Swain, Roger Howard

SWAIN, CURRAN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 6/21/2010 at 16:10:56

Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Oct. 19, 1964

ROGER SWAIN, 18, BROOKLYN, KILLED FRIDAY AS PICKUP RAMS INTO BIKE

A Brooklyn youth Friday evening became Poweshiek county's ninth traffic fatality of 1964 when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on a highway at Brooklyn.

KILLED INSTANTLY

Killed instantly was Roger Howard Swain, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Swain of Brooklyn.

Accident occurred a few minutes before 7 p.m. on old Highway 6 south of the railroad overpass. According to Poweshiek County Sheriff Wiley Taylor, young Swain was riding his bike north on the highway when it was struck from behind by a pickup truck operated by John Joseph Curran, 45, also of Brooklyn.

Assisting Sheriff Taylor with the investigation of the accident were Highway patrolman John Flannery and Brooklyn Marshal Roy Sisco.

DARK AT TIME

It was dark at the time of the fatal crash and Curran told investigating officers he did not observe the bicycle in front of his vehicle. The truck struck the bike from behind, throwing Swain back toward the truck. His head struck the right-hand-side windshield and a large outside mirror and the boy was then thrown down a steep embankment.

A Brooklyn doctor who arrived at the scene just a few minutes later said Swain was killed almost instantly. Curran was not injured.

Sheriff Taylor said the bicycle was equipped with a rear reflector and tail light, but that it could not be immediately ascertained if the equipment was in operating condition.

NO CHARGES

No charges have been filed. Investigation of the fatal crash is continuing, the Sheriff said.

Traffic death toll in Poweshiek county for the year now stands just one shy of the all-time record of 10 established last year.