Bayfield resident Leon Newman, 52, died on Jan. 1 at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington after his car was rear-ended on Dec. 30 at the Eight Corners intersection in Bayfield.
As of Jan. 7, details were still sketchy. The Bayfield Marshal's Office handled the accident, but the incident report wasn't available Wednesday, except that it happened at 5:36 p.m. on Jan. 30, and a citation was issued.
Upper Pine Fire Chief Bruce Evans said they were not dispatched to this call, although they heard the call to the marshal's office while they were responding to a rollover accident east of Bayfield caused by a rock in the road. There were five patients in that crash.
Leon was the son of Pastor James and Louise Newman of Bayfield, and father of Creede and Irene Newman. He was born July 18, 1962.
Pastor Newman told the Times that his son was driving a Honda Pilot and was rear-ended hard enough that the leather hat he always wore ended up in the back of the SUV. He was stopped on Bayfield Parkway waiting to turn onto the Buck Highway.
Although Leon declined an ambulance and the ambulances were on other calls, his head was already hurting, his father said. Within minutes it was getting worse, with dizziness.
Leon lived just a short distance away from the intersection. Former wife Roberta Newman was bringing their son Creede, who recently turned 18, to stay with Leon, but by the time they arrived, he was feeling worse. She took him to Mercy Medical Center, but by the time they got there, "He said everything looked like shattered glass. Then he was gone," Pastor Newman said.
Mercy had him airlifted to Four Corners Regional, "but by then it was too late to get him back," his father said. He never regained consciousness.
Leon fabricated signs for Yaseen Design Studio in Durango, and his signs are on many businesses in downtown Durango, the Durango Mountain Resort front entry, and in 38 states, Pastor Newman said. "It was amazing what they could do," he said.
Upper Pine provided help to Pastor and Mrs. Newman after Leon died. Pastor Newman was Upper Pine chaplain for several years after retiring as pastor at Bayfield First Baptist Church. A service was held Jan. 3 at the church. Hood Mortuary handled arrangements.
