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

DATE: TUESDAY, October 19, 1993                   TAG: 9310190077
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

4 CHARGED WITH ASSAULT AND BATTERY

Four New River Valley men were charged with assault and battery Friday\ after a fifth man was attacked at a local convenience store.

Blacksburg police were called to a store at Turner and Gilbert streets\ just before noon to respond to a fight in progress.

The victim, a Virginia Tech student, was treated and released at\ Montgomery Regional Hospital for head and facial injuries, police said.

Capt. William H. Brown said the student was using the pay phone at the A&J\ Quick Shop when one of the four men bumped into him, then accused the student\ of bumping into him. Words were exchanged and the incident escalated into a\ fight, Brown said, when the student tried to run from the area.

Police charged the four men with assault and battery. They are:

Matthew L. Smith, 19, of Radford.

John C. Smith, 20, of Blacksburg.

John S. Thacker, 18, of Blacksburg.

Randall W. Caldwell, 18, of Blacksburg.

The four are scheduled to appear Nov. 18 in the Blacksburg division of Montgomery County General District Court.

by CNB