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

DATE: TUESDAY, May 17, 1994                   TAG: 9405170143
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

DEPUTIES JUSTIFIED IN KILLING ROBBER

Botetourt County sheriff's deputies were justified in killing a man who engaged them in a roadside shootout late last month, the county's commonwealth's attorney said Monday.

Rob Hagan reached his conclusion after reviewing a state police report on the April 28 incident that resulted in the death of Darrell A. Hayes.

Hayes opened fire with an assault rifle on Deputies H.E. Clark and L.W. Bennett near Arcadia after his car skidded into a ditch beside Virginia 608 around 6:50 p.m.

Hayes had robbed a service station near Buchanan of a six-pack of beer about 20 minutes earlier using the rifle.

Hagan said Hayes provoked the confrontation with police and attempted the capital murder of a police officer on duty.

Hagan said Hayes' killing was further justified because civilians were near the place where he wrecked and were imperiled by his gunfire.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB