Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 2, 1994 TAG: 9407040133
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dustin Washburn died June3, 1993, when a car driven by John Walton Stover crashed into the car Dustin and his mother were in. Both Stover and the driver he was racing, Scott Robert Manning, were convicted of manslaughter.
The lawsuit tells of the intense emotional pain that Dustin's mother, Robin Washburn, suffered because of the crash.
For a time, she was trapped alone in the car with her son. The suit says Dustin ``was apparently still alive, but unable to respond to her voice.''
Over the next four hours, she ``witnessed frantic efforts by police officers, rescue squad personnel and a host of doctors ... who attempted to save the life of her son.''
Finally, a doctor told her that her son was dead.
Prosecutors say that on the night of the accident, Stover and Manning were racing on Peters Creek Road in Roanoke County, cutting in and out of traffic.
They sped side-by-side through a red light at Airport Road. Witnesses estimated they were going as fast as 90 mph.
Manning was in the lead as the two cars approached the light at Barrens Road. Manning cut to the right to avoid a slower-moving car in the left lane. Stover slammed into the rear of that car, killing Dustin.
Stover was drinking and driving on a license that had been restricted because of drunken driving. His case sparked calls for tougher laws against people who drive after their licenses have been restricted or revoked.
A judge sentenced Stover to six years in prison and Manning to 18 months.
The lawsuit asks for $350,000 to punish Stover and Manning for their ``conscious disregard for the safety of others,'' and $2 million to compensate Robin Washburn for her emotional trauma and for the permanent injuries she suffered in the crash.
The suit says she has lost wages, and her future earnings will be reduced by the injuries.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB