Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1923-02-23
One MAN DEAD
OTHERS INJURED
in AUTO WRECK
Borrowed Car Smashed
in Wreck on Mt. Signal
Highway
ALLEGED DRINKING
Bert Williams, Dead Man,
Was Tractor Driver
of CalexicO
ALLEGED DRINKING
Bert Williams, killed.

Hart Pettis, left leg broken, head
and body bruised.
Sid Farren, back injured, and
head bruised.
Fred Markham, head bruised, back
wrenched and ankle sprained.
The foregoing is the toll of wild
ride taken by party of four men
in Studebaker car in which, they
were bound for the Mt. Signal dis
trict last night at about 8 o'clock.
Arriving at a point about mile
west of the railroad tracks on the
Mt. Signal road, said to be driven
at high rate of speed, the ear
IAN off into the dirt OH the left
hand side of the road, when Will
liams, who was driving, attempted
to turn the car back to the right
side. Making rather a quick turn,
he threw on the brakes at the same
time in order to slacken the speed
Of fine car. Tire marks show that
such an attempt was made. The
car ran into the soft dirt on the
right hand side of the road, buckled
ard turned over, the ear evidently
turning over IN the air and alight
ing at a point about 25 feet from
where it buckled, and landed lay
ing against the ditch bank, but
pointed back toward town.
Thrown 20 Feet
The inmates were thrown from
the car, all being picked up at a
distance of about 20 feet from
where the car struck, with the OK.
ception of Williams, who was
thrown to the ground between the
ear and the paved road.
Williams received a skull frac-
ture which caused instantaneous
death, the entire back part of his
head being crushed.
Pettis, colored man, suffered
the most severe injuries of the sur
vivors, his left leg being broken
between the knee and the hip. He
also received severe injuries to his
back, and his head was badly
bruised. 70
Farren seemed to be the least in.
jured of the party, but an examina-
ton showed that his back had been
severely wrenched, and these injur-
les may terminate more seriously in
complications which may set in.
Markham was somewhat badly
bruised about the head, and is suf.
ttring from an injured back, which
was severely wrenched, and also
suffered from sprained ankle.
Bartendcr's Car
The Studebaker car in which the
party was driving. was the property
of William De Weese, a bar keeper
at the Mission bar, in. Mexicali, and
was in storage at the Gateway gar
age, Calexico. At about $3.50 Will
liams came into the garage and took
the ear, the night man making no at
tempt to stop him as he thought tina.
he was entitled to use the ear.
Following the accident, the county
hospital was called and the sheriff's
office notified. Neighbors, living at
WV SSShV VI thS dCClucHt were iii
pressed into service, Ike Dye taking
Markham and Farren, and Docto.'
Sims, of Calexico, taking Pettis to
Calexico. At the police station in
Calexico the injured were given first
aid, and later Were removed to the
county hospital, while Undertaken
q. +. Lemons, of FL Centre. brough;
The body of Williams to FL Centre,
Williams, known as "Blackie ?
Icy his intimates, was tractor driv,
or, and lived at the Los Angeles
hotel, Calexico. He had no family.
Pettis is a rancher, working a par.
Of the Finn and Skinner property at
Mt. Signal.
Markham has been master me-
chanic on the Shenk ranch in Mex.
leo, but was for the present staying
or a ranch near Mt. Signal.
Farren was an employee on the
Colorado River Land Company
ranch. E3
1t is said by police tina. the men
lad been drinking.