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

DATE: TUESDAY, April 12, 1994                   TAG: 9404120114
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

BLACKSBURG OFFICER HONORED FOR SEAT-BELT USE

A Blacksburg police officer has been recognized for his seat-belt use that likely caused him to avoid serious injury when his patrol cruiser was struck last summer.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police has named Sgt. Harrison L. Vaughan as a law enforcement officer "Saved by the Belt" nominee.

Vaughan was on duty Aug. 27 when a high-speed pursuit ended in a head-on collision between his cruiser and a fleeing suspect on Prices Fork Road near the Virginia Tech Anaerobe Lab.

The pursuit had covered about five miles at speeds above 80 mph and ended about 9 a.m. A Montgomery County man was charged with maliciously wounding Vaughan and attempting to maliciously wound Lt. Kim Crannis, also of the Blacksburg Police Department.

"By taking the extra few seconds required to fasten the seat belt, Sgt. Vaughan was spared any serious injury," said Bill Brown, Blacksburg's interim chief.

by CNB