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

DATE: TUESDAY, August 31, 1993                   TAG: 9308310070
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE OFFICER RUNS RED LIGHT, HITS PRIVATE VEHICLE

A Roanoke patrol car ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle Sunday morning, prompting an administrative review of the incident by police officials.

But the department traffic division said it plans no charges against Officer C.R. Lee.

Police said Lee, responding as a backup unit for a disorder call, approached the intersection of Lafayette Boulevard and Melrose Avenue Northwest around 2:15 a.m.

"There is no indication that he stopped completely," said Lt. Ramey Bower of the traffic division. "There's an indication that he slowed."

Seconds later, Lee's cruiser collided with a sport/utility vehicle driven by Ronnie Ellis of Salem.

The department's investigation showed that Ellis had a green light, and the light faced by Lee was red.

But investigators said Lee had turned on his emergency light and had sounded his siren while approaching the intersection.

Bower said state law and departmental policy require officers to make sure that intersections are clear before driving through them.

"There's no indication that the officer's visibility was obscured," Bower said. "There's no question that the officer had the red light and didn't see Mr. Ellis."

Bower said there was no evidence to indicate that the officer was speeding.

Contacted at home, Ellis said he had no indication that Lee sounded his siren. He said the visibility is lessened by a building at the intersection.

Ellis said he had his two daughters, ages 5 and 3 1/2, with him. He said he had been at his brother's house watching a race, and the children had fallen asleep there.

His oldest daughter was in the front seat when his right fender struck the left fender of the police car. Ellis said neither child was injured, but he suffered muscle spasms in his neck.

Ellis said he first saw the police cruiser as both of them proceeded through the intersection.

"I saw the blue lights and slammed on my brakes," Ellis said.

Sherry Beckner and Brenda Crowder, who were in a car following Ellis, said they heard no siren even though they were traveling with their windows rolled down.

Beckner said she told an officer, who identified himself as a supervisor, that she had heard no siren.

" `Yes, ma'am, we know that,' " she quoted the officer as saying.

Ellis had bought the sport/utility vehicle just two weeks ago.

"I was scared," Ellis said. "This is the first time I've had a wreck, and it was with a policeman."

by CNB