[Photograph 2012.201.B0052.0182]

Description

Photograph taken for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "DEATH RIDE ALONG in these two cars Wednesday. The car at left field to make a curve at Newcastle road and Meridian. The driver, father of two children and a companion died instantly. Two passengers were injured. Four persons were killed and three injured, one critically, in a series of pre-Christmas accidents Wednesday in and near Oklahoma City. Dead are: LEROY C. LEVERICH, 26, of 1413 Oelke, father of two small children. HOMER CLEVE SMITH, 42, of 1041 SW 24, employed with Leverich at the Lee Way-Sooner Freight … continued below

Physical Description

1 photograph

Creation Information

Mitchell, George T. December 24, 1953.

Context

This photograph is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection and was provided by the Oklahoma Historical Society to The Gateway to Oklahoma History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 54 times. More information about this photograph can be viewed below.

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Oklahoma Historical Society

The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. The OHS was founded on May 27, 1893, by members of the Territorial Press Association.

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  • Main Title: [Photograph 2012.201.B0052.0182]
  • Added Title: Death Ride Along

Description

Photograph taken for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "DEATH RIDE ALONG in these two cars Wednesday. The car at left field to make a curve at Newcastle road and Meridian. The driver, father of two children and a companion died instantly. Two passengers were injured. Four persons were killed and three injured, one critically, in a series of pre-Christmas accidents Wednesday in and near Oklahoma City. Dead are: LEROY C. LEVERICH, 26, of 1413 Oelke, father of two small children. HOMER CLEVE SMITH, 42, of 1041 SW 24, employed with Leverich at the Lee Way-Sooner Freight lines. Also in Mercy hospital are Murray J. Smith, 31, of 2815 S Central, brother of the other victim, and Marion E. Prichard, 27, of 1836 S High. Leverich and Smith were killed when their car, a 1953 Mercury, failed to negotiate a curve a half-mile southwest of the city near the Meridian boulevard and Newcastle road intersection. Trooper D.R. Stegner of the highway patrol was parked at the intersection waiting for traffic to clear and saw the fatal accident. Stegner said the sedan was driven by Leverich. The automobile skidded 120 feet, struck a bridge guard rail then skidded another 130 feet before overturning several times. Both Leverich and Smith were dead when the trooper reached them. Leverich had a crushed skull and the other victim a crushed chest, broken neck and crushed skull. Pair Tossed Clear, Leverich, father of two children, had worked at the trucking firm a number of years. The automobile he was driving belonged to Homer Cleve Smith. The other Smith brother and Prichard were thrown more than 50 feet clear of the tumbling automobile. Attendants at Mercy hospital said preliminary examination did not indicate Smith or Prichard were seriously injured. X-rays however are being developed to ascertain whether or not they suffered any broken bones."

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

PublishDate: 12-24-1953 Oklahoman

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This photograph is part of the following collection of related materials.

Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection

The Oklahoma Publishing Company, the parent company of many prominent Oklahoma newspapers, amassed a significant collection of photographs that span more than a century. The wide variety of photographs accompanied stories in the newspapers.

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  • December 24, 1953

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Added to The Gateway to Oklahoma History

  • Oct. 11, 2013, 8:30 p.m.

Description Last Updated

  • Dec. 3, 2013, 10:42 p.m.

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Total Uses: 54
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Mitchell, George T. [Photograph 2012.201.B0052.0182], photograph, December 24, 1953; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc219737/: accessed February 14, 2026), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.

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