Tragedy struck again near Prosser in Sunday night's rainstorm when Robert J.
Willott. 34, of North Richland ad his little daughter Penny were killed in a
truck and car smashup, Just outside the city limits east of Prosser on Hwy 410.
The mother, Mrs. Willott who was in the death car, survived with a broken leg
and many cuts and bruises.
Mrs. Willott was told Monday that her husband and daughter were dead.
The Willott was driving in a 1949 Packard Sedanette, towards Richland, when they
struck a huge Consolidated Truck and Trailer driven by Ervin A. Janes, 32, of
Pasco.
Janes sa id that the Willott car was approaching his truck as he neared Prosser.
There was a line of four cars ahead of the truck and just as the Janes car
passed this group of cars, it began to veer towards his truck, Janes explained.
Janes said that the visibility was poor and that the cars ahead of him were
creating a fine spray of water which made vision even more difficult. He stated
that he slowed down his truck and flashed his lights on and off. But still the
Willott car came towards him. When it became evident that there would be a
crash, Willott stated (error in paper it should be Janes stated) that he
honked his horn and wheeled his heavy rig for the ditch. Just as he left the
road the Willott car struck with great force.
Janes said that Willott could not have been asleep because he flashed his own
lights in answer to Janes warning signal. Officers believe that Willott could
not see clearly and probably did not know he was out of his own lane.
Willott was pinned inside the car. Mrs. Willott was prone on the floor of the
car. The presence of the child was not discovered until noticed dolls and a
child's shoe in the backseat. A search revealed that the little girl had been
thrown out of the car and 35 feet away and into the ditch. Her body was thrown
out of a read side window.
The crash ripped open the diesel fuel tank of the truck and enveloped the cab in
flames. Janes managed to escape by kicking out the windshield and leaping clear
of the flaming cab. He was not hurt. The Prosser Fire Department was called and
put out the flames and rendered assistance at the scene.
Story in the Prosser Record Bulletin, Prosser, WA Nov 2, 1950.
Willott. 34, of North Richland ad his little daughter Penny were killed in a
truck and car smashup, Just outside the city limits east of Prosser on Hwy 410.
The mother, Mrs. Willott who was in the death car, survived with a broken leg
and many cuts and bruises.
Mrs. Willott was told Monday that her husband and daughter were dead.
The Willott was driving in a 1949 Packard Sedanette, towards Richland, when they
struck a huge Consolidated Truck and Trailer driven by Ervin A. Janes, 32, of
Pasco.
Janes sa id that the Willott car was approaching his truck as he neared Prosser.
There was a line of four cars ahead of the truck and just as the Janes car
passed this group of cars, it began to veer towards his truck, Janes explained.
Janes said that the visibility was poor and that the cars ahead of him were
creating a fine spray of water which made vision even more difficult. He stated
that he slowed down his truck and flashed his lights on and off. But still the
Willott car came towards him. When it became evident that there would be a
crash, Willott stated (error in paper it should be Janes stated) that he
honked his horn and wheeled his heavy rig for the ditch. Just as he left the
road the Willott car struck with great force.
Janes said that Willott could not have been asleep because he flashed his own
lights in answer to Janes warning signal. Officers believe that Willott could
not see clearly and probably did not know he was out of his own lane.
Willott was pinned inside the car. Mrs. Willott was prone on the floor of the
car. The presence of the child was not discovered until noticed dolls and a
child's shoe in the backseat. A search revealed that the little girl had been
thrown out of the car and 35 feet away and into the ditch. Her body was thrown
out of a read side window.
The crash ripped open the diesel fuel tank of the truck and enveloped the cab in
flames. Janes managed to escape by kicking out the windshield and leaping clear
of the flaming cab. He was not hurt. The Prosser Fire Department was called and
put out the flames and rendered assistance at the scene.
Story in the Prosser Record Bulletin, Prosser, WA Nov 2, 1950.
