[paragraphs omitted]
Last traffic fatality of the year occurred New Year’s Eve at
7 p.m. on U.S. highway 66, one mile east of Chelsea in
Rogers county, when an empty gasoline truck rammed into a
car, knocking it into a 20-foot ditch, according to highway
patrolmen. Delmar Clint Smith, 20, route one, Vinita, driver
of the car, died several hours later from a skull fracture
received in the accident.
Two Women Injured
Smith’s wife, Margaret, 19, was injured internally, and his
sister, Jewell Smith, 26, suffered possible fracture of the
pelvis bone and left hip. Both women are in a Chelsea
hospital.
The gasoline truck was driven by Edgar Calvin Dooley, 24, of
Duncan, Mo., who was injured, as were other occupants of the
truck. Dooley is being held at Claremore, but no charges
have been filed against him pending further investigation,
the highway patrol reported.
Troopsers Faine Henderson and Johnny Haye, who investigated
the accident, reported that the transport was going west and
passing another truck. The truck sideswiped the truck it was
passing, got loose from it and rammed into the Smith car
coming from the east. The truck followed the Smith car into
the ditch, but did not fall on it. The traffic fatality was
the only one in Rogers county during the year.
From The Oklahoma, 1/2/1945
Donated by:
Emily Jordan
