Carl Wallace Tubbs
Youth Killed in Car Crash at Cheyenne River Bridge
Carl Tubbs, 20, of Edgemont is Accident Victim
Carl Tubbs, aged 20, was almost instantly killed early Monday morning, when the car he was riding in struck the steel side overhead girder over the Cheyenne River 58 miles north of Lusk on International highway 85.
Tubbs was riding in a car driven by a lad named Shinn, and a young lady companion. The two boys had taken their girl friends to a show Sunday evening and had taken Tubbs' lady friend to her home and they were enroute to Edgemont when the accident occurred about 12:30 a.m., Monday morning.
According to Highway Patrolman Reuben Galloway who investigated the accident, the tracks of the car appeared to have been to the right side of the oil pavement, with the right wheels being about two feet off the pavement for approximately 150 yards before they struck the bridge. No evidence of braking was shown by the tire marks and it is believed that the two occupying the front seat either dozed off or were visiting with Tubbs who was riding in the rear seat alone, and did not realize they were on the side of the highway until the impact came.
Tubbs was thrown from the car, which struck the railing and catapulted into the bridge. Tubbs was lying about 30 feet from the car where his body came to rest. Shinn and his companion were not seriously injured and the former walked to the Robison residence about a half mile distance to call for aid.
Sheriff D. A. Shoopman and Highway Patrolman Galloway drove to the scene immediately. Since County Coroner George Earl Peet is in the hospital, he deputized the Sheriff to perform his duties, a mortician from Edgemont being called to take Tubbs' remains to that city.
It is understood that Tubbs' parents operate a dairy at the South Dakota city and that the young man was one of the most popular youths of the community. Shinn lives with his mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Wycoff, also of Edgemont. The young lady in the accident is said to be a resident of Dewey, South Dakota.
The death marks the second highway fatality of the year in Niobrara county. Just a few weeks ago Howard Miller, a truck driver for the Gray Refining Company at Newcastle, was fatally injured about nine miles south of Lusk when the semitrailer tank truck he was driving got out of control and turned over in the borrow pit.