Six Dead in Fiery Crash Near Ritzville
RITZVILLE, Wash. — A Spokane businessman, his wife and four high school students from Ritzville, Washington, were killed in a fiery head-on crash of two cars 14 miles west of here Sunday afternoon.
State Patrolman Ronald Snowden identified the dead as Maurice Apple, 58, and his wife, Sydelle, 53, S2028 Adams, who were riding in a car driven by Apple; Kenneth Anderson, 16, Bob Evans, 17, Shari Kautz, 15, and Connie Niederkleine, 15, all of Ritzville, who were in the Anderson car.
Snowden said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of highway near the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 4-B.
Apple’s car was going east on U.S. Highway 10 when Anderson’s car apparently crossed the center line and struck Apple’s car head-on. The Anderson car then rolled over twice and caught fire a few minutes later.
Anderson, Evans and Miss Kautz were trapped in the burning car despite frantic rescue efforts by passersby and Ritzville firemen who were sent to the the scene. Fireman Robert Barnes said the three bodies were charred almost beyond recognition.
Mrs. Apple died almost instantly at the scene. Her husband died an hour later at the Ritzville General Hospital. Miss Niederkleine, who lived on a farm near Ritzville but was a sophomore at Lind High School, died in the Ritzville Hospital about five hours after the accident.
Barnes said Sandie Miller, 17, Jim Thomas, 17, and Miss Niederkleine were pulled from the car and rushed by ambulance to the Ritzville Hospital. Thomas’s condition was said to be good late last night. He suffered cuts and possible internal injuries.
Miss Miller, whose mother is the Ritzville city clerk, was transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane shortly after 8:30 p.m., for treatment of a possible broken leg and head injuries. Her condition was reported by hospital attendants as fair.
Barnes and Tom Kimball, another volunteer fireman, said the heat from the burning car was so intense no one could get close enough to the vehicle to save the victims. Evans and Miss Kautz were found in the back seat. Anderson was found slumped over the steering wheel.
Friends of the Apples said they were returning to Spokane from Seattle. The six students were heading toward Lind, friends said.
Ritzville, a town of 2,200 persons, was deeply shocked Sunday as news of the tragedy spread quickly through the community. All six were well known in the high school of 187 students. Anderson and Evans were juniors, Thomas is a senior, and Miss Miller is a sophomore.
Apple came to Spokane in 1945 and was the owner of Star Leather Company, W1018 Sprague.
—From The Spokesman-Review; Monday, September 24, 1962
RITZVILLE, Wash. — A Spokane businessman, his wife and four high school students from Ritzville, Washington, were killed in a fiery head-on crash of two cars 14 miles west of here Sunday afternoon.
State Patrolman Ronald Snowden identified the dead as Maurice Apple, 58, and his wife, Sydelle, 53, S2028 Adams, who were riding in a car driven by Apple; Kenneth Anderson, 16, Bob Evans, 17, Shari Kautz, 15, and Connie Niederkleine, 15, all of Ritzville, who were in the Anderson car.
Snowden said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of highway near the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 4-B.
Apple’s car was going east on U.S. Highway 10 when Anderson’s car apparently crossed the center line and struck Apple’s car head-on. The Anderson car then rolled over twice and caught fire a few minutes later.
Anderson, Evans and Miss Kautz were trapped in the burning car despite frantic rescue efforts by passersby and Ritzville firemen who were sent to the the scene. Fireman Robert Barnes said the three bodies were charred almost beyond recognition.
Mrs. Apple died almost instantly at the scene. Her husband died an hour later at the Ritzville General Hospital. Miss Niederkleine, who lived on a farm near Ritzville but was a sophomore at Lind High School, died in the Ritzville Hospital about five hours after the accident.
Barnes said Sandie Miller, 17, Jim Thomas, 17, and Miss Niederkleine were pulled from the car and rushed by ambulance to the Ritzville Hospital. Thomas’s condition was said to be good late last night. He suffered cuts and possible internal injuries.
Miss Miller, whose mother is the Ritzville city clerk, was transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane shortly after 8:30 p.m., for treatment of a possible broken leg and head injuries. Her condition was reported by hospital attendants as fair.
Barnes and Tom Kimball, another volunteer fireman, said the heat from the burning car was so intense no one could get close enough to the vehicle to save the victims. Evans and Miss Kautz were found in the back seat. Anderson was found slumped over the steering wheel.
Friends of the Apples said they were returning to Spokane from Seattle. The six students were heading toward Lind, friends said.
Ritzville, a town of 2,200 persons, was deeply shocked Sunday as news of the tragedy spread quickly through the community. All six were well known in the high school of 187 students. Anderson and Evans were juniors, Thomas is a senior, and Miss Miller is a sophomore.
Apple came to Spokane in 1945 and was the owner of Star Leather Company, W1018 Sprague.
