Surnames: Bombach, Davis, Reineking, Bergemann, Kutsche, Giese, Walker

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 08/30/1956

Bombach, Dorothy (3 Aug. 1946 - 27 Aug. 1956)

Two week-end fatalities raised Clark county’s highway traffic toll to eight for the year and four during August. The victims were Dorothy Bombach, age 10, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Bombach, town of Willard farmers, and Ronald Davis, age 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Davis of Neillsville.

The Bombach girl died in the Marshfield, Wisconsin Hospital at 6:45 Monday of injuries suffered at 7:45 o’clock Sunday night when she was struck by a car while crossing Highway G on a bicycle in front of her home, three miles northeast of Willard. She suffered a fractured skull, fractured jaw, brain and chest injuries and died without regaining consciousness.

Norman Reineking of Colby, assistant cashier at the Security State Bank, told Clark county authorities he was traveling east when the girl rode out in front of his car before he could stop. The accident occurred in the center of the road. The child was tossed to the road and was taken to the Marshfield, Wisconsin Hospital in a Greenwood ambulance.

After an inquiry at the hospital, John Bergemann said there would be no inquest. Joining Bergemann at the inquiry were Sheriff Ray Kutsche and Richard Giese, Loyal, traffic officer. They report the accident unavoidable.

Davis, who was alone in his car, was killed shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday when the vehicle crashed into a concrete abutment 11 miles south of Neillsville on Highway 10. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Memorial Hospital at Neillsville. Authorities said he suffered head injuries and apparently died almost immediately.

Dim tire tracks led officers to believe that his car left the road about 180 feet from the point of impact. The absence of skid marks on the roadway indicated that the driver may have been dozing at the wheel. The car was traveling east at the time.

The force of the impact moved the 18-foot, solid concrete abutment three inches from its foundation. Davis’ body was found lying on its back on the highway with his feet still in the vehicle.

The front-end of the 1956 automobile was shoved backward into the front seat area. The imprint of the concrete abutment was plainly stamped into the twisted steel. Pieces of wreckage were found several feet from where the crash occurred.

The accident was discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Walker of Humbird, who notified authorities by phone. Davis was taken to the Neillsville hospital by ambulance and was pronounced dead on arrival. The youth’s whereabouts before the accident were not learned.