An American Missionary in Africa Faces Possible Murder Charges and Hanging Because of a Traffic Accident-Fiction!

Summary of eRumor:

Mike Hutchinson, an American missionary in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, is caught in his car by an angry Moslem mob.  A 16 year old boy is struck by the missionary's car and the missionary is now on trial for his life and with the threat of immediate execution by hanging.  Some versions say the missionary is from a church in Long Beach, Mississippi.

The Truth:

According to Mike Hutchinson's father-in-law, Jimmie Wood, there was an accident and a 16 year old boy did lose his life.

It was in the West African country of Senegal, however, and there was no angry Moslem crowd and no danger of Mike Hutchinson being executed.
According to Wood, the boy walked into the path of Mike's car without looking.  Mike rushed him to a hospital, but the boy died on the way.  Mike then went to the police and volunteered a report.  Fellow missionaries went to the family of the boy to comfort them in their loss.  Under Senegalese law, a hearing about the matter was required and Mike was had to stay in Senegal until that hearing, but he was never arrested, jailed, or threatened and the authorities classed the event as an accident and treated Mike with respect.  Wood says he has no idea where the subject of hanging came from.  It was never a part of the picture.  There was no Christian-Moslem conflict and, in fact, one of the missionaries was invited to participate in the boy's funeral.

Last updated 8/21/00