James Dean-He will be missed
September 30, 1955
Young actor James Dean, was involved in a head-on collision at the junction of Route 466, and Route 41. He was driving his "Little Bastard" Porsche Spyder. At approximately 5:45 pm, a black-and-white 1950 Ford Tutor Coupe, turned left and crossed the center line. The two cars crashed, and the Spyder flipped, landing on it's wheels in a gully just northwest of the junction. The force from the impact sent the Ford broad-sliding 39 feet down Route 466 in the westbound lane. Dean was pulled from the car, his left foot crushed from the clutch and brake pedal. He took the main force of the crash and suffered a broken neck, and several internal and external injuries. Dean was unconscious when he was put in an ambulance along with mechanic, Rolf WÜtherich. Dean was pronounced dead on arrival at Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital. WÜtherich had several immediate surgeries, and survived the crash with a broken jaw, and serious hip and femur injuries. 23-year old Cal Poly student Donald Turnupseed, was driving the Ford and suffered only facial bruises and a bloodied nose. James Dean was 24 years old.
September 30, 1955
Young actor James Dean, was involved in a head-on collision at the junction of Route 466, and Route 41. He was driving his "Little Bastard" Porsche Spyder. At approximately 5:45 pm, a black-and-white 1950 Ford Tutor Coupe, turned left and crossed the center line. The two cars crashed, and the Spyder flipped, landing on it's wheels in a gully just northwest of the junction. The force from the impact sent the Ford broad-sliding 39 feet down Route 466 in the westbound lane. Dean was pulled from the car, his left foot crushed from the clutch and brake pedal. He took the main force of the crash and suffered a broken neck, and several internal and external injuries. Dean was unconscious when he was put in an ambulance along with mechanic, Rolf WÜtherich. Dean was pronounced dead on arrival at Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital. WÜtherich had several immediate surgeries, and survived the crash with a broken jaw, and serious hip and femur injuries. 23-year old Cal Poly student Donald Turnupseed, was driving the Ford and suffered only facial bruises and a bloodied nose. James Dean was 24 years old.