STATE OF WV SUES ROANE MAN OVER VA MEMORIAL DAMAGES

(03/26/2009)
The State of West Virginia is bringing a lawsuit against a Roane County man who allegedly crashed his car into the Veterans Memorial at the Capitol Complex about two years ago.

Deputy Attorney General Barbara Allen says the lawsuit is seeking to recover $56,162 in repair costs from Howard Roland Gentry, who lives in the Newton area.

Gentry, 60, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of destruction of property and remains free on a $10,000 bond.

A trial is set for April 6.

Gentry's lawyer said Gentry was suffering from an unspecified medical condition when his two-door sports coupe scraped between the memorial's curved granite monoliths in 2007.