Boots - Ross Lee - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

A 19-year-old Darlington man, a former basketball player at Bowers HS was killed instantly Sunday afternoon when his car was struck by a train in Linden.  Killed was Ross Lee Boots of Darlington Rt 1, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Boots.  He became Montgomery County’s first traffic fatality for 1953…The fatal accident in Linden occurred at 1:04 p.m. Sunday just west of the public library.  State Trooper Robert Morgan said that Boots drove his car onto the Monon tracts in front of northbound passenger train No 6.  Alone in the car, he was driving west. Police said Boots’ vision probably was obscured by box cars along the railroad siding. The youth’s body was tossed from the car and both were thrown about 35’ north of the crossing. The car was demolished.  Train Engineer George N. Yuill, of 1900 N. 15th St, Lafayette said he did not see the car until the diesel-powered engine struck it. The conductor on the train was Ralph Mahan of Orleans. Boots was a 1951 graduate of Bowers HS. He is survived by the parents and a sister, Rebecca. - kbz