Steve Kent Wrecks Family Car, 1963

From The Chrisman Weekly Courier October 10, 1963

3 Chrisman Boys
Escape Serious
Injury In Wreck

Three young Chrisman boys miraculously escaped serious injury last Thursday night about 8:30 0'clock when the car in which they were riding went out of control, skidded, and turned over once or twice on the old ocean-to-ocean highway, about a mile east of Chrisman.

Steve Kent, 16, was driving the 1957 Chevrolet, owned by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley R. Kent, and was accompanied by Michael 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Norman J. Mooney, and Harold (Curly) Thompson, Jr., 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Thompson, all of Chrisman.

The boys had driven east of Chrisman to the Gnaw Bone bridge where they turned around and were headed west back toward Chrisman. Steve Kent admitted he was driving too fast as he came around the curve at the Ross township line, and he lost control of the car. The car swerved to the north side of the road, then back to the south side, where it skidded for about 150 feet. The boys said they knew the car turned over at least once, and “maybe twice.” The car just barely missed hitting a highway sign and a utility pole, and came to rest upright against a wire fence on the south side of the road.

The three boys were able to get out of the car and walked to the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Ora Wyatt, where Steve called his parents. The Scott ambulance was called, and took Steve Kent and Mike Mooney to the Paris hospital.

Michael suffered a deep gash on the left side of his head, which required seven stitches. He also suffered body bruises and a sprained back. He was x-rayed, examined, treated, and released from the hospital that night, but remained in bed at his home until Tuesday.He was taken back to the hospital Tuesday to have the stitches removed from his head, and was able to return to school Wednesday.

Steve suffered a slight cut on the top of this head, a sprained back and neck, and numerous body bruises. He was examined and x-rayed at the hospital and released, but was confined to his home until Sunday. He was able to return to school Monday.

Harold Thompson suffered only minor bruises, and was not hospitalized. He was examined at his home by Dr. W. J. Gonwa, Jr.

The Perrin wrecker towed the Kent car to the Hixon Chevrolet Company garage in Chrisman. The rear end of the car was entangled in the fence so badly that several strands of wire fence had to be cut before the car could be removed. The car was so badly damaged that it was declared a total loss.

Robert William Hoult, city police chief and county deputy sheriff, issued a ticket to Steve Kent, charging him with driving too fast for conditions. He appeared Monday afternoon before Bert H. Ellsberry, justice of the peace. who fined Steve $10 and costs of $5.