Almon L. Field (1958)

FIELD, HOFFMAN, CARNES, HEWITT, BAKER, ALLEN

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 4/26/2007 at 17:24:49

Winterset Madisonian - June 11, 1958
Winterset, Iowa

ALMON FIELD, 24, HITS POWER LINE

Winterset Man Dies From Head Injuries and Electrocution

Almon L. Field, 24, of Winterset, was instantly killed about 6 a.m. this Tuesday on Highway No. 92, six miles west of Winterset when the car he was driving plunged off the highway and hit an electric power line.

Coroner Paul Eggleston said death resulted from head injuries and electrocution.

It was the first highway fatality of 1958 in Madison county, the first time in many years that the county has gone nearly six months without a highway death.

Field was enroute to work at the Gendler quarry near Early Chapel when the accident occurred. Joseph E. Simatovich, also an employe at the quarry, was riding with him but was unable to tell officers just what happened.

Investigating officers are checking out reports that another vehicle forced Field's car off the road, but so far nothing positive has been established on that point.

For some reason, Field lost control of his car and it went into the ditch, skidded around, and hit the pole, breaking it off. Witnesses said balls of fire shot from power lines. Field was thrown from the car, and his body evidently contacted a broken power line.

The breaking of the R.E.A. line cut off power to farmers in that area. A broken power line was draped across the bumper of the car. Officers called to the scene were unable to touch Field's body or the car until an R.E.A. crew arrived on the scene from Greenfield and shut off the power.

Simatovich's escape from electrocution is regareded by officers as miraculous. He was unable to remember whether or not he was thrown from the car. He was taken to Memorial hospital in Winterset for a physical check-up, then released.

The victim of the accident was a life-long resident of Winterset. He was born here March 24, 1934, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ancil L. Field. He was married at Martensdale on Dec. 27, 1957 to Barbara J. Hoffman, who survives him. He was employed as a shovel operator for Gendler Stone Products company.

In addition to his wife; he leaves his parents, of Winterset; two brothers, Willard and Dean Field of Winterset; and four sisters, Mrs. Madilyn Carnes of Chicago, Mrs. Sarah Hewitt of San Francisco, Mrs. Wilma Baker of Des Moines and Mrs. Virgie Allen of Winterset.

Funeral services will be held this Thursday at 2:00 p.m. from the Richards Funeral home, conducted by the Rev. Richard Mohr, pastor of Grace Baptist church. Burial will be made in the Winterset cemetery.