The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-12-04
Coroner's Jury Gets Details
OF Accident That Killed Four
Further Study to Be Mode of Testimony
Submitted in Coses of Officers

Continued From Page Onel
Or Long indicated the direction
the testimony might take wher
the prosecutor said the mry
might properly consider sugges-
tons for prevention Of all traffic
deaths"
Held Unavoidable /.
Thus. after six eyewitness had
described the collision, the testi-
mony swung to suggestions for
prevention Of traffic deaths"
All six sye-witnesses agreed
that the accident was: ID UNI
svoidable, (2) both cars were
travelling fast.
Probably the most vivid testi-
rnony was that given by l.. f.
Cook, millworker residing at the
Rialto apis. who was passenger
IN a tsNicab which was heading
south on Pacific avenue, waiting
at 18th street for the red light"
TO change.
Cook said he first saw the police
ear cross the 18th ST. intersection
down Pacific ave. He said there
were few cars on Pacific avenue
and that vision was clear. All
traffic signals down Pacific avenue
were red" on both sides a few
seconds before the crash.
Time Too Short
Only a fleeing glimpse of the
sheriffs car was caught by Cook
before the collision. In reply to
query by Juror Hy Msndles,
Pacific ave. merchant, if the acci-
dent was avoidable, Cook said:
Time was too short. 1t hap
pened in few seconds. There
was no chance for any person to
flag either car"
Earl Shaw, taxi driver whose
cab was parked directly in front
of the taxi onto which the sheriff's
car was catapaulted by the col
lision, estimated that both cars
were doing at least so miles an
hour" Shaw was standing in a
matted milk shop and saw the
police car about 100 feet before
the impact.
Nurse Testifies
Mrs. Alma Simmons, nurse
residing at 5437 So. Sheridan. saw
both cars coming as she stood on
the southeast corner of the inter-
section. Mrs. Simmons also heard
both sirens. said the patrol car
was coming faster than the
sheriff's car. that both were going
quite fast" and that the sheriff's
car was past the center of the
intersection and swerving to the
left before the collision.
Julius F. Thuor. night Waterman
for the state highway department,
said he was standing in front of
the Peoples store about 20 feet
south of the corner and thought
the city car was travelling plenty
fast"
Estimates Speed
Frank Parks. shipyard worker
residing at Ri. 5. Box TAG, was also
in the matted milk shop with Shaw
when he heard the sirens. Parks
estimated the sheriffs car was
doing between As and so miles an
hour but that the police car hit
the sheriff's car"
w. NJ. Wolten. cardroom pro-
prietor, added new angle to the
testimony when he said the
sheriffs car slowed down from so
to 30 at 18th and Commerce, then
speeded up for Pacific avenue"
Wolten said the sheriffs car
went through red light at 18th
and Broadway. Wolten was stand
ing at the southwest corner Of 18th
and Commerce.
County, city and state officers
then took the stand First to
testify was Ed Dahl, deputy sheriff
and radio specialist of the depart
ment. Dahl, who was not on duty
on November %, told Of the radio
setup in the sheriffs department
Uses Police Radio
Dahl explained how the sheriffs
office uses the Tacoma police radio
station for contracting sheriffs
cars on duty out in the county. He
said there is a private phone line
to the police headquarters switch
board from where connection can
be made to the police radio en-
Hineer.