Wreck Claims 5 west of Newton.
In Harvey County’s deadliest accident in decades, a Hutchinson family, their 15-year-old niece and a Wichita man were killed Saturday in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 50 west of Newton. Weather may have been to blame for the wreck that happened about 2:45 p.m. between West Road and Hoover, the Highway Patrol said. Tiffany Mathews, 15, of Mulvane and her uncle and aunt, Gerald D. Fisher, 37, and Pamela Fisher, 43, both of Hutchinson, were pronounced dead at the scene. The Fishers’ 5-year-old son, Jarod, who was taken to Wesley Medical Center by Newton ambulance, died of head injuries just before midnight Saturday. Also killed in the wreck was John Murray Jr., 58, of Wichita, who was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, Jonita C. Murray, 59, the wreck’s only survivor, was taken to Wesley Medical Center by helicopter and is in critical but stable condition today in the hospital’s surgical intensive care unit. She had several broken bones, including two broken legs and two broken wrists, and chest injuries. “It is a frustrating feeling to get to a scene like that and not being able to do anything for them,” said Mark Willis, Newton fire/EMS deputy chief, one of the first rescue workers to arrive at the accident. Kansas Highway Patrol 2nd Lt. Chip Westfall said a brief storm that moved through the Newton area caused the 1989 black Ford pickup truck that Gerald Fisher was driving to hydroplane and cross the center line sideways. Law enforcement authorities said years of traffic have left grooves on the highway that tend to fill with water during storms. The Highway Patrol said neither truck was exceeding the 65 mph speed limit. The Murrays’ vehicle, a 1998 red Ford truck which was headed in the opposite direction on U.S. 50, struck the passenger side of Fisher’s truck. Both pickups are extended-cab F-150s. After Jarod Fisher and Jonita Murray were taken to the hospital, it took rescue workers about two hours to free the remaining victims from the mangled wreckage. It was unclear whether Jarod Fisher was thrown from the vehicle, Westfall said. A child safety seat remained strapped in the Fishers’ pickup. When paramedics arrived, a passer-by was performing CPR on the child. “It was just a devastating scene,” Willis said. Relatives of the Fishers said the family was driving to Newton 
Saturday afternoon to see a dying relative, Pat Boyd, when the accident occurred. Boyd, Tiffany’s grandmother, died at her Newton home about half an hour after the accident. ”All in one day … it’s a little bit too much,” Stacey Mathews, Tiffany’s cousin, said Sunday. ”It’s kind of hard.” Randall Green, Tiffany’s stepfather, said relatives became concerned when the truck did not arrive in Newton when expected, so he drove west on U.S. 50 with another of Tiffany’s uncles to see if something had happened. They came across the accident scene about two miles west of town. ”It was my worst nightmare,” Green said. Local law enforcement officials and rescue workers said this was the worst accident they have seen in Harvey County. “To our knowledge, we’ve never had four or more dead on the scene from an accident of any sort,” Willis said. There have been several vehicle accidents that have killed three people in Harvey County, including one last year that claimed the life of a woman and two young girls near Walton. (by Chris Strunk, The Newton Kansan, Newton Kansas. June 10, 2002).
Tiffany Ann Mathews, 15, of Mulvane, died Saturday (June 8, 2002) in rural Newton. She was born Aug. 6, 1986, to John Walter Mathews and Nonie May Fisher in Newton. Her mother survives of Mulvane. Her father survives of Hutchinson. Other survivors include: a stepfather, Randall Green of Mulvane; a brother, Aaron Mathews of Mulvane; a sister, Jennifer Mathews of Mulvane; a stepsister, Hilary Williams of Wichita; two half sisters, Jessica George of Hesston and Deanna Strubhar of Wichita; and grandparents, Gerald Dean Fisher and Lenora Slaven, both of Hutchinson, Jim and Mary Green of Wichita and Patricia Boyd. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Mulvane. Burial will be in Littleton Cemetery in Mulvane. Memorials have been established with the Benevolence Fund at Mulvane Baptist Church in care of Senter-Smith Mortuary, 501 SE Louis, Mulvane, KS. (Petersen Family Funeral Home, Newton Kansas. June 12, 2002).
Gerald Dean Fisher Jr, 37, died Saturday (June 8, 2002) in rural Newton. He was born Aug. 3, 1964, to Gerald Dean Fisher Sr. and Lenora Nichols in Hutchinson. They survive of Hutchinson. He married Pamela Sue Moore Dec. 22, 1994, in Hutchinson. She died June 8, 2002. Other survivors include: a son, Jarod Fisher of Hutchinson; a stepfather, Gary Slaven of Hutchinson; two half-sons, Bobby Ramey and Rusty Wilson, both of Hutchinson; ; a half-daughter, Krystal White of Albuquerque, N.M.; three sisters, Tammie Faulconer of South Hutchinson, Nonie Mae Fisher of Mulvane and Roberta Fisher of Haven; four stepsisters, Christy Bishop of Lyons, Rose Burditt of Hutchinson, Shawn Burditt of Cottonwood Falls and Loretta Spielman of Newton; two stepbrothers, Bruce Burditt and Charles Burditt II, both of Cottonwood Falls; a half brother, Jerry Sutherland of San Diego; and a step-grandson. He was preceded in death by a half daughter, Amber Marie Ramey. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Betty Pinkston of Full Gospel Assembly in Hutchinson officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Memorials have been established with the Fisher Family Fund at Midland National Bank in care of the funeral home. (Petersen Family Funeral Home, Newton Kansas. June 12, 2002).
Pamela Sue Fisher, 43, died Saturday (June 8, 2002) in rural Newton. She was born Dec. 15, 1958, to Frank and Mary (Graves) Moore in Kismet. They preceded her in death. She married Gerald D. Fisher Dec. 22, 1994, in Hutchinson. He died June 8, 2002. She was a school bus driver with Durham Services in Hutchinson. Survivors include: three sons, Jarod Fisher, Bobby Ramey and Rusty Wilson, all of Hutchinson; a daughter, Krystal White of Albuquerque, N.M.; two brothers, Bill Moore of Valley Center and Bob Moore of Beaver, Okla.; five sisters, Jodi Burnette of Independence, Mo., Carolyn Gowger and Mary Herrington, both of Woodward, Okla., Shirley Jones of Dodge City and Ida Sullivan of Stoney Point, N.C.; and a grandson. She also was preceded in death by: a daughter, Amber Marie Ramey. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Betty Pinkston of Full Gospel Assembly in Hutchinson officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Memorials have been established with the Fisher Family Fund at Midland National Bank in care of the funeral home (Petersen Family Funeral Home, Newton Kansas. June 12, 2002).
Jarod Fisher, 5, died Saturday (June 8, 2002) at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He was born March 4, 1997, to Gerald Dean Jr. and Pamela Sue (Moore) Fisher in Hutchinson. They preceded him in death. Survivors include: two half brothers, Bobby Ramey and Rusty Wilson, both of Hutchinson; and a half sister, Krystal White of Albuquerque, N.M. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Betty Pinkston of Full Gospel Assembly in Hutchinson officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Memorials have been established with the Fisher Family Fund at Midland National Bank in care of the funeral home. (Petersen Family Funeral Home, Newton Kansas. June 12, 2002).
John Murray Jr
