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Tallmadge Parkway was renamed Memorial Parkway in 1964 because it collapsed killing 3 people.
True - On July 21, 1964, a summer storm dropped more than 3 inches of rain in a little over an hour. The deluge caused the already leaking sewer beneath the road to collapse. Velma Shidler, 37 with her daughter Claudia, 10 and neighbor Janet Lewis, 13 were driving on the parkway and swerved to miss the crater. As more pavement collapsed, the car fell into the crater upside down.
Many people stopped to help and Velma and Janet were rescued. During the rescue, there was another cave in and two rescuers and Claudia disappeared under the collapsing dirt. As storm run off continued to rush through the sewer, the crater flooded and enlarged. A rescue plan was designed and rescuers worked all night but didn't find anyone. Another crew of rescuers arrived at dawn to continue the search. The three bodies were eventually found.
Hugh Michael O'Neil was a Georgetown University student home for summer vacation and on his way to work at General Tire Co. in Mogadore. He volunteered to help with the rescue and saved Janet Lewis. He was apparently washed through the sewer after the second cave-in and his body was found in the Cuyahoga River.
Akron Patrolman Ronald Rotruck also descended into the hole to help. Rotruck was working with O'Neil to rescue Claudia from the car when the colapse pinned him. His body was found in the crater the morning after the original colapse.
Claudia Shidler's body was found buried deeply in the crater that morning.
(Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio; 6 July 1999, A1)
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