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Oklahoma crash kills four after truck collides with softball team van Oklahoma crash kills four after truck collides with softball team bus
(about 3 hours later)
A tractor-trailer crossed a southern Oklahoma highway median and plowed into the side of a Texas college softball team’s bus on Friday night, killing four women on the team and injuring more than a dozen others, authorities said. A tractor-trailer crossed a southern Oklahoma highway median and plowed into the side of a Texas college softball team’s bus on Friday night, killing four women and injuring more than a dozen others, authorities said.
The collision involving the North Central Texas College team happened at around 9pm on Interstate 35 south of Davis, which is about 70 miles south of Oklahoma City and 60 miles north of Gainesville, Texas, where the school is located. The team was heading home from a scrimmage against Southern Nazarene University, in Bethany, the Oklahoman reported. The collision involving the North Central Texas College team happened at around 9pm on Interstate 35 south of Davis, which is about 70 miles south of Oklahoma City and 60 miles north of Gainesville, Texas, where the school is located. The team was heading home from a game against Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, the Oklahoman reported.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Ronnie Hampton said the tractor-trailer crossed the median and veered into the southbound lanes, striking the bus. He said three women from the team died at the scene and a fourth died at a hospital in nearby Sulphur. Authorities did not identify any of the victims. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol later released the names of the women who died. The victims are: 19-year-old Meagan Richardson, 20-year-old Brooke Deckard, 18-year-old Katelynn Woodlee and 20-year-old Jaiden Pelton.
Hampton said the team’s coach, who was driving the bus, declined treatment at the scene and escaped without serious injury. He said 15 other bus passengers were hurt, as was the driver of the tractor-trailer, who was expected to survive. The extent of the surviving team members’ injuries wasn’t known yet. Three women remained hospitalised in Oklahoma City and Norman. Eight other team members and the coach driving the bus were treated and released.
The front end of the team bus was virtually untouched, but the sides of the vehicle were heavily damaged. Troopers and witnesses said the driver’s side of the bus sustained the worst damage. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Ronnie Hampton said the tractor-trailer crossed the median and veered into the southbound lanes, striking the bus. He said three women from the team died at the scene and a fourth died at a hospital in nearby Sulphur.
Hampton said that after the truck struck the bus it kept going and went off the side of the road. Hampton said the coach declined treatment at the scene and escaped without serious injury. He said the driver of the tractor-trailer was hurt but was expected to survive.
The front end of the team bus was virtually untouched, but the sides of the vehicle were heavily damaged. Troopers and witnesses said the driver’s side of the bus sustained the worst damage. Hampton said that after the truck struck the bus it kept going and went off the side of the road.
“We knew we had a two-vehicle accident by what we saw at the scene … but it took about an hour before we found the semi,” he said.“We knew we had a two-vehicle accident by what we saw at the scene … but it took about an hour before we found the semi,” he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday that it was sending a team of investigators to the site. Hampton said the Highway Patrol’s investigation should take several weeks.The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday that it was sending a team of investigators to the site. Hampton said the Highway Patrol’s investigation should take several weeks.
“Right now, it’s being investigated like a homicide,” Hampton said, adding that both drivers will undergo standard toxicology tests. Hampton said details of the crash were still not known but “something happened to cause [the semi-tractor driver] to depart the roadway and impact the other vehicle.”“Right now, it’s being investigated like a homicide,” Hampton said, adding that both drivers will undergo standard toxicology tests. Hampton said details of the crash were still not known but “something happened to cause [the semi-tractor driver] to depart the roadway and impact the other vehicle.”
A posting on the North Central Texas College Facebook page read: “We ask for your prayers at this time for our softball team. Their bus has been involved in an accident in Oklahoma.”A posting on the North Central Texas College Facebook page read: “We ask for your prayers at this time for our softball team. Their bus has been involved in an accident in Oklahoma.”
The college scheduled a news conference for later Saturday morning, at which the school president was expected to speak about the crash.