Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1949-04-29
THREE KILLED IN AUTO
ACCIDENTS IN AREA
FIVE 0 7 H { R s.
A RE INJUR RED
Fog Blamed In Deaths Of
Two CalifOrnians Near
E. O. d. Gates

Three people were killed and
Eve others suffered injuries in
series of traffic accidents in this
area during the week.
Wednesday mornings dense fog
was blamed for the crash near the
Clifford Snider home in Route 2,
Erie Township, which brought
death to Thomas Dornan, 60, and
his wife, Flossie, 81, Bell, Cali
fornia.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dornan met death
instantly when their car crashed
into the side of an Interstate Mo-
tor Freight Truck at the western
end of the double boulevard high
way.
Logan Dixon, 80, Cleveland,
driver of the truck, told Deputy
Sheriff Myron Hetrick that he had
driven his truck at least four foot
off the highway in an unsuccessful
effort to avoid the crash.
Witnesses said Mr.. Dornan was
attempting to pass another truck,
also travelling eastward. The fog
made visibility almost nil. Dixon
was treated at Magruder Hospital
for shock and bruises.
Bodies of the victims were
brought to the ]. A. Neideckel'
Mortuary where identification was
tentatively established through
drivers licenses, an Automobile
Club of Southern California men,
bership card, and 1887 social Sc
curity card.
Late Wednesday it was learned
that the Dornans had been visiting
her sister, Mrs. nellie Lashley, 335
10th Street in Toledo, and We're
enroute to Buffalo when the fatal
accident happened. Surviving also
is a daughter, Mrs. Harold Price,
Bellf1ower, Calf, Funeral servic-
es are being planned by Mrs. Lash.
ley.
One man was killed and several
other persons were injured in a
series of traffic accidents near the
city over the weekend.
Killed in three-vehicle accident
along Route 1853, six miles east of
the city, was Robert D. Dykes,
1148 Earl Avenue, Toledo, who,
with his wife, Dorothy, had driven
here to spend the weekend at a
Sandusky Bay tourist cottage.
Seven Lakeside Boy Scouts, ac-
companied by Mr.. and Mrs. Will
liam Caldwell, narrowly escaped
injury in this accident. Also not
injured were Andrew Holly and
his seven-year-old son, Richard,
who were riding in a truck haul
ing stone.
The fatal accident happened
shortly after noon, one-half mile
east of the Catawba Road inter-
section.
According to Sheriff Merriam
Budd, Mr.. Dykes lost control of
his car when it hit the BERN. Mr.
Holly, noticing the difficulty,
swung his truck to the north in an
effort to avoid an accident.
Dykes car swerved into the side
of the truck, and then grazed the
side of the Caldwell station wagon
in which the seven Boy Scouts
were riding.
The Dykes car was completely
demolished during the crash. The
driver was thrown from the We
hicle and was killed almost in
stantly. DR.. George Poe, county
coroner, attributed death to skull
fracture and multiple injuries, and
ruled the death accidental.
Mr.. Holly's truck was badly
damaged in the crash but the Cald-
we'll station wagon was able tc
continue its journey to Toledo.
Mr.. Dykes body was brought tc
the Gerner & Wolf funeral home
and later taken to the Worth
Clegg mortuary in Toledo. A ma,
tive of Williamsburg, Pa, Robert
Dykes was a foreman at the Lib
bey-Owens-Ford Glass company in
Toledo.
Surviving are the widow, Dor,
othy; a daughter, Mrs. Ralph
Schafer, and a sister, Mrs. c. J
Dyer, Toledo. Funeral services
were held Tuesday afternoon with
the Rev. C. E. Wintringham, pas,
tor of the Euclid Avenue Meth,
odist church, Toledo, officiating
Burial was in Willow cemetery.