Teacher Killed, Dog Survives Crash

Brooke Katz
Published: October 12, 2008

The state Highway Patrol is looking for a driver involved in a fatal car crash that killed a local teacher Saturday.

They say another driver forced Katherine Gould’s car off the road and into a tree near the 191 exit of Interstate 26.  She was wearing her seat belt but died from body trauma.

Kimana Littleflower says her mom Katherine Gould was quite the artist and relished in passing her skills on to others.  She worked as an art teacher at Manning Elementary school for the past year and a half, but taught art for nearly 20 years.

Before teaching at Manning, she worked in Lake City and Littleflower still remembers the deep impact her mother made on at least one student.

“Without the art class and without her there, then he would’ve, not made it.  Definitely wouldn’t have graduated high school and ended up being a fashion designer in New York.”

While the family is holding tight to those memories they’re hoping someone can help them find something a little more tangible, Gould’s companion of 13 years Nala.

“Nala was in the car with her, when she got into the accident and she got really scared and ran off into the woods.”

“I just hate to think of her out there, you know.  She’s really scared and upset just like we are and I just hate to think of her in the woods all by herself.”

A piece of her mother Littleflower hopes to get back and a reminder of the woman who spent so much of her life helping others.  The family is asking if anybody sees the large white, grey dog to call a local animal shelter or the Sheriff’s Office.

The Highway Patrol is investigating the case.  They say the driver who caused Gould to run off the road didn’t actually hit her car.

That person did stop after the accident, but took off when more people showed up to help.

Troopers are looking for a 2004 four door Cadillac registered to a man named James Rutherford of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Police are unsure if Rutherford was the driver of the car.