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

DATE: TUESDAY, June 28, 1994                   TAG: 9406300072
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Lisa Applegate
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

DUI SUSPECT KILLS HIMSELF WHILE IN JAIL

A Bedford County man hanged himself Saturday afternoon in the Lynchburg jail shortly after being charged with driving while intoxicated.

Gary Wayne Jennings of Big Island was driving out of a grocery store parking lot on Old Forest Road when he crashed into some bushes, Lynchburg police Commander R.W. Evans said. Jennings was not injured, and was taken to the Lynchburg jail and charged with drunken driving.

Evans said Jennings, 26, was being held until someone could come to Lynchburg to pick him up. Jennings did make a phone call and was able to reach someone.

More than an hour after he was arrested - and less than 10 minutes after an officer checked on him - Jennings hanged himself from the cell door with a piece of clothing.

Evans said Jennings had made no indication to officers that he was suicidal. The investigation was continuing Monday.

This was the third time Jennings had been arrested for drunken driving; he had been convicted twice in the last five years, Evans said.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB