Car Accident Kills 4-Year-Old Girl
A 4-year-old girl was fatally injured about 6 p.m. Saturday when a car rolled backwards over her in the driveway at her home at 800 N. Walnut, police reported today. Michelle Rodriguez, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julian (Martha) Rodriguez, was taken to Axtell emergency room by her mother and a friend, who was visiting at the residence at the time of the accident. Police report the child’s three-year-old brother, Gus, reportedly got into a vehicle parked in the driveway and moved the vehicle’s gear shift out of the park position. The car reportedly rolled back and ran over the victim, went into the street and stopped at the west curb. The engine was not running at the time of the accident. Mrs. Rodriguez and her visitor, Hope Leal of Newton, found Michelle lying on the driveway between the sidewalk and street and picked her up and transported her to the Axtell Christian Hospital, police report. She reportedly died about one hour later. Harvey County Coroner Dr. Carl Tompkins attributed death to abdominal injuries, shock and cardiac arrest, police reported today. The car reportedly in owned by Crecensio Rojas of 523-B Heather Lane and driven to that location by the visitor, Hope Leal.
Michelle Rodriguez was born September 3, 1979, at Dimmitt, Texas. She moved to Newton from Dimmett 
with her parents four months ago. Michelle was a member of the Church of God of the Firstborn. In addition to her parents, of the home, she is survived by one brother, Gus Fabian Rodriguez of the home, and grandparents, Jose Rodriguez and Mrs. Lucia Ornelas, both of Dimmitt. Services were conducted at 2:00 o’clock this afternoon in the Church of God of the Firstborn. The Rev. A. M. Brackeen officiated and burial was in the church cemetery in rural Newton. Draper-Cannon Funeral Home was in charge of the services. (The Newton Kansan, Monday September 18, 1983. Page 1).
