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

DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994                   TAG: 9411030111
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

JEWELRY STORES' OWNER IMPROVING AFTER AUTO CRASH

Fink's Jewelers owner Alvin Fink is improving steadily after being critically injured in a head-on automobile collision near Lynchburg last week.

Though he remains in intensive care, Fink's condition has been upgraded from critical to serious and he generally is doing better, according to a nursing supervisor at Lynchburg General Hospital.

The 69-year-old chairman and chief executive officer of the nine-store jewelry company based in Roanoke was driving on U.S. 29 near Madison Heights on Oct. 27 when his car collided head-on with a tractor-trailer.

Fink had become ill and possibly blacked out before he drifted into oncoming traffic, state police said.

He suffered internal injuries and cuts to his face. State Trooper C.C. Worsham said Fink's seat belt and air bags saved his life.

by CNB