Deadly hit and run in Salem

WSLS News Staff
Published: October 11, 2008

Updated 6:45 p.m.

By Lindsey Ward

Police are searching for a man they say hit and killed a man, then drove off.
   
Salem officers tell us the deadly hit and run happened around 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the Awful Arthur’s restaurant on West Main Street.
   
Investigators are searching for 26-year-old Shaun Scott.
   
Salem Police have warrants for first degree murder, and several other charges in the hit and run.
   
Police say Scott killed 23-year-old Zane Blakenship.

Saturday morning crews washed away evidence of the deadly accident that happened hours earlier.
   
Blankenship was hit by a Jeep and according to police Shaun Scott was behind the wheel.
   
With blood still on his body from trying to save his brother’s life, Coby Blankenship recalled what has yet to sink in.

“When I turned around the Jeep hit him, he flew up in the air, blood was everywhere,” said the victim’s brother, Coby.

Police say some sort of altercation began inside and spilled into the parking lot, but Coby Blankenship says he and his brother weren’t involved and they barely knew the suspect.

“He didn’t have any enemies,“ Blankenship explained.

Awful Arthur’s Manager, Tary Thacker says the restaurant had no involvement and was unaware of the accident until the police came in and questioned several of the employees.

The brothers went to Awful Arthur’s to have a good time, but their night out turned into an unimaginable nightmare.

“He’s just a great guy killed by an idiot, that’s the bottom line,“ said Blankenship.
 
If you have any information about Shaun Scott, call Salem Police at 375-3083.

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Updated 3:12 p.m.

Salem Police News Release

Salem Police say they’re searching for Shaun Scott, in connection with the deadly hit and run.

SALEM POLICE HAVE EIGHT (8) FELONY WARRANTS ON FILE FOR SCOTT CHARGING HIM WITH:

—1 COUNT OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF ZANE ANDREW BLANKENSHIP

—2 COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING IN RELATION TO 2 OTHER PEDESTRIANS – ONE OF WHOM WAS SLIGHTLY GRAZED BY THE VEHICLE AND ONE WHO WAS NOT STRUCK

—4 COUNTS OF FELONY HIT AND RUN IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE THREE VICTIMS AND A SALEM POLICE CRUISER THAT WAS OCCUPIED BY AN OFFICER WHEN STRUCK

-1 COUNT OF FELONY PROPERTY DAMAGE IN RELATION AN UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE THAT WAS STRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF SCOTT, THEY ARE ASKED TO CONTACT THE SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 540-375-3083 OR THE ROANOKE VALLEY CRIME LINE AT 540-344-8500.

1:50 p.m.

Salem Police say charges are pending against a man for a deadly hit and run early Saturday morning.

Investigators tell us around 2:00 a.m., a Salem officer saw a large group gathering in the parking lot of the Awful Arthur’s restaurant on West Main Street. The officer then pulled in to investigate.

Police say as the officer pulled into the parking lot, he saw a dark green Jeep back out of a parking space, then speed through the parking lot, and hit 23-year-old Zane Andrew Blankenship. The officer says the Jeep then hit another man, the officer’s police cruiser, and other cars in parking lot.

The officer was not hurt.

Police say the Jeep then sped off on West Main Street, and the officer radioed in for help.

Around 3:00 a.m., Salem Police tell us that a State Police Trooper spotted the suspect Jeep in the 2400 block of Wildwood Road in Roanoke County.

Salem Police say they have a tentative suspect in the case.