Paul Bachman - High Bridge, man, 77, dies after minor crash
HIGH BRIDGE - The health of a 77-year-old borough man who complained of moderate ankle and back pain after a car hit him Friday afternoon took a turn for the worse and died Saturday, police said.
The death of Paul Bachman, 77, who lived alone on Mill Street, remained a mystery following an autopsy Monday, Hunterdon County Medical Examiner Dr. Walter Uhlman said. Authorities await the results of toxicology tests that could reveal more information. The preliminary autopsy showed Bachman suffered a broken hip and had fluid in his lungs, Uhlman said. There was no trauma to Bachman's head
and he otherwise appeared to be in good health, the medical examiner said. But Bachman was known to be generally frail. High Bridge Emergency Squad Capt. Marty Stickle noted that an accident can have a far worse
effect on an aged person than a young one. "Elderly people respond differently to shocks to their system," he said. Also puzzling authorities Monday was why Bachman was in a position to be struck, on a clear day at
2:30 p.m., Police Chief Richard Lacey said. Police hoped two upcoming interviews with out-of-town witnesses will clear up the picture. However, police know that Barclay Jones, 85, of Thomas Street, drove the car that hit Bachman, who was walking his bicycle across the street. Jones, driving about three car lengths behind the auto in
front of him, was traveling about 20 mph at the time, Lacey said. The collision occurred on Bridge Street at Central Avenue, in the middle of the roadway, not in a crosswalk. Authorities filed no charges against Jones.
Police and High Bridge squad members did not at first think Bachman was seriously injured. He was lucid, even requesting someone bring his bike home for him and reporting only ankle pain and slight back discomfort, Lacey said. Squad members transported him to Hunterdon
Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition for several hours, the chief said. For reasons not made available, hospital officials decided Friday night to call a helicopter to take Bachman to Lehigh Valley
Hospital for trauma care. Once there, he deteriorated and died about 11 a.m.
Saturday, Lacey said. Police could find no family members to inform of Bachman's death, said Lacey, who added the Rev. Thomas Higgins of High Bridge United Methodist Parsonage helped Bachman over the years. Higgins could not be reached for comment. The Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office has joined police in the accident investigation.
Express-Times, The (Easton, PA) - Tuesday, December 8, 1998