—From The Spokesman-Review; Monday, September 24, 1962
Six Dead in Fiery Crash Near Ritzville
RITZVILLE, Wash. — A Spokane businessman, his wife and four high school students from Ritzville, Washington, were killed in a fiery head-on crash of two cars 14 miles west of here Sunday afternoon.
State Patrolman Ronald Snowden identified the dead as Maurice Apple, 58, and his wife, Sydelle, 53, S2028 Adams, who were riding in a car driven by Apple; Kenneth Anderson, 16, Bob Evans, 17, Shari Kautz, 15, and Connie Niederkleine, 15, all of Ritzville, who were in the Anderson car.
Snowden said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of highway near the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 4-B.
Apple’s car was going east on U.S. Highway 10 when Anderson’s car apparently crossed the center line and struck Apple’s car head-on. The Anderson car then rolled over twice and caught fire a few minutes later.
Anderson, Evans and Miss Kautz were trapped in the burning car despite frantic rescue efforts by passersby and Ritzville firemen who were sent to the the scene. Fireman Robert Barnes said the three bodies were charred almost beyond recognition.
Mrs. Apple died almost instantly at the scene. Her husband died an hour later at the Ritzville General Hospital. Miss Niederkleine, who lived on a farm near Ritzville but was a sophomore at Lind High School, died in the Ritzville Hospital about five hours after the accident.
Barnes said Sandie Miller, 17, Jim Thomas, 17, and Miss Niederkleine were pulled from the car and rushed by ambulance to the Ritzville Hospital. Thomas’s condition was said to be good late last night. He suffered cuts and possible internal injuries.
Miss Miller, whose mother is the Ritzville city clerk, was transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane shortly after 8:30 p.m., for treatment of a possible broken leg and head injuries. Her condition was reported by hospital attendants as fair.
Barnes and Tom Kimball, another volunteer fireman, said the heat from the burning car was so intense no one could get close enough to the vehicle to save the victims. Evans and Miss Kautz were found in the back seat. Anderson was found slumped over the steering wheel.
Friends of the Apples said they were returning to Spokane from Seattle. The six students were heading toward Lind, friends said.
Ritzville, a town of 2,200 persons, was deeply shocked Sunday as news of the tragedy spread quickly through the community. All six were well known in the high school of 187 students. Anderson and Evans were juniors, Thomas is a senior, and Miss Miller is a sophomore.
Apple came to Spokane in 1945 and was the owner of Star Leather Company, W1018 Sprague.
—From The Spokesman-Review; Monday, September 24, 1962
RITZVILLE, Wash. — A Spokane businessman, his wife and four high school students from Ritzville, Washington, were killed in a fiery head-on crash of two cars 14 miles west of here Sunday afternoon.
State Patrolman Ronald Snowden identified the dead as Maurice Apple, 58, and his wife, Sydelle, 53, S2028 Adams, who were riding in a car driven by Apple; Kenneth Anderson, 16, Bob Evans, 17, Shari Kautz, 15, and Connie Niederkleine, 15, all of Ritzville, who were in the Anderson car.
Snowden said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of highway near the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 4-B.
Apple’s car was going east on U.S. Highway 10 when Anderson’s car apparently crossed the center line and struck Apple’s car head-on. The Anderson car then rolled over twice and caught fire a few minutes later.
Anderson, Evans and Miss Kautz were trapped in the burning car despite frantic rescue efforts by passersby and Ritzville firemen who were sent to the the scene. Fireman Robert Barnes said the three bodies were charred almost beyond recognition.
Mrs. Apple died almost instantly at the scene. Her husband died an hour later at the Ritzville General Hospital. Miss Niederkleine, who lived on a farm near Ritzville but was a sophomore at Lind High School, died in the Ritzville Hospital about five hours after the accident.
Barnes said Sandie Miller, 17, Jim Thomas, 17, and Miss Niederkleine were pulled from the car and rushed by ambulance to the Ritzville Hospital. Thomas’s condition was said to be good late last night. He suffered cuts and possible internal injuries.
Miss Miller, whose mother is the Ritzville city clerk, was transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane shortly after 8:30 p.m., for treatment of a possible broken leg and head injuries. Her condition was reported by hospital attendants as fair.
Barnes and Tom Kimball, another volunteer fireman, said the heat from the burning car was so intense no one could get close enough to the vehicle to save the victims. Evans and Miss Kautz were found in the back seat. Anderson was found slumped over the steering wheel.
Friends of the Apples said they were returning to Spokane from Seattle. The six students were heading toward Lind, friends said.
Ritzville, a town of 2,200 persons, was deeply shocked Sunday as news of the tragedy spread quickly through the community. All six were well known in the high school of 187 students. Anderson and Evans were juniors, Thomas is a senior, and Miss Miller is a sophomore.
Apple came to Spokane in 1945 and was the owner of Star Leather Company, W1018 Sprague.
—From The Spokesman-Review; Monday, September 24, 1962
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
