1959 — Feb 14, OH Car goes into Middle Fork of Poca River, Rt 21 near Sissonville, WV–6

–6 Charleston Daily Mail, WV. “6 Ohioans Die as Car Goes into Poca River.” 2-14-1959, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Feb 14: “Six persons plunged into a watery grave early today on U.S. Rt. 21 three miles north of Sissonville when a landslide caused the driver to veer sharply, lose control of her car, and crash through a guardrail into the swollen waters of Middle Fork of Poca River. State Police said the victims were two women, three girls and a boy. They were identified as:

“Mrs. Edith Hale Spangler, 52, of Youngstown, O., aunt of Dave Farley, Daily Mail reporter, who made the identification. Mrs. Spangler is a former resident of South Charleston…

“Mrs. Madeline Russel, 32, of…Youngstown, and her four children by a previous marriage, Madeline Bowden, 13, Iris, 11, Kim, 9, and Juanita, 8, Kim is the boy….

“Troopers F. E. Eddy and G. W. Dickson said an eyewitness to the tragic accident was Boyd Kouns of Stickney, Raleigh County, who said he had been following the car for several hours. ‘There had been a slide of large rocks onto the highway,’ Eddy said. ‘The car was traveling south on U.S. 21 toward Charleston. Apparently, the driver saw the rocks, slammed on her brakes, cut sharply, and one of the wheels went off the road. She tried to cut back but apparently lost control of the car, smashed through a guardrail and plunged into 15 feet of water. The car was recovered approximately 100 feet downstream from where it went into the river.’….” (Charleston Daily Mail, WV. “6 Ohioans Die as Car Goes into Poca River.” 2-14-1959, p. 1.)

Source

Charleston Daily Mail, WV. “6 Ohioans Die as Car Goes into Poca River.” 2-14-1959, p. 1. Accessed 12-15- 2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/charleston-daily-mail-feb-14-1959-p-1/