BORN, Earnest R.

Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, Arizona August 11, 1983 An 80-year-old Wickenburg man was killed early Thursday morning when the vehicle he was driving was struck by an oncoming Department of Public Safety vehicle that was apparently trying to pass another vehicle approximately one-tenth of a mile West of Beardsley Canal on U.S. Highway 60, said a DPS spokesman. Earnest R. Born, of Wickenburg, was pronounced dead on the scene after his vehicles collided with the state patrol unit driven by officer Maniford Gonzales, 24, of Phoenix. The spokesman said the patrol unit was traveling Westbound on U.S. 60 and in the process of passing another Westbound vehicles when it collided with Brown’s vehicle, head on, left from to left front. Initial investigation s concluded that Brown was traveling within his proper Eastbound land when the accident occurred, but no legal action has been taken pending further investigation, said the spokesman. Brown’s daughter, Betty J. Pelton, 55, a passenger in the Brown vehicle was transported to Luke Air Force Base Hospital with head and abdominal injuries. Gonzales, a DPS officer for three years, sustained minor injuries. Sgt. Terry Conner said Tuesday morning that Gonzales was suspended from regular duty with pay as normal procedure following the accident. He said anytime the department has a situation they want to take a closer look at, they will suspend the involved officer until the outcome of the investigation is determined.