Posted on 04/10/2018 10:33:47 PM PDT by Perseverando
Facebook Twitter Email Print Save
A man died after being shot on the Blue Ridge Parkway Tuesday during what an official described as a possible road rage incident.
Chief Ranger Neal Labrie said two men were driving near mile marker 116, near Explore Park, about 10:15 a.m. when a road rage incident resulted in a shooting. Roanoke County police arrived to the scene within about 15 minutes.
“We understand that one presented a weapon and the other responded with shooting,” Labrie said.
One man was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he died. His name has not been released, pending family notification.
The man suspected of shooting him, Keith Sidwell, 56, is being held by authorities, according to Blue Ridge Parkway officials. Sidwell called 911 immediately to report the shooting.
Authorities have not said whether charges have been filed. It’s also unclear if he has a lawyer.
Sidwell is a former Roanoke police officer and former police chief in North Carolina, a Roanoke Police Department spokeswoman confirmed. Sidwell retired as a lieutenant with the Roanoke Police Department in 2006 to become the chief of the police force in Henderson, North Carolina. He retired there in 2013.
Roanoke police Chief Tim Jones said he served with Sidwell for many years, and said he has prayers out to Sidwell and his wife.
“This I know is a difficult time and circumstances for him,” Jones said in an email. “This only re-enforces how quickly bad things can confront you after a lifetime of training to protect others.”
According to public property records, Sidwell resides in Roanoke County. No one was home Tuesday afternoon at the house where records indicate he lives when a reporter knocked on the door.
The parkway is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Thomas Cullen, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said in a statement that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and National Park Service are investigating the incident.
“Because the Commonwealth of Virginia has concurrent jurisdiction over the Parkway, this federal investigative team is working in close consultation with the Roanoke County Police Department and the Roanoke County Commonwealth’s Attorney,” he said.
Authorities shut down the parkway from Virginia 24 to U.S. 220 for most of Tuesday while authorities investigated.
"...Blue Ridge Parkway..."
Dosen t sound that nice. Wake up. There are bad folks out there DS.
FBI is involved who knows what could happen.
I think people don t have a clue. We are getting very close.
Welcome to Free Republic
"...We are getting very close..."
Thanks. This is real. Get on it or lose.
The max speed limit on the Parkway is 45 mph.
Lol
What’s the frequency?
“Is it safe?”
People rage over driving but not the fact that the FBI knew about the Pulse Nightclub shooter that killed 49 people and refused to act nor the fact that they knew about the Parkland shooter that killed 17 and refused to act.
But the FBI acts on flakey information about a porn star.
It is very scenic. Roanoke is my home town.
Do you say that about every crime ?
Around Roanoke, people use the parkway to commute and not just sightsee. It can be a convenient shortcut. I can see someone getting pi$$ed at a slow driver. But not to the point of pulling a gun, of course.
I’ve Harley’d The BRP. Quite beautiful.
It's one of the great driver's roads. But speed limit is low. And it's enforced. And being a National Park, speeding is a Federal offense.
We are getting very close to what?
Yes. yes it is.
[Sheepish Grin]
I drove about 100 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina last summer—very beautiful. I didn’t realize it was so dangerous. I may have seen a few speed demons going 50 or even 55 mph. Traffic was so light that at times I would go a mile or more without seeing another vehicle.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.