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

DATE: THURSDAY, December 22, 1994                   TAG: 9412220116
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, ARSON

A 19-year-old man was charged with four counts of attempted murder and one count of arson Wednesday evening after a fire was set in his Northwest Roanoke home.

Crews who responded to 407 Patton Ave. found flames shooting from a second-story window.

According to a Roanoke Police Department news release, officers and firefighters found Jermaine K. Anderson upstairs, standing next to a burning hallway closet and holding a knife. Anderson threw the knife at police, missing one officer's head by two inches.

Larry Mack, a 42-year-old invalid, was rescued from an upstairs bedroom and revived by firefighters, Patton said. Mack was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and released, a nursing supervisor said. Two other residents fled the house unharmed, the release said.

Fire Chief Jim Patton said the fire started when a flammable liquid was poured on clothing in the closet.

He estimated $5,000 in damage to the house, mostly from smoke. Anderson was being held at Roanoke City Jail Wednesday night.

by CNB