Red Rock, AZ Chain Reaction Auto And Truck Collision, July 1964

8 DIE IN FIERY PILE-UP IN STORM.

VALLEY RESIDENTS HEROIC IN RESCUE.

Eloy, Ariz. -- Eight people were killed and 25 injured in a dust storm when a semi-truck smashed into and "buried" a 1964 Mercury convertible killing all five passengers on Sunday evening around 6:30 p.m. near Red Rock, 16.5 miles southeast of Eloy on Interstate 10, in the northwest bound lane. The truck-car smashup resulted in a chain reaction involving nine cars, three trailer trucks and one pick-up.
Killed in the accident were:
PAUL LEWAMDOWSKI.
His wife MARY LEWAMDOWSKI.
His father CASMIR LEWAMDOWSKI.
ALBERTA and RUTH DELANEY, all of Phoenix.
RAFEL VASQUEZ, from Peoria, Arizona.
MARTIN L. JOHNSON and CORA JOHNSON, of Phoenix.
All were identified late this afternoon.
FRANCIS ARNOLD, 38, of 415 W. Pima, Coolidge, his wife, THELMA, 36, and their daughters JUDY, 16, and CONNIE, 12 were involved in the pileup.
MR. ARNOLD suffered injuries of the leg. A passing motorist stopped and enroute to the hospital in Tucson the car turned over. MR. ARNOLD was then taken the rest of the way by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital. An emergency operation was performed in time, enabling them to save his leg.
Bobby Eldridge, of Eloy, was the first highway patrolman on the scene. "Everything was burning, the heat was intense," he said. The patrolman could hardly see as the dust was blinding. Visibility was zero most of the time. The winds were blowing up to 70 miles per hour.
Highway Patrolman Eldridge said that the accident occurred when a car apparently slowed down and a truck hit its bumper, and then a truck was hit by another truck. A fire apparently was ignited from one of the car's gas tank.
Patrolmen were rushed to the scene from Miami, Tucson, Eloy and Casa Grande. Chief Police Robert Colores, Mayor Paul Pearce and City Manager Leo Rosbach of Eloy were among those who arrived shortly afterwards in addition to Patrolman Bob Arthur of Casa Grande.
Deputy Sheriff's Toby Pennington and Stan Miller of Eloy directed the traffic at the scene of the accident. Eloy Police Department, supervised by Lt. Ervin Larson, and officers, Ellis Frank, Talmadge Hampton, John Farles and assisted by Melvin Poindexter blocked off the highway.
Armando Acuna and Bud Rosbach of Eloy were the first of the wreckers to arrive at the scene of the accident. They were followed by Bud Harpain's of Eloy and Enco's of Picacho. Wreckers also came from Tucson and Marana. Ambulances came from Darold Allbritton and Gary Gibson's of Eloy and Casa Grande. Also the A. & A. Ambulances from Tucson were called upon.
Acuna and Rosbach were quoted as saying that when they arrived there were five cars burning. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating. They immediately started to pull out the charred bodies. The bodies were badly burned and broken up and had to be put in plastic bags. They had to call Tucson for more plastic bags, as they ran out of them. The wrecker crews arrived among 7 p.m. Sunday and didn't leave until the following morning around 3:00 a.m.
Fire trucks from Eloy, Coolidge, Casa Grande and Rural Fire Department in Tucson battled the blaze.
Seven accident victims were taken to the Eloy Medical Center. Dr. H. Howard Holmes and his entire staff, R.N. Mrs. Robert Hall, R.N. Mrs. Ida Workman of Casa Grande. Mrs. Ben Bush and Mrs. Alice Miller worked until midnight treating the injured and transferring them to Hoemako Hospital in Casa Grande.
Three were hospitalized at St. Mary's Hospital, Tucson.
They were:
FRANCIS ARNOLD, 38, Coolidge, surgery on leg.
ESTHER AVECHUCO, 30, Tempe, multiple abrasions and possible hip and pelvic injuries; condition satisfactory.
MRS. ANDREW BOYLE, 33, Pasadena, Texas, multiple abrasions and contusions, laceration in scalp.
Twelve patients were treated and released at St. Mary's Hospital:
RUTH AVECHUCO, 13.
ANNA AVECHUCO, 9.
JOHN AVECHUCO, JR., 4, all came and went.
ETTA BOYLE, Pasadena, Texas, treated and released, possible neck injury.
E. L. SHORTER, 35 years old, San Antonio, Texas, laceration of the thumb, abrasion of knees.
GEORGE BICKLEY, 32, Pasadena, Texas.
BETTY BICKLEY, 31, Pasadena, Texas.
SUE BICKLEY, 2, Pasadena, Texas.
JESUS ADAMS, SR., 45, 3283 E. Jefferson, Phoenix, laceration of forehead.
HORTENSE ADAMS, 37, possible left knee injury.
EDWARD ADAMS, 4, possible head injury.
JESUS ADAMS, JR., 14, scalp lacerations.
Hospitalized at Hoemako Hospital were:
JUAN HERNANDEZ ARZATE, 25.
THERESA ARZATE, 24.
HOWARD WIGHTMAN, 48.
PEARL WIGHTMAN, 49.
ROGER WIGHTMAN, 7.
LARRY WIGHTMAN, 11.
DAVID WIGHTMAN, 2.
DAVID WIGHTMAN was taken to the home of Lt. Ervin Larson and cared for until his parents were transferred to Hoemako Hospital. The WIGHTMAN family is from Des Plaines, Illinois.

Casa Grande Dispatch Arizona 1964-07-13
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!