A 20 year old Mt. Carroll girl was killed and two other girls were injured, one seriously, when the car in which they were riding smashed into a truck at 5:20 p.m. yesterday (29 August 1947) eight miles north of Sterling on route 88. The dead girl is Miss Mary Lavonne Acker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Acker. Injured were Leona Jellericks 18, Round Grove, passenger in the car the Acker girl was driving and Evelyn Lego 12, Mt. Carroll.

The Jellericks girl is in the Sterling Hospital, her injuries undetermined early this morning. The Lego girl was released after treatment for a hand injury. R.C. Tillman, 39, Coleta, driver of the truck was cut by flying glass but did not require hospitalization. State police officer Jess McIntyre, who with Lt. Ray Cramer investigated the accident, said Miss Acker was Nouthbound when her car sideswiped Tillman's truck on a curve during a rainstorm.

Miss Acker had been employed in Sterling at the CIO office. She was a graduate of Mt. Carroll High School class of 1945. The Lego girl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Lego had been visiting Miss Acker in Sterling and Miss Jellericks was going to Mt. Carroll to spend the week end at the Lego home. A jury was sworn in by Dr. C.M. Frye, Whiteside County coroner last night after which the body of the Acker girl was taken to the Frank funeral chapel, Mt. Carroll. The inquest was scheduled for 4:30 today. Survivors in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Acker include a sister Mrs. Lee Pierson of Dixon.

(Dixon Evening Telegraph 30 August 1947.)