LIGGETT, Donald J. - L-Obituaries

A former Fountain County resident became the county’s eighth traffic fatality of 1972 Tuesday evening in a three-car crash on U.S. 41 just south of the bowling alley south of Attica.

  Killed instantly of a broken neck and internal injuries was 19-year-old Donald J. Liggett of Rt. 7, Lafayette (near Shadeland).

  According to Fountain County Sheriff Art Cruea, Liggett was traveling south on U.S. 41 when he went off the berm on the right side, came back on the road and crossed the center line, striking head-on a pick-up truck driven by Russell Neeley of Harvey, Ill.

  An auto driven by Albert Gee, 28, of Greendale, Wisc., behind the Neeley vehicle struck it in the rear, lifting up the rear end of the truck.

  Neeley was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lafayette. Others involved in the crash included Neeley’s wife, Minnie, and son, Steve, and Gee’s wife, Charlene. Liggett was alone in the crash.

  Sheriff Cruea reported the road was not ice-covered at the time of the accident.

  Both the Liggett car and the Neeley truck were totaled in the crash.

  Investigating were Cruea, Deputy Stuart Riley, Officer Orville Smith of the Attica Police, the State Police, and Coroner Robert Shelby.

  Liggett was born at Frankfort June 25, 1953, the son of Estol Eugene and Madonna Rose Borton Liggett. The family moved to Newtown in 1957 where they resided until one and one-half years ago when they moved to the Shadeland area. He was a graduate of Southwestern High School in 1971.

  Liggett had been employed at Moss Body Shop at Stone Bluff until a week ago when he went to work for Consolidated Industries of Lafayette. He had also worked as a farm hand for Joe Rund.

  He had never been married, but was engaged to marry next August. He was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church of Newtown.

  Survivors include his parents; three brothers, Rodger of Terre Haute, Bradley of West Point, and Jeffery of Rt. 2, Attica; two sisters, Cindy and Leighann, both at home; his maternal grandfather, A. A. Borton of Lafayette; and his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Bertha Liggett of Rising Sun. – thanks S