Donna Sandstrom

1944 - October 15, 1959

Illinois state police today are investigating the death of Donna Sandstrom, 15, of Rock Island, in a hayrack ride accident Sunday night.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. Sandstrom, 1516 33rd St., Rock Island, was crushed when she fell beneath the rubber-tired wheels of the vehicle about 8 p.m. Sunday on Indian Bluff Road, south of Moline.

On the rack were 32 young people and six chaperons from St. John's Lutheran Church, Rock Island.

Witnesses said the girl slipped from the hayrack without warning and was run over by two wheels before William Witter, driver of a tractor pullling the rack, could stop.

A United ambulance took Donna to Moline Lutheran Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Rock Island County Coroner Leslie H. Banning said death was caused by crushing injuries of the chest. He said an inquest would be scheduled after a coroner's jury was sworn in today at the Knox-Larson Funeral Home, Rock Island.

When the accident occurred, the hayrack was passing the Albert C. DeWitte residence on Indian Bluff Rd., about a half-mile west of the entrance to Indian Bluff Forest Preserve.