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

DATE: SATURDAY, April 9, 1994                   TAG: 9404110151
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                 LENGTH: Short

MAN GETS 5 MONTHS FOR BARRICADING HIMSELF AT HOSPITAL

Ralph Hale, 47, faced a felony charge of making threats to burn or bomb and a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

The felony charge was reduced to misdemeanor assault Tuesday in Montgomery County General District Court. Hale was sentenced to 12 months in jail on each charge, with seven months suspended.

A condition of the suspended sentence is that he not go back to Montgomery Regional Hospital.

Hale, who has been in jail since the November incident, will have served the five months by later this month.

Hale had been at the hospital's emergency room the night before the incident, complaining of pain, authorities said in November.

Authorities said Hale locked himself into a bathroom stall in the main lobby the next day and threatened to harm the staff if he did not receive medical attention.

One note he sent out said he was armed and wanted to see a doctor. A second note indicated the possibility of an explosive but no bomb was found. Hale was armed with a hunting knife, authorities said.

Hale surrendered to Montgomery County deputies after about an hour.