Evening star., 1927-10-30
DRIVER IS KILLED
AS TRUCK CRASHES
Witnesses Say Auto Forced
Big Machine Off Road.
Virginian Is Held.

Cecil Altman. 23 years old, Of
Browns Chapel. Va, was killed al
most instantly late yesterday after
noon when the truck he was driving
crashed through a guard rail of a
culvert on the Lee Highway, near
Lyon Village. and landed upside down
in Spout Run Is feet below.
A. I. Ward. resident OF Midland,
Va, is being held without bail in the
Arlington County Jail, following teSti-
mony by witnesses that his effort To-
pass the truck in the narrow road.
way was responsible for the tragedy.
Wards light automobile came with
In inches of following the truck over
the brink of the deep cuIvert. Ward
was arrested by county officer. de-
spite his protests that he was not to
blame. He will appear at an ad-
jOurned inquest tomorrow morning at
the Arlington County Court House
and give his version of the accident.
Two Accuse Ward.
Mrs. Athey of Clarendon, Va, and
Vernon II. VILLAINS. of 3001 p street,
who were driving their own cars to-
ward Washington at the time of the
collision, gave damaging testimony
against Ward at a preliminary in
quest last night before Coroner Swain,
OF Arlington County. Both declared
Wards car struck the truck and
forced it into the ravine. Ward was
not sworn, but told the coroner and
Sheriff Howard Fields at the inuuest
that he had been running abreast of
The truck for some distance" trying
to pass 1t, and that the truck speeded
up. He asserted the truck struck his
car.
You hadn't any right to be trying
to pass anybody on that narrow
stretch of road" Sheriff Fields broke
in. You were violating the law
when you did it,
With the body of Altman still under
the truck in the mud Of the creek
Williams and other passers-by tried
unsuccessfully to lift the heavy ma
chine from its driver.
While making these efforts the
engine of the truck exploded, ell
velOping the machine in flames. A
passing motorist sped to the Cherry
dale fire house, half mile away and
the volunteer firemen, under their
president. G. G. Donaldson, extinguish-
ed the blaze and extricated the body
Of Altman. The big truck was raised
through the combined efforts of the
firemen and spectators. who showed
it with their hands and shoulders.
Body Badly Burned.
The young mans body was badly
burned, and there was a deep cut
across his head. 1t is believed he was
dead before the fire broke out. The
body lay under the culvert for nearly
an hour. awaiting the coroner and
then an undertaken. The remains
were taken to Vienna by T.. w. Fol.
lins, undertaken of that place.
The truck was owned by the
Wheeler Milling Co. of Vienna, Va,
of which firm Altman was an EN-.
ploye. Altman was returning to VII
emma from Washington with a load Of
meal.
At the preliminary inquest Mrs.
Athey, testified that she thought
Wards car was going to hit her own
machine. instead of the truck.
II saw the truck coming toward me.
with long line of cars following II"
Mrs. Athey said suddenly 1 saw
Wards car try to pass the truck. I
thought sure he would draw back
when he saw me coming, as there
wasn't room to pass. but he didn't
stop. He tried to pass between the
truck and me. l slammed on my
brakes and pulled over as far as
| could and stopped. l thought he was
going to hit me. AS l looked back
l saw the truck drop over the brink.
didn't actually see the collision. but
l know Wards machine struck the
| truck
Williams, who was driving immedi.
ately behind Mrs. Athey, testified
substantially the same. He said
Wards car "cut around" the truck
| and tried to get between the truck
and the lady" 1t hit the truck. caus.
ing it to swerve into the railing, the
witness declared.
Says He Has Witnesses.
Informed by the sheriff that he
need not be sworn, as anything he
said might be used against him, Ward
insisted on denying that he was at
fault. He said he wanted to get an
attorney and that he wanted to To-
cate two colored women, who. he con-
tended. were in his car and would
testify for him. Williams and Mrs.
Athey told the coroner they didn't
notice any one in Wards car, and
Williams declared he saw no colored
women around the scene after the
accident.
The sheriff obtained the names and
addresses of two colored women from
Ndiu anu PROMISES 10 nave tn6m IN
court tomorrow morning.
IF | don't find them, you'll stay
here until | do find them.' Fields re-
marked as the hearing was concluded.
Ward said the women worked for
him at Midland.
j. A. Wheeler, Altman's employer.
arranged for the removal of the body
from the scene. He said Altman was
model employe and the sole sup
port of an aged mother and father.
He sent a friend TO advise the par
ents of their sons death.
The Lee Highway in the vicinity
of the accident has a series of curves
dnd grades. and the roadway is so
narrow that only two cars may pass
abreast. Civic interests of the
county have consistently advocated
the widening and Strengthening Of
this heavily congested road, but the
State highway department has an
nounced that no funds are available
for the work
II. G.. Shirley, chairman OF the
highway commission. has admitted
the urgent necessity for improve
ments to the road, and Is expected TO
urge an early appropriation for the
work.
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