Seat belts apparently save couple's lives

BY MICHAEL BURKE

Monday, June 4, 2007 2:12 AM CDT

Journal Times

RACINE COUNTY - Two rollover accidents in the county's western end Sunday reportedly had very different results for the people involved.

The first, and more serious, accident occurred at 1:21 a.m. on Malchine Road in Norway. A Racine County Sheriff's deputy reported that he was on another call when he heard a car loudly take off westward from East Wind Lake Road. About 30 seconds later, that was followed by a loud crash.

The deputy found that the car had left Malchine Road, sideswiped one tree and hit a second tree. That flipped the vehicle back onto Malchine Road, where the deputy found the car.

The driver, unidentified as of Sunday, was found lying in a ditch alongside the road; he had evidently been ejected upon impact.

His injuries were judged to be fairly serious, and the driver was taken by Wind Lake Rescue Squad to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa.

Later, in Raymond, seat belts apparently saved the lives of a husband and wife involved in a rollover accident on Interstate 94 Sunday.

The Wisconsin State Patrol reported that Ralph and Greta Eckert of Slinger were southbound about 12:40 p.m. Sunday in a 1982 Corvette. Just south of Highway K, the driver, Ralph Eckert, 78, lost control of the car, which hit the median wall.

The car rolled over and skidded upside down for 309 feet, trapping both occupants inside.

Eckert and his 74-year-old wife were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center by ambulance. Their injuries were reportedly minor.

A State Patrol spokeswoman said it was not immediately known what caused Eckert to lose control of the car. She said that without seat belts, the couple would probably not have survived.

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