Dog causes deadly head-on collision

By DUANE SHERRILL Reporter for the Southern Standard

Highway Patrolman Mike Tanner investigates the fatal head-on crash on Smithville Highway Friday which claimed the life of a 47-year-old woman. She was a passenger in the Geo Tracker.

A motorist swerving to avoid a stray dog is being blamed for a deadly head-on crash on Smithville Highway Friday morning which claimed the life of a local woman.

The victim, Deborah Sue Ann Spangler, 47, died after being airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center by LifeForce helicopter from the scene.

Her husband, the driver of the vehicle, Edward J. McClear, 48, was treated at River Park for nonctiical injuries.

According to Highway Patrolman Mike Tanner, the accident happened shortly after 11 a.m. Friday on Smithville Highway on a straight stretch of road just north of Delores’ Market.

Billy J. Ferrell, 29, of Rock Island told lawmen he was traveling toward McMinnville in his 1986 Nissan pickup when a large dog bolted down a hill and onto the highway. Ferrell said he swerved to miss the dog but in doing so, entered the path of McClear’s oncoming 1993 Geo Tracker. The two vehicles then collided head on, with the McClear vehicle connecting with a third vehicle as it spun, a van driven by Pamsey R. Dilligart of Smithville which was directly behind the McClear vehicle.

Ferrell suffered a noncritical cut while Dilligart escaped injury as the van sustained only a glancing blow from the McClear vehicle.

Spangler remained pinned in the passenger-side of her vehicle for several minutes as the impact focused on her side of the small SUV.

The dog which Ferrell tried to avoid was struck and killed and was found lying in front of his truck. The owner of the dog is unknown since it was not wearing a collar.