WIU's deadly decade
Sarah Zavala
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
The deceased and a friend threw glasses of water at each other, resulting in a chase down Tanner's long corridors from the lounge to the elevator.
Although the exact sequence of events is officially unclear, the pair at some point fell into the elevator lobby near the doors.
The 5'10'' 180-pound Laughlin then struck the bottom right panel of the right elevator bank, bending it back far enough to drop him into the shaft to his death below.
Authorities emphasized that the accident was not due to mechanical failure of the elevator. The doors did not open horizontally as usual, but the force of impact was great enough to dislodge one panel from the bottom track and swing it out into the shaft.
Laughlin fell from the 12-floor elevator shaft on to the top of the elevator that was stopped on the third floor. It was said that he died a few minutes later.
On Sept. 22, 1975, 20-year-old Western student and Delta Sigma Phi fraternity member Scott F. Roetman, of Waukegan, Ill., died during a party as a tractor overturned on top of him at a local farm.
"Roetman was killed instantly when a tractor holding five people from the party rolled down a steep and muddy incline. The accident was believed to be caused by very muddy grounds and the scoop shovel being in an upward position causing the shovel to become top heavy and overturn," said Steve Czech, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
Czech and his date where thrown from the tractor into a fence and were lucky to escape injury. Two other members of the fraternity were pinned under the tractor.
John Forssander and Greg Simmons were pinned beneath the tractor for hours before they were freed by the police and fire department. Forssander and Simmons escaped with minor injuries.
Over the years there have been numerous deaths on and around campus, the type of deaths range from suicide, homicide, drowning, car, motorcycle and train accidents, drinking, overdose, hazing and accidental situations. However, the 1970s seem to be a time for some of the strangest deaths that have occurred at Western.
Although the exact sequence of events is officially unclear, the pair at some point fell into the elevator lobby near the doors.
The 5'10'' 180-pound Laughlin then struck the bottom right panel of the right elevator bank, bending it back far enough to drop him into the shaft to his death below.
Authorities emphasized that the accident was not due to mechanical failure of the elevator. The doors did not open horizontally as usual, but the force of impact was great enough to dislodge one panel from the bottom track and swing it out into the shaft.
Laughlin fell from the 12-floor elevator shaft on to the top of the elevator that was stopped on the third floor. It was said that he died a few minutes later.
On Sept. 22, 1975, 20-year-old Western student and Delta Sigma Phi fraternity member Scott F. Roetman, of Waukegan, Ill., died during a party as a tractor overturned on top of him at a local farm.
"Roetman was killed instantly when a tractor holding five people from the party rolled down a steep and muddy incline. The accident was believed to be caused by very muddy grounds and the scoop shovel being in an upward position causing the shovel to become top heavy and overturn," said Steve Czech, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
Czech and his date where thrown from the tractor into a fence and were lucky to escape injury. Two other members of the fraternity were pinned under the tractor.
John Forssander and Greg Simmons were pinned beneath the tractor for hours before they were freed by the police and fire department. Forssander and Simmons escaped with minor injuries.
Over the years there have been numerous deaths on and around campus, the type of deaths range from suicide, homicide, drowning, car, motorcycle and train accidents, drinking, overdose, hazing and accidental situations. However, the 1970s seem to be a time for some of the strangest deaths that have occurred at Western.
Be the first to comment on this story