Truck Overturns At Busy Intersection As Brakes Give Way

Wheat’s Towing’s Steve Wheat, center, gets assistance from Waterloo firefighters Jeff Davis, left, and Bill Fries hooking up cables to upright an overturned truck.

The driver of an old Ford utility truck escaped injury Tuesday night when his vehicle overturned at the intersection of Park Street (Route 156) and Maeystown Road. Dave Paulson said he was driving northbound on Maeystown Road when the brakes gave out as he approached the busy intersection. He was able to avoid colliding with approaching vehicles. When he tried to make a right turn onto eastbound Park Street the runaway truck overturned. Paulson was able to climb uninjured out of the passenger side door. Paulsen said he acquired the truck earlier Tuesday evening from a company in Maeystown and was planning on selling the truck to an East St. Louis salvage company.

Gilbert Birkner and his wife are recovering from minor injuries sustained Monday when their car collided with a semi-tractor truck on Route 3. Gilbert attempted to turn into Schneider’s Quality Meats when he pulled into the path of the truck.

U.S. Army’s Neil Loerch, second from right, was honored at Monday’s Waterloo City Council by, left to right, Alderman and veteran Charlie Metzger, American Legion Commander Roy J. May and Waterloo VFW Commander John Fuller for his service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After a brief visit home, Loerch will soon be returning to war zone.

Recent Obituaries
Jerome Koetting, 67, of Waterloo, died August 7, in St. Louis. Survivors include wife, Joyce (Brand) Koetting; children Sandra (Doug) Sperino, Linda (Larry) O’Dell, Sheila Koetting and Daniel (Carrie) Koetting. Visitation is Friday, August 110, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Saturday, August 11, 9:30 a.m., at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Hecker.

Fremond Kohlmeier, 84, of Waterloo, died August 7, in Belleville. Survivors include children Connie (Steve) Kostecki, Kevin Kohlmeier, Vicki (John) Koerber and Lori (Rob) Hermanson; siblings Syl (Clara) Kohlmeier, Audrey Hofmann and Wilbert “Whip” Kohlmeier; and brother-in-law, Lewis Lich. He was preceded in death by wife, Laverne Kohlmeier; sister, Lorena Lich; and twin brother, Raymond Kohlmeier. Visitation is Thursday, August 9, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Friday, August 10, 10 a.m., at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Wartburg.