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

DATE: TUESDAY, October 5, 1993                   TAG: 9310050200
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

BLACKSBURG 3-CAR PILEUP BLAMED ON FAULTY BRAKES

A Blacksburg woman ran through a red light on U.S. 460 Bypass when her brakes failed Monday afternoon, triggering a chain-reaction collision that damaged three cars and sent six people to the hospital.

All six were treated at Montgomery Regional Hospital and released, a spokeswoman said.

The accident occurred at 4:57 p.m. at the intersection with Virginia 314, the exit for Virginia Tech.

Blacksburg police said Marian Barnes, 24, was preparing to stop for the red light in the westbound lane when her brakes failed. As she passed through the intersection, she collided with a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Susan Reffner of Salem.

Reffner's vehicle then slammed into a vehicle driven by Debra Garnand, 35, of Christiansburg.

Barnes, Reffner and Garnand were taken to the hospital, along with three passengers in Barnes' vehicle. They were identified as 27-year-old Thomas Hunter of Blacksburg and two children, ages 4 and 2 1/2.

by CNB