BUMGARNER, John F. (1926-1941)

BUMGARNER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/7/2020 at 20:17:58

John F. Bumgarner
(December 6, 1926 – August 24, 1941)

Source – newspaper clipping in a scrapbook at the Warren County Historical Society, Indianola, Iowa
Youth Killed In Auto-Bike Crash Sunday
John Bumgarner, 14, Of Liberty Center Killed When Car Strikes Bicycle
John Bumgarner, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bumgarner of Liberty Center, was killed at 11:45 o’clock Sunday morning when the bicycle on which he was riding was struck by a car driven by Howard Snuggs, 21, of Milo, one half mile west of Liberty Center. The Bumgarner youth was riding on the handle bars of a bicycle which was ridden by Marion Tiggner, 15, also of Liberty Center. The two youths and Rolland Hite, 14, and Harold Heemstra, 15, both of Liberty Center, on another bicycle, coasted downhill on a dirt road and came up an upgrade onto the intersection with the gravel road on which Snuggs was driving. Snuggs told officers that the saw the bicycle when he was about 75 feet from the intersection and applied his brakes. The youths also tried to stop but the bicycles skidded in loose gravel and Tiggner’s bicycle struck the left front corner of the car, throwing Bumgarner in the air into the windshield and over the top of the car. The bicycle went into the ditch. The youths on the other bicycle went to the rear of the car. Snug’s car came to a stop within 15 feet after striking the bicycle. The Tiggner youth suffered cuts and bruises. Dr. C. H. Mitchell, Warren County coroner, investigated the accident and exonerated Snuggs. [Note – exact birth and death dates were listed on his death certificate]