Grinnellian Is Crash Victim

LESTER, WHEELER, AMICK, CLEPPE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 4/26/2013 at 17:49:05

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
Oct. 19, 1959

GRINNELLIAN IS CRASH VICTIM

Woman Is
County's 4th
Fatality

Mrs. Elzada Lester, 79
Dies Sunday Night Of
Injuries; Others Hurt

Mrs. Elzada Lester, 79, Grinnell, became Poweshiek county's fourth traffic fatality of 1959 Sunday night when she succumbed to injuries received in a two-car crash east of Grinnell earlier that same day.

WAS PASSENGER

Mrs. Lester was a passenger in a car driven by her brother-in-law, Clifton W. Wheeler, 77, also of Grinnell, when it crashed into a machine operated by August Amick, 37, Osceola.

Highway patrolman, Paul Gearhart, investigating officer in the fatal crash, said the accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of a gravel road with U.S. Highway 6 about four miles east of here. According to Gearhart, Wheeler was coming from the north and was apparently trying to cross the highway when he pulled into the path of the westbound Amick machine.

Apparently Wheeler failed to see the oncoming vehicle or misjudged the distance of the Amick auto.

FOUR HOSPITALIZED

Both Wheeler and Mrs. Lester were brought to a Grinnell hospital where Mrs. Lester died about four hours later. Wheeler remains in serious condition.

Amick and his wife, Lelah, 35, were also both hospitalized in Grinnell. Amick sustained head and arm injuries and his wife suffered lacerations and a possible fracture of one ankle.

Wheeler's 1948 Hudson coupe and Amick's 1952 Plymouth were both totally demolished.

Services for Mrs. Lester will be held at the James-Schalinske Funeral Home Wednesday at 2 p.m. Dr. G.S. Bruland, Grinnell Methodist church, will officiate. Burial will be at Hale, Mo.

Prior to Mrs. Lester's death, the last traffic death in this county had occurred on July 30. Cyril Cleppe of Brooklyn was the victim in that crash, occurring about four and one-half miles northwest of Hartwick.