VANSICKLE, Nola Ann 1924-1928

VANSICKLE

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/22/2015 at 15:35:41

Child Instantly Killed Near Conrad Saturday Evening

Accident Happens On Third Avenue When Child Runs Against Passing Car

Verdict Of Jury Was Accident Unavoidable

Nolaan VanSickle, Aged Between Three and Four Years, Victim of Accident

A deplorable auto accident occurred about five o'clock last Saturday afternoon on the Third avenue road near the Frank Stewart farm, three miles northwest of Conrad, when Nolaan VanSickle, the three-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. VanSickle, was instantly killed when she ran into a car driven by W. G. Collins, of Boone.

The little girl had accompanied an older sister and brother to the mail box on the corner where the accident occurred, and the two little girls were standing behind a row of mail boxes on the corner when Collins, driving a coupe, came along. The driver of the car did not see the children until the smaller child broke away from her sister and started across the road in front of his car. He swerved to one side to avoid hitting the child and the little one ran into his car, the rear fender striking her a glancing blow on the temple and also bruised one of her legs. These were the only marks on the child, as the car did not run over her.

The driver of the car stopped as soon as he could and went back to where the child lay and picking her up and getting her mother, took them to Dr. Spain's office at Conrad, but there was nothing that could be done for the child as she in all appearances had been instantly killed.

Coroner L. D. Coffman, of this place, was called to the scene of the accident soon after it happened and after looking over the ground a jury consisting of E. C. Anderson, C. W. Butler and H. S. McClure was impaneled.

After questioning the brother and sister of the dead child and the driver of the car a verdict was rendered that "It was an unavoidable accident caused by the child running across the road and striking the side of the car while in motion."

Collins was driving to Waterloo to visit a brother. From his story of the accident and that of the child's brother and sister, it was wholly unavoidable.

The parents of the child are tenants on one of the Stewart farms a short distance from the scene of the accident.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 June 1928, pg 1