Garvin County News Articles

1993 Pauls Valley Paper
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PAULS VALLEY DAILY DEMOCRAT       pg 1 Dec 13, 1994

TEENAGER'S LIFE TRAGICALLY SEIZED IN TRAIN ACCIDENT by Donna Milligan

A tragic accident involving a train took the life of a young Pauls Valley woman, Melissa Gail Riggs, early Sunday evening.
Witnesses stated the 14-year-old Pauls Valley Midddle School eight grader and a 15-year-old male companion were attempting to cross the railroad tracks just north of Highway 19 when the accident occurred at approximately 5:05 p.m.
A southbound Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 75-car train, reportedly traveling at 52 MPH, was approaching Highway 19 when engineer G.D. Lewis stated he saw the male jump out across the tracks. Riggs reportedly had stopped at the east edge of the tracks when Lewis began blowing the whistle and applied the emergency brakes. Lewis stated that Riggs then reportedly tripped over the east rail and fell across the tracks when the train struck her.
Train conductor, H.G. Smith of Pauls Valley, also witnessed the episode and collaborated Lewis' story of the incident.
The 15-year-old told police that he and Riggs were attempting to cross the tracks from east to west in front of the oncoming train. He stated he saw the train and heard the whistle blow. Reportedly, as he cleared the tracks, he looked back to see Riggs lying on the tracks after having fallen.
Pauls Valley Police report the point of impact at approzimately 204 feet north of the center line of Highway 19. The train traveled .5 of a mile south after impact before stopping.
Highway 19 was blocked by local police for approximately two hours, as highway traffic was detoured around the track/highway intersection.
The Pauls Valley Police Department was assisted in the accident by the Pauls Valley Ambulance Service, the Pauls Valley Fire Department personnel and the Garvin County Sheriff's Department.

THE PAULS VALLEY DAILY DEMOCRAT Dec 11, 1994    Obituary

MELISSA RIGGS
Funeral service for Melissa Gail Riggs, 14, Pauls Valley will be conducted at 2 p.m., Wed., Dec. 14 at the Stufflebean Chapel. Rev. Charlie Rush will officiate.
Burial will be held at Mt. OIivet Cemetery under the direction of Stufflebean Funeral Home.
Riggs was born on May 2, 1980 in Oklahoma City to George and Wanda Riggs. She died Sun., Dec. 11, 1994 in Pauls Valley.
Riggs had moved to Pauls Valley 6 months ago from Eufaula. She was an eight grade student at Pauls Valley Middle School.
She was preceded in death by her father, George Riggs in 1993.
Survivors include her mother, Wanda Riggs of Pauls Valley; sister Cheryl Brown of Pauls Valley; and three brothers, Larry Austin of Oklahoma City, Bobby Austin of Pauls Valley and Rodney Austin of San Antonio, Texas.