The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-09-25
DEATH OF A
RECKLESS AUTO DRIVER
Frank Hargix Killed and Several
Others Injured I'm an Accident
Near Tampa
Chimes, 23rd)

Frank Hargis of Tarpon Springs is
dead and five people, occupants OF
passenger car, injured. as the result
of an automobile accident which oe
Cured this morning on the west coast
boulevard bridge over Rocky creek,
ten miles west of the city.
State Senator Don c. McMullen who,
with Mrs. McMullen and their three
children, was in the other car, escap-
ed uninjured.
The injured are Judge C. D. Web
ster. Mr.. and Mrs C. H. Jewett. Mar
kos Manolis and Constas Pachis, all
residents of Tarpon Springs.
OF the five Judge Webster is the
more seriously injured and is now 1y-
ing at the Hillsboro hotel suffering
from internal injuries and unable 10
give a connected account of the af-
fair.
Mrs Jewett. although confined to
her bed and suffering from numerous
bruises. is not seriously injured, nor
is Mr.. Jewett. The two Greeks like
wise escaped without serious injury.
That the accident did not result
more seriously is considered miracu-
lous by those who have witnessed the
results of the collision and have seen
tHe u the Two cars 1He
car driven by the man who was killed
turned completely over in it's passage
through the air and when finally it
had ceased Il its evo1utions and had
landed wrecked and demolished by
the side Of the road, it was facing the
opposite direction from which it had
come and fully twenty feet from the
scene of the collision.
The accident occurred at $50
o'clock. Senator McMullen was driv-
ing his automobile, containing his
wife and three children, west at
slow rate of speed. They had ap-
preached the bridge across Rocky
creek when they saw the other car.
approaching, as Senator McMullen aft
erwards expressed it, like tornado"
It is unanimously conceded that the
boy was driving at a high rate of
speed-faster than is consistent with
safety under any circumstances.
As he saw the car approaching. Sem
ator McMullen threw on the brakes
of his ear and slowed down the ma
chine. AT the edge of the bridge, he
stopped completely with his automo-
bile drawn off onto the side Of the
road as far as it was possible for him
to get. To have gone farther would
nave meant ultcnlnS the car. Inefe
he stopped and waited for the rapidly
approaching car to pass, before con-
tinuing on.
Evidently sizing up the situation
and believing that he could pass with
out slowing down, the boy started
across the bridge still at his high rate
of speed. As he reached the center of
/ the span, he swung his car slightly to
the left toward Senator McMullen's
machine in order to avoid a slight
washout at the end Of the bridge. He
misca1culated the distance and his ma
chine struck the other auto just in
side the front ssw.heel. swinging SEN
i& McMul1en's car partially around
ESQ great was the momentum of the
car that in striking an obstacle the
rear wheel left the ground altogether
and swinging sharply outward. the
| car made a complete revolution, at the
same time advancing distance OF
| twenty feet, then coming to earth
again, landed just in the rear of Sem
ator McMul1en's machine, wreck
Near it and close to the road, lay
| the body of the unfortunate driver,
| bleeding from his many injuries
which resultede in his death scattet-
ed abort a,ffn were tools, cushions and
theAcontents of the car, spilled as the
big machine shot through the air and
turned over