ROGER ALAN BABIARZ

A motorcycle accident one mile west of Mannford killed rural Mannford resident Roger Alan Babiarz, 22, last Tuesday, September 29.

Witnesses said Babiarz was traveling south bound on Old Mannford Ramp Road at a high rate of speed, missed the stop sign at the highway intersection, and ran into the path of a tractor-trailer loaded with sheetrock driven by Keith McDevitt of Boon, Iowa.

McDivitt, who was wearing his safety belt, made great effort to miss Babiarz, turning his truck over in the ditch on the north side of Highway 51. According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Mark Zumwalt, Babiarz was not speeding down the county road, but apparently did not see the stop sign.

"There was no indication that the cycle tried to stop," Mannford Police Chief Orlin White said at the scene Tuesday.

After the impact of the semi-truck, the black Yamaha's gas tank exploded, setting Babiarz on fire. Babiarz was dead at the scene from massive injuries, according to Medical Examiner Robert Baker.

"There probably wasn't a bone in his body that wasn't broken," White stated.

According to White, Babiarz's girlfriend was also killed in a traffic accident earlier this year in Sand Springs when her car careened off a Highway 64 bridge onto Main Street.

It was also reported that a total of $1,322 was found at the scene, which apparently belonged to Babiarz, who was employed at Rockin J Horse Stalls.

"We are conducting an investigation about the large sum of money that was found," White said, and the Mannford Police Department will handle the case.

The money was turned over to Babiarz's step-father.

Earlier this year Babiarz was apprehended for possession of a stolen driver's license from the Claremore Tag Office and had a bogus tag on the vehicle he was driving, White said.

"But the vehicle was not stolen," White added.

Funeral services were held for Babiarz Saturday, October 3, in Ottowa, Illinois.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:

This letter is in response to the article printed on October 7, 1987, about our loved one, Roger Babiarz.

Love, support and understanding are needed to help us, Roger's family, get through the tragic loss we are experiencing, not the cruel way Jay Cranke and Lisa Mancuso reported the article.

It was very uncaring and cold-hearted the way they quoted the sick remarks that Police Chief Orlin White made.

For instance, White said, "There was no indication that the cycle tried to stop!" We saw the skid marks the cycle made when Roger tried to stop! It was very unnecessary for White to say, "There probably wasn't a bone in his body that wasn't broken."

Can't you imagine how horrible it was anyway not being able to see our son and brother?!

Concerning the money found at the scene, Roger worked very hard for that money at Rockin J Horse Stalls but he did not have a savings account so he carried it with him.

Is the Mannford Police Department really going to investigate that?

Finally, what does Roger's being apprehended for possession of a stolen driver's license and bogus tag have to do with his death?

Instead of printing all of the negative crap, you shouldn't have printed anything at all.

The family of Roger Alan Babiarz:
Judie Mefford
Tim Mefford
Jim Babiarz
Brenda (Babiarz) heath
David Heath
Kelli Babiarz
Krista Babiarz
Ashley Mefford