O'CONNOR, J. W.

The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ December 18, 1953, p. 1 TWO KILLED ON LOCAL HIGHWAYS WITHIN 12 HOURS Highways in the Wickenburg patrol area, fatality-free for four months, were the scene of two tragic deaths within 12 hours early this week. At 11 p.m. Monday directly in front of the highway department headquarters a half mile east of town, an unidentified, elderly pedestrian was instantly killed when struck by an eastbound automobile. Before noon the next day, a man was killed in a head-on collision 14 miles west of town on the California highway. No Identification The body of the unidentified pedestrian is at the Wickenburg Mortuary. The only effects found on his body were a sack of Bill Durham, a package of cigarette papers and the stub of a bush ticket from Marysville, Calif., to San Diego. Highway Patrolman George Pemberton, investigating officer; said the man was struck by a car driven by Clarence B. Antone, age 24, of the Bapchule Indian reservation in this state. Antone told the officer he was blinded by approaching headlights and did not see the man who was in the middle of the right hand lane. Antone was not held. California Killed The second fatality occurred shortly before noon Tuesday. Instantly killed was J. W. O’Connor of Los Angeles, riding in a car with G. A. Neal of Brinkley, Ark., who told patrolman he owned the car but that O’Connor was driving it. According to the officers, the Neal car turned out to pass a truck loaded with hay and collided head-on with a westbound car driven by Airman Kenneth D. Spann of Parks Air Force Base near Alameda, Calif. His wife was with him. Both cars were convertibles and the occupants thrown out. Many Fractures Spann was brought to Community Hospital here where his injuries were diagnosed as a severely fractured left arm below the elbow, a broken left wrist and three fractures of the small finer on the left hand, also bruises and abrasions. He was later removed to the Luke Field Hospital. Mrs Spann was also brought to the hospital but she was practically uninjured. Neal was likewise admitted for treatment and was still confined to the hospital as of Wednesday evening. Officers Pemberton and Hobart Smith indicated charges might be filed against Neal. The last previous fatality in this area occurred August 15 when Ben Wines, elderly Aguila resident, was killed while crossing the highway in that town. The death of O’Connor brings to 14 the total of highway fatalities in this patrol area for the year to date.