• [Excerpts from Newspaper article, One Killed, 14 Injured in Car Crashes, Tacoma Daily Ledger, 16 December 1935, p. 1, 2]

  "Nine persons were injured, one of them, Donald Smith, 24, of route 3, box 375, Tacoma, perhaps fatally, in a spectacular automobile accident late Saturday night at the Midland corner intersection."
  "The accident involved cars driven by Kermit Sather of Puyallup and Ole Olson, also of Puyallup. Sather was traveling north on the Midland road and Olson was going east on the Pacific avenue cutoff, according to Wardall and Tolson, who investigated.
  Riding with Sather were Eva and Genevieve Hansen of 3616 South A street and Joe Dessen, 1736 South Ainsworth. They were cut and bruised and were given aid at the County hospital before going to their homes.
  Passengers in the Olson automobile were Dorothy and Mildred Danko, 4008 East F street; Everett Johnson and Smith. The latter is still unconscious at the County hospital and is believed to be suffering from a skull fracture, possible internal injuries as well as cuts and bruises. The Danko sisters, Olson and Johnson were treated at the County hospital."

• [Excerpts from Newspaper article, Three Die Victims of Cars, Tacoma New Tribune, 16 December 1935, p. 1, 3]

  "As the result of the serious accident Saturday night at the Midland corner intersection of the Pacific avenue cut-off to Puyallup, Donald Smith, 24, of Route 3, is in the Pierce county hospital in critical condition. Smith was unconscious many hours after the accident, but was reported conscious and slightly improved Monday. He suffered a skull fracture, possible internal injuries, a brain injury, possible spine and neck injuries, a dislocated thumb and numerous cuts and bruises."
  "Young Smith was one of five passengers in the car of Ole Oleson of Puyallup at the time of the crash with the car of Kermit Sather, also of Puyallup. Olson, who suffered only minor injuries in the accident, was reported to have been driving east on the Pacific avenue cut-off at the time of the crash. Other passengers in the Olson car were Everett Johnson and Dorothy and Mildred Danko of 4008 East F street, all of whom were given first-aid treatment before being allowed to go home.
  Sather, reported traveling north on the Midland road, had three passengers in his car who were slightly cut and bruised in the mishap. They were Eva and Genevieve Hansen of 3616 South A street and Joe Dessen, 1736 South Ainsworth avenur. All were treated in the county hospital."

Don died on 14 January 1936 from his injuries, nearly 4 weeks after the accident. According to my aunt, he was alert at first and then each time she saw him he seemed worse. He slowly slipped into a coma. Cause of death according to his death certificate was a Basal skull fracture, Punctured lung, Pyothorax, Vincents angina with oral sepia, Staphylococus septicemia, Fractured ribs & left clavicle.