THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 15, 1995 TAG: 9501150128
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
A 39-year-old man was critically injured in an apparent suicide attempt late Saturday when he detonated an explosive device in the woods just off a quiet rural roadway at the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake city line.
The man, whose name is not being published, to protect his family, was listed in serious condition Saturday after surgery at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Parts of his left hand and his feet were severed by the blast.
Virginia Beach police received several calls about the blast in the area of Elbow Road, just off Indian River Road, about 11:45 p.m. When police arrived, they saw a car parked off to the side of the road near a spillway. Moments later, they saw the badly injured man crawling up an embankment toward the car.
An off-duty nurse passing by stopped to assist the man until paramedics arrived.
Chesapeake police also arrived on the scene and the area was sealed off, with Elbow Road closed for several miles because it was unclear if any unexploded devices were in the car or in the woods.
The Virginia Beach bomb squad was called in, but no other devices were found.
Chesapeake Police spokesman Richard Black said the man had fashioned an explosive device that included nails and carried it into the woods where he placed it by a tree. ``He bent over it and detonated it,'' Black said.
Police said the man was unemployed but most recently had worked as a service station attendant. He previously had lived in Chesapeake, although it was unclear Saturday if he still resides in the city.
Chesapeake police are handling the investigation in cooperation with Virginia Beach police. The car was parked in Virginia Beach but the explosion occurred in Chesapeake.
KEYWORDS: EXPLOSION SUICIDE ATTEMPT INJURIES by CNB