Trouble brews again at Eastside

By the time police got to the fallen security guard, he’d forgotten his name.

Standing nearly 7 feet, Troy Price, 48, of Fishersville, was hit in the back of the head while working at Eastside Speedway a week ago, authorities said. He suffered several strokes, leaving him without feeling in, or control of, the right side of his body.

Authorities are investigating but have made no arrests.

After days of medical attention, Price’s condition has improved, his wife, Juli, 47, said Saturday.

It was the second violent incident at the Dooms race track in as many months.

Juli Price, who works next to a police scanner at an Augusta County traffic operation center, heard about the assault at the same time as police Oct. 24, she said.

Moments later her phone started ringing. “I get a phone call, and they want to know what meds Troy is taking, because he doesn’t know who he is or what he is,” Juli Price said.

A medical team rushed Troy Price to Augusta Health Medical Center in Fishersville. From there, he was airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, his wife said.

He was hospitalized in the U.Va. neurological intensive care unit until Tuesday, before doctors transferred him to the stroke unit.

By Thursday an ambulance transferred Price to an Augusta Health rehabilitation unit where he’s received physical therapy for several days, his wife said.

“He’s doing really good,” she said. “It’s possible he could come home in two to three weeks. He’s talking in small sentences, mostly, but he called me last night and asked me what the password was for his phone.”

In the other recent incident at Eastside, authorities arrested Eugene O. Hammer, 52, of Shenandoah, in mid-August in the stabbing of a 30-year-old man. The victim was treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville for non-life-threatening injuries.

An Eastside spokesman said the August fight stemmed from an argument about a woman that started away from the speedway and carried over to the parking lot.

Speedway Manager Christopher Hammer, who is not related to Eugene Hammer, said most disputes originate outside the track and unfortunately find their way inside.

“We’ve barred a couple of people because of this recent incident,” Hammer said.

Augusta County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Gary A. Taylor said Eastside provides its own security.

“If there’s a situation where things are out of control, we can ask people to leave the property,” Taylor said.

Speedway officials said they would not comment on the attack on Troy Price until deputies make an arrest.

Authorities have identified a suspect, according to Juli Price and several speedway officials. More than 15 people stepped forward as witnesses, Juli Price said.

Troy Price, who’s worked at Eastside since the 1980s, made many improvements during physical therapy this week, Juli Price said. Her husband might make a full recovery, she added, but likely will be unable to take the stand once the case goes to court.

“Everyday that I go there he’s doing something new,” she said. “I’ve been praying so hard. I’m not asking why it happened, I just want him to get better.”