THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 14, 1995 TAG: 9501140189
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
A mother of two, shopping for her family, was attacked and critically wounded in the parking lot of a Churchland shopping center Friday morning by a man riding a bike and wielding a hatchet.
A suspect, Michael Coker, 36, was arrested at his residence in the 3800 block of Greenleaf Trail.
Police said they could offer no motive for the attack Friday in the Towne Point Square shopping center.
Tammie L. Wainwright, 34, of the 3800 block of Pecan St., was taken to Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth, where she underwent surgery Friday afternoon. She was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit Friday night.
Acting on tips from witnesses, police arrested Coker, 36, a paroled felon. He was charged with malicious wounding and is being held at the Portsmouth City Jail. Police also confiscated what they believe to be the weapon used in the attack.
Portsmouth Police Sgt. Allen Harvey said Coker had an earlier conviction for robbery. Harvey was on parole when the attack occurred, Harvey said.
Harvey did not know if Coker had any previous convictions for assaults. He said police do not believe that Coker knew Wainwright.
Police said Wainwright was on her way to the Food Lion grocery store in the Towne Point Square shopping center just before 9 a.m. when she was struck several times in the back of the head by an attacker on a bicycle. As she lay bleeding in the parking lot, the man rode away.
Cathie Nowak, co-owner of the C&C Transport Station in Towne Point Square, came to Wainwright's aid when she heard a car horn.
``She was still pretty with it when I ran up to her,'' said Nowak, who covered Wainwright with a coat as paramedics and police were called. ``She just kept repeating, `I don't feel so good, I don't feel so good.' ''
This is the second serious assault at the shopping center in two months. Margaret B. Teele of the 4200 block of Burnham Drive was knocked to the ground Dec. 2 by a would-be purse snatcher who also was riding a bike.
As Teele crossed the parking lot to enter the Food Lion, the purse-snatcher grabbed for her purse and missed. He then got off his bike and knocked Teele to the ground.
Teele, 78, suffered a broken right hip, a broken right shoulder and lacerations of her face. After eight days in the hospital, Teele developed a blood clot and died. Police made no arrest but upgraded the attack to homicide after her death.
Nowak and her husband, Chuck, called for tighter security at the shopping center.
Harvey said Coker is being looked at as a possible suspect in the Teele assault but said the description of Teele's attacker did not match Coker's.
Unlike the attack on Teele, the motive for Friday's attack remains a mystery, Harvey said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Coker
KEYWORDS: ASSAULT by CNB