Two 19-year-old Piedmont residents died Thursday night on I-40 near mile-marker 198 after the car they were traveling in left the road, flipped and struck a tree, a report by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol shows.
Piedmont resident James Hammett died at the scene due to massive injures. Kenneth Wright, also from Piedmont, died at the scene from massive injuries as well, the OHP report shows. Hammet was riding in the front seat and was wearing his seat belt.
The driver, 19-year-old Jeffrey Lindsey of Piedmont, was taken by helicopter to Norman Regional Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition with upper body, arm, leg and internal injuries. Lindsey also was wearing his seat belt.
Oklahoma City residents Abdallah Aljazzazi, 18, and Mike Murrow, 19, both suffered head and upper body injuries and also were taken by helicopter to OU Medical Center where they were listed in critical condition, the OHP report shows.
Wright, Murrow and Aljazzazi were riding in the back seat and weren’t wearing seat belts when the Plymouth Neon, which encountered a tire malfunction as it traveled eastbound on I-40 at a high rate of speed, exited the highway just after 8 p.m. on Thursday.
The OHP report says the tread on one of the Neon’s tires “separated, but did not deflate,” causing the speeding car to veer off the highway and then flip over and slam into a tree near the roadway.
Hammett and Murrow were both pinned for around 30 minutes before they were freed by the Strothers Fire Department using jaws of life.
The OHP is investigating whether any of the five men were ejected from the car, the report shows.
Watch for updates on the three survivors.
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Andrew Knittle may be reached at 214-3926.
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Two 19-year-old Piedmont residents died Thursday night on I-40 near mile-marker 198 after the car they were traveling in left the road, flipped and struck a tree, a report by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol shows.
Piedmont resident James Hammett died at the scene due to massive injures. Kenneth Wright, also from Piedmont, died at the scene from massive injuries as well, the OHP report shows. Hammet was riding in the front seat and was wearing his seat belt.
The driver, 19-year-old Jeffrey Lindsey of Piedmont, was taken by helicopter to Norman Regional Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition with upper body, arm, leg and internal injuries. Lindsey also was wearing his seat belt.
Oklahoma City residents Abdallah Aljazzazi, 18, and Mike Murrow, 19, both suffered head and upper body injuries and also were taken by helicopter to OU Medical Center where they were listed in critical condition, the OHP report shows.
Wright, Murrow and Aljazzazi were riding in the back seat and weren’t wearing seat belts when the Plymouth Neon, which encountered a tire malfunction as it traveled eastbound on I-40 at a high rate of speed, exited the highway just after 8 p.m. on Thursday.
The OHP report says the tread on one of the Neon’s tires “separated, but did not deflate,” causing the speeding car to veer off the highway and then flip over and slam into a tree near the roadway.
Hammett and Murrow were both pinned for around 30 minutes before they were freed by the Strothers Fire Department using jaws of life.
The OHP is investigating whether any of the five men were ejected from the car, the report shows.
Watch for updates on the three survivors.
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Andrew Knittle may be reached at 214-3926.
