Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 2, 1993 TAG: 9311020167
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: STEPHEN FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Short
In mid-October, Cash constructed a crash scene complete with bloody bodies and beer cans and set it up alongside Roanoke Street, only to have it hauled off in the night after neighbors and the town complained.
On Friday morning, his junked car was returned to him.
So Sunday morning, in the midst of blowing snow and frigid air, he and his children set it up again. He said he erects a similar scene each year as a message against drunk driving.
"The main thing [was] that my kids wanted to put it back up," he said.
He took it down Monday morning after Halloween passed. "I figured if I left it up any longer it'd just start something else," he said.
Last month, several people called town and police officials and complained that the scene was complained that it was a distraction to drivers, too graphic or too much like an actual accident.
The night after a television news story on the display aired, a tow truck hauled the car off. Christiansburg police were at the scene.
It was unclear whether Cash's landlord, Roger Woody, had the car towed and asked police to be present, or if police had requested that the car be towed.
Cash considered placing charges against Woody, but the two parties settled their dispute before formal legal action was taken.
Cash said he's considering filing civil charges against the town or the police department.
As for the heap, Cash said a TV crew wanted to take a picture of him as he loaded it onto a trailer Monday afternoon, just before he takes it to its grave - the junkyard.
by CNB