SHINE — A Port Ludlow father of two children died when he pulled out in front of a van in an attempt to beat traffic, the State Patrol said.
Anthony John Meissner, 41, suffered fatal injuries early Friday morning when he hit a van after he pulled into state Highway 104 traffic from Teal Lake Road, the State Patrol said.
Meissner, a nuclear engineer for Pierce County, where he worked since 2004, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after the 4:53 a.m. wreck.
He was pronounced dead at 8:31 a.m.
The driver of the van, Daniel Paul Limestall, 42, of Tacoma, was not hurt.
“His whole world was his kids,” said his widow, Whitney Meissner, who is the Chimacum High School principal, on Saturday.
“He was a very dedicated father.”
Meissner also is survived by two children, Jack, 11, and Molly, 9, both of whom are students at the Chimacum school.
“I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support, for being there for me and my children,” Mrs. Meissner said.
Meissner was stopped at the stop sign at Teal Lake Road and Highway 104 in his 2003 Ford Taurus when he “tried to jump out into traffic to beat a log truck” and collided with Limestall’s 2006 Dodge van traveling west on Highway 104, said Trooper Todd Bartolac, State Patrol spokesman.
“He tried to jump out and beat traffic,” Bartolac said.
Chimacum school officials learned of Meissner’s death upon arrival at work and called in a team of crisis counselors.
When news of the fatality was announced, the counselors, who were from Port Angeles and Port Townsend, began meeting with children immediately.
The Chimacum School District is in a single location that houses the elementary, middle and high schools.
Assistant Superintendent Art Clarke said Tony Meissner was well-known among the children.
“He was part of the community,” he said.
Chimacum schools Superintendent Craig Downs was attending a conference in Spokane but was aware of the incident and stayed in touch through his cell phone, Clarke said.
“This is a sad day for us,” Clarke said.
Clarke said counseling will be available to students as long as is needed.
Instruction continued throughout the day.
“In a situation like this, the best place for the kids to be is in class,” Clarke said.
Meissner, who had formerly worked for the Navy, was born in Sedro Wooley and attended the University of Washington.
At the time of his death, he was working on a master’s degree in public administration from Gonzaga University.
Services are pending.
