Four killed in county line auto accident

This story was published by the Ypsilanti Daily Press on Saturday, August 2, 1930.

Four Ypsilanti residents were killed, one instantly, in a serous automobile crash on E. Michigan Ave., at the Wayne-Washtenaw County Line, about four miles east of Ypsilanti, at 9:30 Friday evening, when a powerful sport coupe driven by William D. Checkaris, 117 N. Huron St., swerved off the pavement crashed into a deep ditch and turned over completely several times.

The dead:

Mrs. Mary Plomarits, 28, 32 S. Normal St., wife of Stephen Plomarits, and mother of a five year old girl and a 14 month son, who was killed instantly when thrown from the rumble seat of the car to the ground 35 feet away receiving a broken neck and a crushed heart. She was dead before witnesses reached her.

Stephen Plomarits, 35, 32 S. Normal St., the husband of Mary, and manager-owner of the Ypsilanti Restaurant for nine years, who died shortly after his arrival at the Beyer Memorial Hospital. Death was caused by a crushed heart and fractured skull received when he was thrown from the rumble seat to the ground approximately five feet away from his wife.

George Kautsloumpas, 42, 311 Ferris St., chief cook at the Ypsilanti Restaurant, who died at Beyer Hospital between 11:30 and 112 Friday evening. According To Dr. J. J. Woods, attending physician, Kautsloumpas died fro serious internal injuries received and other body bruises.

William D. Checkaris, 42, 117 N. Huron St., driver of the death car, was reported dead at the hospital this morning at 8 o’clock. Checkaris, part owner of the Ypsi Lunch, received a fractured skull, cut throat artery, and internal injuries.

At the scene of the accident, it was believed that Kautsloumpas was the least injured of the party of four riding in Checkaris’s automobile and shortly after the accident was reported to have the best chance of living through the fatal crash.

Mr. Checkaris, the recent purchaser of a new sport coupe, for an evening of entertainment gathered Mr. and Mrs. Plomarits, and Kautsloumpas for a joy ride to the country at 8 o’clock.

As they were returning to Ypsilanti on E. Michigan Ave., at 9:30 Checkaris driving the coupe, attempted to pass a huge sedan at a high rate of speed, estimated by witnesses from 65 to 75 miles per hour, and in doing so, skidded off the pavement.

The shoulder of the road, loose and dry after weeks of hot weather, held the wheels of the car and played havoc with them. The machine shot on a 45 degree angle, approximately 100 feet through the loose sand and grass damp from falling dew, straight for a six foot ditch which crosses under Michigan Ave.

In the loose turf the brakes were of no avail and the car plunged in the the west side of the bank, turning over several times finally stopping 50 feet from the ditch, throwing Mr. and Mrs. Plomarits approximately 35 feet through the air from the rumble seat to almost instant death.

Checkaris and Kautsloumpas were taken from the wreckage, placed in the ambulance and brought to Beyer Memorial Hospital, immediately after.

The impact of the plunge was so terrific it pulled the back axle and springs from the body of the car, driving the front end at the rear of the chassis.

Two small children, a five year old daughter and a 14 month old boy survive Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Plomarits, who were married seven years ago. Mrs. Plomarits is also survived by an uncle in Detroit while Stephen leaves a brother, George, this city.

George Plomarits Friday evening stated that he would continue with the business and support Stephen’s two small children.

The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Plomarits and William D. Checkaris are in the funeral home of Stevens and Bush while the body of George Kautsloumpas was taken the Wallace-LaCore funeral home. Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Plomarits’ will be held from the undertaker’s chapel at 2 o’clock, Monday, with burial in Highland Cemetery. Funeral services for the other two victims have not been arranged.

William D. Checkaris leaves a mother and brother in Greece and it is not known whether the body will be held until they come. Mr. Checkaris has spent nearly ten years managing restaurants, coming to Ypsilanti three years ago from Albion. He was a partner of Gust Polites the Ypsi Lunch, corner of Michigan and Huron.

Little is known of George Kautsloumpas except that he came to the Ypsilanti Restaurant about three years ago and had been with then until his death.

Coroner E. C. Ganzhorn, after viewing the wreck and interviewing witnesses concluded tha the accident was due entirely to the reckless operation of the cat and is not planning an inquest.