3 Persons Die, Five Injured in Head-on Collision:
Victims From Antioch While Two Youths injured in Mishap are Keyser Residents:
Three Antioch residents were killed and five other persons, including two Keyser youths were injured in a head-on collision on a secondary dirt road in Grant County yesterday afternoon.
State Police identified the dead as Fred Rotruck, 78; his wife, Mable, 68, and Wilford Gillaspie, 77.
In Grant County Memorial Hospital, Petersburg are: Willard "Dick" Burns, 24, Keyser, driver of one of the cars. He suffered multiple head injuries including a deep gash in the scalp, and a puncture and fracture of the right knee. Robert Burns, 13, brother of Willard. He has a deep gash in the top of the head and bruise and abrasions. Arley Lester Bible, 55, Medley, driver of the other car involved. He sustained head and chest injuries. Mrs. Dovie Rohrbaugh, 55 Martin, who has a fractured leg. Mrs. Belle Rohrbaugh age 77, Martin, who also has a fractured leg.
The accident happened on secondary Route 3 between Martin and Maysville about 12:15 p.m.
The Burns brothers were returning from hunting on the farm of their uncle, Luther Mongold, above Maysville and the car driven by Bible was headed towards Maysville.
Cpl G. H. Phillips of the Petersburg detachment of State Police said the cars collided head-on on a slight curve in the rolling road. Phillips said both cars were directly in the center of the road at the time of the impact and added that he was still investigating the accident.
Mrs. Rotruck was killed instantly. Gillaspie died a few minutes later at the scene of the accident, and Rotruck died shortly after being admitted to the hospital.
The elder Burns brother, an employee at the A&P supermarket here was driving the 1959 Pontiac convertible of his uncle, Ed Burns. It was totally demolished as was the 1957 Plymouth driven by Bible.
Gilaspie was born in Belmont County, Ohio August 21, 1881, a son of the late John J. and Martha E. Twigg Gillasipie. He was a member of the Church of Christ of Grandview. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Thelma May Powell Gillaspie; a foster son, Paul McCarty, Martin, a sister, Mrs. Catherine Martin, Parkersburg, a brother, Isadore T. Gillaspie, Shaw and a grandson. The body is at the Schaeffer Funeral Home in Petersburg.
Mrs. Rotruck was a native of Grant County and was a member of Knobley Church of the Brethren. She is survived by a son, Carl Rotruck, Martin; two grandchildren, three half-sisters and a half brother.
Rotruck was also a native of Grant County and was a son of the late James D. and Mary Rotruck. He was a member of Knobley Church of the Brethren. He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Jennie Eller, Keyser, Mrs. Omar Sions, Mt. Look, Washington and two brothers, Clarence Rotruck, Purgitsville and Harry Rotruck, Sacramento, California. The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Rotruck are at the Arnold Funeral Home, Petersburg.