Tragedy struck again near Prosser in Sunday night's rainstorm when Robert J.
Willott. 34, of North Richland ad his little daughter Penny were killed in a
truck and car smashup, Just outside the city limits east of Prosser on Hwy 410.
The mother, Mrs. Willott who was in the death car, survived with a broken leg
and many cuts and bruises.
Mrs. Willott was told Monday that her husband and daughter were dead.
The Willott was driving in a 1949 Packard Sedanette, towards Richland, when they
struck a huge Consolidated Truck and Trailer driven by Ervin A. Janes, 32, of
Pasco.
Janes sa id that the Willott car was approaching his truck as he neared Prosser.
There was a line of four cars ahead of the truck and just as the Janes car
passed this group of cars, it began to veer towards his truck, Janes explained.
Janes said that the visibility was poor and that the cars ahead of him were
creating a fine spray of water which made vision even more difficult. He stated
that he slowed down his truck and flashed his lights on and off. But still the
Willott car came towards him. When it became evident that there would be a
crash, Willott stated (error in paper it should be Janes stated) that he
honked his horn and wheeled his heavy rig for the ditch. Just as he left the
road the Willott car struck with great force.
Janes said that Willott could not have been asleep because he flashed his own
lights in answer to Janes warning signal. Officers believe that Willott could
not see clearly and probably did not know he was out of his own lane.
Willott was pinned inside the car. Mrs. Willott was prone on the floor of the
car. The presence of the child was not discovered until noticed dolls and a
child's shoe in the backseat. A search revealed that the little girl had been
thrown out of the car and 35 feet away and into the ditch. Her body was thrown
out of a read side window.
The crash ripped open the diesel fuel tank of the truck and enveloped the cab in
flames. Janes managed to escape by kicking out the windshield and leaping clear
of the flaming cab. He was not hurt. The Prosser Fire Department was called and
put out the flames and rendered assistance at the scene.
Story in the Prosser Record Bulletin, Prosser, WA Nov 2, 1950.
Willott. 34, of North Richland ad his little daughter Penny were killed in a
truck and car smashup, Just outside the city limits east of Prosser on Hwy 410.
The mother, Mrs. Willott who was in the death car, survived with a broken leg
and many cuts and bruises.
Mrs. Willott was told Monday that her husband and daughter were dead.
The Willott was driving in a 1949 Packard Sedanette, towards Richland, when they
struck a huge Consolidated Truck and Trailer driven by Ervin A. Janes, 32, of
Pasco.
Janes sa id that the Willott car was approaching his truck as he neared Prosser.
There was a line of four cars ahead of the truck and just as the Janes car
passed this group of cars, it began to veer towards his truck, Janes explained.
Janes said that the visibility was poor and that the cars ahead of him were
creating a fine spray of water which made vision even more difficult. He stated
that he slowed down his truck and flashed his lights on and off. But still the
Willott car came towards him. When it became evident that there would be a
crash, Willott stated (error in paper it should be Janes stated) that he
honked his horn and wheeled his heavy rig for the ditch. Just as he left the
road the Willott car struck with great force.
Janes said that Willott could not have been asleep because he flashed his own
lights in answer to Janes warning signal. Officers believe that Willott could
not see clearly and probably did not know he was out of his own lane.
Willott was pinned inside the car. Mrs. Willott was prone on the floor of the
car. The presence of the child was not discovered until noticed dolls and a
child's shoe in the backseat. A search revealed that the little girl had been
thrown out of the car and 35 feet away and into the ditch. Her body was thrown
out of a read side window.
The crash ripped open the diesel fuel tank of the truck and enveloped the cab in
flames. Janes managed to escape by kicking out the windshield and leaping clear
of the flaming cab. He was not hurt. The Prosser Fire Department was called and
put out the flames and rendered assistance at the scene.
Story in the Prosser Record Bulletin, Prosser, WA Nov 2, 1950.
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