ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607290011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
Four juveniles have been charged with causing some $8,000 worth of damage by throwing rocks at a home and vehicle near Claytor Lake.
The home belongs to Gary Weddle, a Radford businessman who has served on Radford City Council, headed the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance and ran for Congress in 1992.
Richard Vaughan, a ranger with the New River Trail State Park, studied the pattern of the times the damage had been happening and hid out near the spot at 6:30 a.m. Monday. He said the four boys showed up about 45 minutes later.
They threw no rocks at the house this time, but he followed them at a distance on a bicycle and contacted the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office to stop them at a point along the trail ahead. He said they have admitted causing the damage.
One of the boys is 11 years old and the others are 14.
"I just happened to run into them that morning," said Vaughan.
The first rocks were thrown July 3. After Weddle had a skylight and other damage repaired, the skylight was smashed again during rock-throwing incidents July 15 and July 16, along with other windows. Damage was also done to a Ford Explorer parked at the home.
Vaughan said the juveniles indicated they had nothing against Weddle.
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB