A Year’s Fatal Accidents.
Mishaps Occurring in Luzerne County from December 1, 1930, to December 1, 1931; 
Not Including Those in the Mines.

The following information is posted for the sole purpose of family research within  the Yahoo Group, 
The Court House Gang. It is not to be published to any other web site, mailing list, group, etc. without 
prior written permission and guidelines from the group owner, to ensure that proper credit is given to 
the group and all of our volunteers that helped with this project.

December 1930
William Zimm, 5 and Melvin Zimm, 3, Luzerne, burned to death when fire destroyed their home, December 1, 1930.
Irene Barna, 5, Edwardsville, scalded when she fell into tub of boiling water, December 3, 1930.
Ralph Zampetti, 46, Wilkes-Barre, hit by truck, December 4, 1930.
Michael Katsock, 8, Plains, hit by an automobile, December 10, 1930.
John Maker, 26, Duryea, hit by an automobile, December 14, 1930.
Roy Henderson, 49, hit by an automobile, December 14, 1930.
Stanley Drawicz, 25, Pittston, hit by an automobile, December 15, 1930.
Joseph Comer, 9, Wilkes-Barre, squeezed between truck and fire plug, December 18, 1930.
Vincent Urban, 67, Nanticoke, hit by a truck, December 20, 1930.
Irene Olshefski, 8, Plymouth, hit by an automobile, December 22, 1930.
Adam Hoffman, 60, Stroudsburg, hit by an automobile, December 28, 1930.
Joseph Knepkus, 10, Wilkes-Barre, fell down steps, December 3, 1930.
Anthony Yenavitch, 49, Wilkes-Barre township, fell down steps, December 30, 1930.

January 1931
Emma Herden, 8, Wilkes-Barre, collided with truck while coasting, January 3, 1931.
George Puto, 44, West Avoca, hit by automobile, January 3.
Paul Herden, 10, Wilkes-Barre, collided with truck while coasting, January 6.  Same accident as one in 
which his sister, Emma was fatally injured.
Margaret Luesky, 12, Plymouth, burns received in stamping out a fire, January 8.
Blandis Blastiz, 54, Miners Mills, fall, January 8.
William Miles, 60, Wilkes-Barre, fell down steps, January 9.
Charles Kovack, 53, Port Griffith, fell down stairs, January 11.
Mrs. Mary Zolna, 50, Nanticoke, burns, January 12.
Constantine Grabko, 7, Plainsville, collided with truck while coasting, January 13.
John Prettle, 19, Weston, collided with automobile while coasting, January 14.
Theresa Polachek, 10, Dallas hit by automobile, January 21.

February
William Garney, 10, Kingston, hit by automobile, February 3.
John Devine, 80, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, February 3.
Mary Murdock, 26, West Pittston, automobile collided with pole, February 3.
Leroy Shook, 44, Mt. Zion, shotgun wounds, February 4.
Charles W. Haddock, 67, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, February 4.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ehret, 81, Ceasetown, burns, February 7.
Lewis Chromis, 65, Beach Haven, hit by automobile, February 11.
John O. Phillypeck, 23, Wilkes-Barre, automobile hit pole, February 15.
Mrs. Bridget Kearney, 54, Wilkes-Barre, fell down stairs, February 19.
Mr. Elizabeth Gotch, Swoyervills, overcome by coal gas, February 21.
Harry Potts, 55, Conyngham, automobile hit a bridge, February 21.
Andrew Derr, Hazleton, run over by fire truck, February 25.
Leo Olshefski, 4, Alden, struck by an automobile, February 25.
William Culp, 2, Nescopeck, burns, February 25.

March
Frank Rynevich, 40, Luzerne, struck by an automobile, March 2.
Bert Mangino, 10 months, West Wyoming, fell down stairs, March 7.
Mary Stanulevich, 20, Wilkes-Barre, automobile crashed into pole, March 8.
Joseph Petro, Jr., 4, Wilkes-Barre, fell into tub of scalding water, March 14.
Zigmund Rutkowski, 40, Wanamie, hit by street car, March 17.
Helen Roth, 4, Nanticoke, clothing caught on fire, March 24.
Margaret Androsko, 5, Wilkes-Barre, hit by motorcycle, March 24.
Michael Kenger, 37, Larksville, burns, March 24.
Frank Cecelon, Wilkes-Barre, burns, March 25.

April
Mrs. Emma Doty, 48, Wilkes-Barre, automobile collision, April1.
Grace Rineman, 48, Wilkes-Barre, automobile collision, April 1.
John O’Donnell, 37, Wilkes-Barre, automobile crashed into pole, April 1.
Clyde Miller, 41, White Haven, automobile crashed into tree, April 3.
Edward J. Sprow, 1, Nanticoke, burns, April 10.
Mrs. Ethel Nelson, 41, West Nanticoke, injuries received in automobile accident, April 10.
Margaret Patterson, 5, West Avoca, hit by automobile, April 12.
Thomas McKendra, 32, Lee Park, hit by automobile, April 13.
Michael Shovlin, 34, Plains, automobile hit pole, April 14.
William Flyght, Wilkes-Barre, automobile accident at Philadelphia, April 16.
Mrs. Anna Ryalt, 62, Mocanaqua, automobile accident at Wasser, Ohio, April 17.

May
Daniel Shipula, 7, Lynwood, hit by automobile, May 3.
Louis Dworick, 12, Pringle, tetanus from blank cartridge wound, May 14.
Hugh Sweeney, 58, Wilkes-Barre, fell from car, May 7.
John Naylor, 41, Forty Fort, hit by automobile, May 7.
Mrs. Ellen E. Burke, Pittston, injured in a fall, May 9.
Helen Sherkshanus, 17 Warrior Run, hit by automobile, May 10.
Thomas Butchko, 5, Freeland, hit by automobile, May 10.
Anthony Albosta, 15, Ashley, bullet wounds, May 15.
Bernard Boyle, 12, Preston, hit by automobile, May 15.
Nuja Wasil, 5, Hazleton, bullet wounds, May 17.
George Lindsay, 32, Carbondale, electrocuted at Kingston, May 18.
Samuel Kalena, 16, Avondale Hill, hit by automobile, May 20.
Joseph Rapencheck, 11, Hazleton, drowned, May 20.
Anthony Waskevick, 26, Drifton, automobile accident, May 26.
John Kovaleski, 50, Port Griffith, fell from cliff, May 29.
Patrick Lavelle, Pittston, bumped his head, May 29.
Frank Soro, 34, Wyoming, ran into revolving airplane propeller, May 30.

June
James Cherniski, 19, drowned when boat overturned, June 1.
Tony Chiavacco, 26, Hughestown, automobile overturned, June 4.
Leland Siegel, 18, Wapwallopen, automobile collision, June 4.
Stanley Patera, 21, West Wyoming, drowned, June 5.
William Condon, 21, Old Forge, automobile upset, June 6.
Ernest Stone, Sr., 50, Wilkes-Barre, squeezed between truck and ice house, June 6.
John Marcincavage, 14, Luzerne, fall, June 7.
Benjamin Ford, 66, Nanticoke, fall, June 10.
Mrs. James C. O’Donnell, 42, Wilkes-Barre, fell from automobile, June 11.
Joseph Rylszyski, Jr., 10, Larksville, drowned, June 13.
Mrs. Catherine Castner, 60 Dupont, hit by automobile, June 15.
John Stroski, 14, Pringle, lockjaw from blank cartridge wound, June 16.
Bernard Hayden, 26, Plymouth, automobile went over embankment, June 16.
Frank Viechowski, 35, Glen Lyon, automobile hit ledge of rock, June 17.
Mrs. Margaret Yoshinski, 54, Nanticoke, fell down steps, June 18.
Betty Givens, Wyoming, fall June 19.
Nathan Zimmerman, Luzerne, automobile collision, June 23.
Anthony Friday, 43, Wilkes-Barre, fell from automobile, June 24.
P. J. Boyle, 65, Wilkes-Barre, drowned, June 27.
Bradley Koone, 16, Kingston, struck rock while diving, June 28.
Albnia Sincavage, 10 Luzerne, drowned, June 28.

July
Martin Just, 40, Plymouth, hit by street car, July 1.
Josephine Sincavage, 4, Kingston, fell under automobile, July 1.
Eugene Brennan, 25, Lee Park, caught under slide of dirt, July 2.
Ralph Broadt, 32, Kingston, burns received in explosion, July 5.
Rita Butak, 4, Hudson, bitten by dog, July 6.
Leo Gillespie, 10, Wilkes-Barre, drowned while swimming, July 7.
Franklin S. Leinthal, 45, Nanticoke, electrocuted, July 8.
Earl Stevens, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, July 9.
Marcella Sobieski, 5, Wilkes-Barre, clothing caught on fire, July 12.
Emidio Poli, 40, Hughestown, hit by an emery wheel, July 13.
Charles Fritz, 39, Wilkes-Barre, automobile collision, July 15.
Adam Syrowicz, 46, Avoca, hit by automobile, July 15.
Merle Zamerowski, 12, Wyoming, drowned while swimming, July 19.
Marie Peale, 7, Silver Brook, burned, July 20.
John Molitoris, 11, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, July 25.
George Hoggart, 47, Nanticoke, fell from automobile, July 25.
Mrs. Conrad Scheetrumpf, 51, Hazleton, automobile upset, July 26.
John Czyzewski, 40, Lee Park, fall, July 27.
Charles E. Connor, 40, Ashley, overcome by gas, July 27.
Leo Skerski, 11, Edwardsville, drowned, July 27.
John Keefe, 14, Pringle, fall, July 31.
George Habblett, 22, Chase, truck hit by engine, July 31.

August
Thomas Petrona, 15, Ashley, tetanus contracted by stepping on a nail, August 1.
Alice Shugdinis, 4, Sebastapol, stepped on third rail, August 1.
Thomas Cardone, 22, Pittston, injured while diving, August 3.
William Stocker, 78, Wyoming, fell down steps, August 8.
Anna Kamor, 9, Wyoming, hit by automobile, August 10.
Thomas, Vedor, 40, Nanticoke, drowned, August 16.
Nestor Derr, 23, Hazleton, accidentally shot, August 16.
Anthony M. Joseph, 28, Hazleton, hit by automobile, August 17.
Mrs. Mary Van Sant, 69, Philadelphia, hit by automobile at Forty Fort, August 18.
John Waters, 35, Wilkes-Barre, truck overturned, August 20.
John McKenna, 25, Wilkes-Barre, truck overturned, August 20.
Charles E. Hicks, 50, Mrs. Charles E. Hicks, 48, and Sylvester Shoemaker, 14, all of Warrior Run, 
drowned when boat overturned, August 20.
Mildred Myers, 5, Nanticoke, hit by automobile, August 26.
Catherine Falsavage, 7, Ashley, hit by automobile, August 30.
Robert White, 57, Carol White, 2, Betty White 20 months, all of Shickshinny, automobile hit by train, 
August 31.

September
Dorothy Patton, 20, Luzerne, automobile hit pole, September 3.
George E. Goodrich, 59, Wyoming, crushed by automobile, September 6.
John Henry, 35, Ashley, run over by railroad car, September 10.
J. A. Pierce, Pocomoke City, Md., truck went over embankment on Ashley Boulevard, September 15.
Eugene Kirk, 22, Wilkes-Barre, automobile collision, September 16.
Joseph Gerascavage, Pittston, drowned, September 17.
Jean Louis Kane, 3, West Pittston, hit by truck, September 22.
Anthony Liparella, 55, Miners Mills, fell down steps, September 26.
Frederick Reiss, Jr., Wilkes-Barre, 18, fall, September 29.

October
Ray Austin Benning, 3, Wilkes-Barre, toy wagon overturned, October 3.
Edward Kollar, 8, Town Line, hit by automobile, October 8.
Mrs. Rebecca Chapin, 55, Kingston, automobile overturned, October 8.
Edward Castellani, 19, Nanticoke, fell from automobile, October 10.
Dominick Concert, 18, Pittston, fell under truck, October 14.
Helen Gabor, 20, Wilkes-Barre, fell out of window, October 26.
Owen McCarroll, 8, Plains, hit by automobile, October 28.

November
Willit Ekins, 1, Wilkes-Barre, fell from chair, November 1.
Mrs. Mary Thomas, 40, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, November 2.
John Deets, Ashley, hit by falling boiler, November 8.
Michael Shortz, 30, Ashley, touched high voltage wire, November 9.
Mr. and Mrs. James McDonald. 61 and 58, Lee Park, automobile hit by train, November 10.
Gena Burke, 3, Avoca, burns, November 3.
Thomas Finnegan, 47, Plymouth township, hit by automobile, November 14.
Leonard Smulski, 41/2, Buttonwood, run over by automobile, November 15.
Victor Illand, 32, Plymouth, automobile collision, November 16.
Eleanor Panzak, 22, Wilkes-Barre, automobile collision, November 22.
Milan J. Ogin, 54, Slocum, fell from silo, November 22.
Robert L. Mitchell, 16, Kingston, automobile, collision, November 27.
Robert Kaufer, 16, Kingston, automobile collision, November 27.
John Burke, 60, Wilkes-Barre, hit by automobile, November 28.

Typed by Elaine Paterson and Robin Percy,  May / June 2004