Hanover Township policeman Theodore A. Uzdilla was killed when he was struck by a school bus on Sans Souci Parkway on Oct. 9, 1959. Picture published in the Times Leader Oct. 10, 1959.
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Hanover Township policeman Theodore Albert Uzdilla was directing traffic on Sans Souci Parkway due to heavier than usual shoppers headed to the new Acme Supermarket on Oct. 9, 1959.
The store requested a policeman to handle traffic congestion on the roadway formerly known as the Wilkes-Barre-Nanticoke Highway on Fridays and Saturdays.
While Uzdilla was performing his duties, a school bus operated by Walter Kotulka, 35, of East Church Street, Nanticoke, was transporting the Nanticoke High School’s band for a football game at Hanover Memorial Field.
Uzdilla was wearing a white cape with reflective markers and waved a flashlight when he was struck by the school bus.
“A veteran member of the Hanover Township police department was killed last night while directing traffic in front of the new Acme Market on the Wilkes-Barre-Nanticoke Highway at Dundee,” reported the Times Leader on Oct. 10, 1959.
Uzdilla was transported to Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre where he was pronounced dead, the newspaper reported.
Uzdilla, 60, was a policeman for more than 20 years.
Hanover Township Police Chief Herbert Woodeshick told reporters Uzdilla stopped one lane of northbound traffic to permit a vehicle traveling south to turn into the Acme Market parking lot.
“While Uzdilla was directing the automobile into the market, a bus operated by Kotulka with members of the Nanticoke High School band as passengers came along,” the Times Leader reported.
Woodeshick noted Kotulka was in the passing lane and struck Uzdilla before striking the turning vehicle. Uzdilla’s white cape was found under the wrecked vehicle, the newspaper reported.
A coroner’s inquest was held at the Luzerne County Courthouse on Oct. 23 when the coroner’s jury found Kotulka guilty of criminal negligence in causing Uzdilla’s death.
A Luzerne County grand jury indicted Kotulka with involuntary manslaughter on Jan. 6, 1960.
Kotulka’s trial before Luzerne County Judge Thomas M. Lewis began March 28, 1960.
Assistant District Attorney Ivo Giannini prosecuted while Attorney Joseph Gale defended Kotulka.
Dr. Peter Andrew, who conducted the autopsy, testified Uzdilla died from a fractured skull and suffered two broken arms, a fractured leg and numerous contusions and abrasions, the Times Leader reported March 29, 1960.
Woodeshick testified Kotulka was traveling at a high rate of speed and was not licensed to operate a school bus, owned by Cyril Hudak, who was cited civilly for allowing a non-licensed driver to operate the bus.
Kotulka testified in his own defense telling jurors he did not see Uzdilla standing in the middle of the highway.
“As God as my witness, I did not see the officer,” Kotulka testified as reported in the Times Leader on April 1, 1960.
Kotulka told jurors he was laid-off as a welder and was a machinist for the bus company. When the normal bus driver became ill, Kotulka testified he was asked to transport Nanticoke’s band to the football game.
Kotulka told jurors he was traveling 15 to 20 mph when he crossed from Nanticoke into Hanover Township and picked up speed when the highway opened wider, the Times Leader reported.
After five hours of deliberations with the jury deadlocked at 6-6, Judge Lewis discharged the jury and declared a mistrial on April 1, 1960.
Prosecutors scheduled a second trial for Kotulka before Judge Frank L. Pinola.
“Walter Kotulka charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of a Hanover Township policeman made a surprise plea of guilty to the charge yesterday morning,” the Times Leader reported June 2, 1960.
Judge Pinola ordered Kotulka to pay a fine of $500 and cost of prosecution. No jail sentence was imposed.
Six months before Uzdilla was killed, he celebrated his 36th wedding anniversary with his wife on April 18, being married in 1923 in Holy Family Church in Sugar Notch. They resided on Taft Street in Hanover Township and had three children and five grandchildren when they celebrated their anniversary, the Times Leader reported April 18, 1959.