History for Chron

The Washington State Patrol reported three separate Inland Empire traffic accidents that left five people dead. A triple-fatality accident occurred just north of Clayton on U.S. Highway 395, both vehicles heading in opposite directions had swerved left in a head-on collision. The cause of the accident was unknown and remained under investigation.

Two hours prior a motorcycle-car crash occurred south of Cheney killing the driver of the motorcycle and his passenger instantly, neither was wearing a helmet. Raymond A. May, 14, was ejected from a van after it swerved to stay on the road and rolled twice, killing May instantly.

Jacob Barnard was born without thumbs in October 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio. Arvum I. Froimson, an orthopedic surgeon was able to transform Barnard’s right index finger into a thumb through an operation known as pollicization.

The parents said they wanted the operation to happen while Jacob was young enough to still develop hand skills more normally. Another surgery was planned for his left hand to give him another thumb.