PLATTSBUBGH DAILY PRESS, . -MONDAY, JUNE 1,1942.
Philip J. Gonyea
Moffitsville Auto Victim
Aged Man Succumbs a
Short Time After Being Run
Down Saturday Morning
Struck by an automobile near
Moffittsville early yesterday morning
Phillip J Gonyea 66 of Moffitsville
Was Fatally injured and died a
few minutes later after.
having been rushed to the home
of a Saranac physician.
Mr. Gonyea had spent the evening
with friends and was en route
to his home when the accident occurred
shortly before 2:00 o’clock.
Gonyea, according to sheriff’s deputies
who conducted the investigation,
was walking on the right
side of the highway. At a point only
a few feet west of True brook, a
sedan operated by Leo Lambkins,
21, also of Moffitsville, struck the
pedestrian.
Mr. Gonyea had spent the evening
with friends and was en route
to his home when the accident occurred
shortly before 2:00 o’clock.
Gonyea, according to sheriff’s deputies
who conducted the investigation,
was walking on the right
side of the highway. At a point only
a few feet west of True brook, a
sedan operated by Leo Lambkins,
21, also of Moffitsville, struck the
pedestrian.
According to Lambkins’ version,
as related to the deputies, Gonyea,
walked onto the highway. Lambkins
steered to the left to avoid him
but, even though he applied his
brakes, was unable to avoid running
the man down. Lambkins
turned his car around to gain better
vantage from his headlights in
determining the extent of the man’s
injuries. Another car, carrying
Everett Craig and Frank Campbell,
also of Moffitsville, reached
the scene soon afterwards. They
helped Lambkins carry Mr. Gonyea
to Craig’s car and the three
went with him to the home of Dr.
Gilbert E. Ganong at Saranac. Mr.
Gonyea died in the car before medical
aid could be administered
Mr. Gonyea, a carpenter and a
lifelong resident of the Town of
Saranac, is survived by his wife
Mrs. Delia Gonyea and one son,
Gerard Gonyea, both of North
Adams, Mass.; two daughters, Mrs.
Joseph Conti of North Adams, and
Mrs. Arthur Plumb of Williamstown,
Mass.; also two brothers,
Napoleon and Felix Gonyea of Saranac.
At the Brown funeral home in
this city, where the body was taken
to await final funeral arrangements,
an autopsy disclosed death
to have been due to multiple causes,
including a skull fracture, a fracture
of the dorsal spine, internal
hemorrhage and compound fracture
of the right leg.
An indication of the thoroughness
of the investigation was contained
in the reports yesterday when other
probers questioned another, besides
Lambkins relative to the accident.
Mr. Lambkins had done everything
that could be done, authorities said,
following the accident. However,
other officers proceeded with their
investigation. Mr. Gonyea ,it was
disclosed, had spent considerable
time Saturday night at a tavern
near True brook. Late in the night
he cut his hand quite severely. An
acquaintance, noticing that Mr.
Gonyea was about to leave for
home, hailed him and said: “Wait
in my car a few minutes and I’ll
take you home.” By all indications
Gonyea sat in the car for some
time. Meantime his hand bled freely.
Some time later it is presumed
that, tired of waiting, he left the
car and started to walk home.
Then the accident happened, only
a short distance away. Yesterday,
investigators questioned the owner
of the car which Was blood-smeared
and presenting every indication of
having been a possible hit-and-run
car. Further inquiry, however, disclosed
that Lambkins had duly reported
the accident to sheriff’s deputies
and was held blameless for
the mishap, .his only penalty, up
to the present, being the loss of
his operator’s license until such
time as it is reinstated,
