday in very serious condition, a nursing supervisor said.

The driver of the third vehicle, identified by police as Eleni T. Asimakopoulos, 62, of Roanoke County, was treated at Community Hospital and released.

A police investigation is continuing.

Northbound traffic was completely stopped on the highway while emergency personnel did their jobs.

Unable to pull off the highway or move forward for a couple of hours, many people just pulled their vehicles to the side and sat on the grassy median.

Even cars heading south had a difficult time getting through because of the number of police cars and ambulances parked in the southbound lanes.