9 die in turnpike accident

[bennerman]

Wow, that sucks, for you, and much more so for the victims and their families. I wish them the best.

[neogeo]

I drive that highway 45 miles each way to work a total of 90 miles a day... I've seen a few wrecks but not to this caliber. I wish the families well. Its just to bad there had to be a child involved

[neogeo]

RIP

The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO - <img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/new.gif" border=0> Authorities release names of nine victims killed in crash

MIAMI, Okla. — Oklahoma Highway patrol officials released the names of nine people who were killed in a seven-vehicle pile up Friday afternoon on the Will Rogers Turnpike in Ottawa County. The release also includes information on individuals who were seriously injured.
The report stated that many of the victims were pinned in their vehicles, some as long as nine hours, while rescuers scrambled to free them. A 12 year-old girl was lifeflighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., in critical condition.
The victims include:
Vehicle 1:
n Donald Creed, 76, of Willard, Mo., was admitted to Freeman Hospital in Joplin in good condition.
Vehicle 2:
Ricardo Reyes, 39, of Phoenix, Ariz., who died at the scene.
Ernestina Reyes, age unknown, also of Phoenix, who was pinned for approximately four hours and died at the scene.
The Reyes’ 12-year-old daughter, Andrea Reyes, was pinned for half an hour. She was initially life-flighted to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin before being transferred to Children’s Mercy. The report stated she suffered head, arm, trunk, leg, and internal injuries. She is reportedly in critical condition.
Vehicle 3:
Randall Hayes, 38, of Frisco, Tex., was pinned for nine hours before being pronounced dead at the scene.
Shelby Hayes, 35, also of Frisco, was life-flighted to Freeman Hospital in critical condition due to head, arm, trunk, leg and internal injuries. She was pinned for two hours.
Ethan Hayes, 7, also of Frisco, was pinned for over eight hours before being pronounced dead on the scene.
Cynthia Olson, 55, of Crossroads, Tex., was pinned for nine hours before being pronounced dead at the scene.
Vehicle 4:
Synthia Tate, 52, of Waynesville, Mo., was lifeflighted to Freeman Hospital in Joplin, where she was admitted in good condition after being pinned for three hours.
Vehicle 5:
Oral Hooks, 69, Earlene Hooks, 63, Antonio Hooks, 42, and Dione Hooks, 41, all of Oklahoma City, were all pronounced dead on the scene after being pinned for seven hours.
Vehicle 6:
No injuries.
Vehicle 7:
Marcella Smith, 62, of Tulsa, was admitted to Freeman Hospital in Joplin with a head injury. She was listed in good condition.

According to the Highway Patrol report, all seven vehicles were eastbound on the turnpike approaching an area where traffic was at a standstill.
Creed was driving an eastbound semi truck that failed to slow down, and struck the Reyes’ vehicle, knocking it into a south ditch. He then struck the Hayes’ vehicle, driving it into Tate’s car, the patrol said.
That impact set off a chain reaction knocking Tate’s car into the Hooks’ van, the Hooks’ van into a pickup hauling a 16-foot trailer carrying 10 head of sheep. That vehicle then struck Smith’s car.
Creed’s truck continued east before coming to rest on top of vehicles three, four and five.

[Okc_diver]

Update:
A prosecutor has filed 10 misdemeanor counts of negligent homicide against a tractor-trailer driver whose rig slammed into a line of stopped cars on the Will Rogers Turnpike in far northeastern Oklahoma, killing 10 people.

Ottawa County District Attorney Eddie Wyant said he filed the charges Monday against Donald L. Creed of Willard, Mo. Each charge carries a maximum of one year in a county jail.


The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has said the accident was caused by Creed's inattention. The patrol investigation found no evidence the 76-year-old driver tried to brake or take evasive action in the June 26 wreck.

Rob Coffey, Creed's attorney, did not immediately return a telephone call for comment.

[plot]

i saw that... 76 year old driver wipes out 10 people, including children, and the max they can give him is 10 years.

shamefull.