The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-16
WORKMAN STRUCK
BY AUTOMOBILE ON
MEMORIAL BRIDGE
E. &. Erickson, Local Man, Is
Charged With Reckless Driv.
ing by Morton Officials
OCCURRED FRIDAY AT P, N,
Victim, a Widower With Small
Children, Will Be IN Hospi-
tai Sc >rai Months
OCCURRED FRIDAY At s P. N.

A. G. Vertz, about 40, an employee OF
the Hope Engineering company, was
seriously injured in an automo Ole &C
cident on the Liberty Memorial bridge
at 6 o'clock Friday night and F. E.
Erickson, Bismarck, faces q chatge OF
reckless driving, filed In Morton
county, as q result. Vertz suffered
dislocation Of his right shoulder, a
double fracture Of the pelvic bones,
fracture Of the lower spinal vertebrae
and possible internal injuries.
The accident occurred as men en-
ployed in laying the gas pipeline be-
tween Bismarck and Mandan were
quitting work. It Is the custom for a
motor truck to pass slowly down the
road, picking up the men to return
them to theft homes. vertz was at
tempting to board the truck when
struck BY Erickson's machine.
The truck was eaSt-bound and
Erickson was driving west to Man
dan, where he operates 4 miniature
golf course, similar to one which he
has here.
Bismarck police. who investigated
the accident, said the left side Of
Erickson's car struck Vertz and
knocked him down. The nature OF
his injuries indicated that he had
been run over by tho heavy machine,
Erickson was said to have told police
that he was driving about six feet
away from the curb OF the bridge afTu
that vertz darted across the roadway
In front Of him. Measurements taken
by Bismarck police indicated that the
Erickson car skidded 70 feet after
striking the man, they said.
vertx Doesn't Remember
Vertz said this morning that he
doesp't remember what happened
after the Erickson car struck him.
Vertz was brought to q Bismarck
hospital In the motor truck while
Erickson continued on his way to
Mandan. It Is this fact and the cir.
cumstances surrounding it which may
bring him into the Morton county
courts in connection with the affair.
First investigation Of the matter
was made by Bismarck police but II
later was determined that the acct
dent occurred on the Morton county
side Of the bridge and was one for
Morton county officials to handle.
An investigation by Sheriff Henry
Handtmann and Motorcycle Patrol
man D. e. Fouts, made this morning
resulted in the charge being filed
against Erickson.
Fouts said workmen employed or
the pipe line estimated the speed Of
Erickson's car at As to so miles ar
hour but that Erickson contended he
was going only between 20 and 2s
miles an hour. Erickson could not be
found today to obtain his version Of
the affair.
Fouts said he was told that Erick-
son stopped after the accident and
assisted in carrying Vertz to the curb
but made no reply when he was asked
II the man shouldn't be rushed to
the hospital. Instead, Fouts said he
was told, Erickson climbed back into
his car and started it up. vertz' fel-
low workmen thought he was going to
pull up to the curb but when he failed
to do so, Ralph Gress. a company
employe, gave chase In an automo-
bile and Emerson ingalls,. company
time keeper. pursued on a motorcycle
They learned Erickson's identity when
he stopped ct the Mandan miniature
golf course, Fouts said.
Deny Erickson Reported
It was said In Bismarck that Erick-
son reported the accident to local
police on his return here, but Fouts
said his information indicated that
he failed to do so until Bismarck
police looked him up" after their In
vestigation.
Even If internal injuries fail to de-
velop, physicians said, vertz will be
In the ospitel for several months.
He was resting easily this morning
and X-ray pictures we're taken to as
certain the full extent Of his injuries.
The man has been employed as a
painting foreman py the Hope En-
gineering company. and the Montana
Dakota Power company since last fall.
His home is ct Glasgow. Montana.
He is a widower with four young sons
and q daughter.