fosmith

Jesus....
https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...0_SANDSP252506



Car collides with cyclists; two killed, one injured

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper walks past the wreckage of an accident that killed two bicyclists Tuesday afternoon. A woman was driving east on Oklahoma 51 near Sand Springs when she stuck the cyclists and tried to leave the scene. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World



By MATT BARNARD World Staff Writer
Published: 6/9/2009 4:58 PM
Last Modified: 6/9/2009 7:15 PM

SAND SPRINGS - Alcohol may have been involved in an automobile-bicycle collision that killed two people and injured another Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

A woman in her early 30s was pronounced dead at the scene after medics arrived about 4 p.m., EMSA spokeswoman Tina Wells said.

A man who was thought to be 33 or 34 was flown by Life Flight to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, she said.

Another man, who is roughly the same age, was seriously injured and was taken by ambulance to St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Wells said.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Brian Warren said after 6 p.m. that one of the men had died.

Their names and that of the driver involved have not yet been released.

All three bicyclists were riding east on Oklahoma 51 near 165th West Avenue when they were struck by a vehicle.

Warren said the bicyclists were on the shoulder and that the woman’s car veered off the road and hit them before continuing into a ditch and knocking down a stop sign.

She eventually drove back onto the highway and continued east until a motorist who saw what had happened was able to get her to stop, Warren said.

After she had pulled over, the woman tried to drive away again but was stopped by another motorist, he said.

Troopers found an open container of alcohol in her car and said she seemed very disoriented, Warren said.

The woman is being detained while authorities take a blood sample for a toxicology test, and she likely will be arrested on a felony drunken-driving and hit-and-run complaints, he said.

Warren said the stretch of highway is particularly dangerous for bicyclists and that bike crashes happen there frequently. This, he said, was the worst such wreck he has seen.

Part of the highway is closed down while investigators work and the road is cleared. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

CB HI

Another apparent DUI killer and hit&run driver.

Here is hoping for an very long jail term, 20+.

Square & Compas

Anyone else see a problem with this statement? "She likely will be arrested..." WTF? There's a chance she'll get off? And what about killing someone? All that is mentioned is felony drunken driving and hit and run. So what, another murderer is not prosectured for killing someone?

maddyfish

What is irratating about this is, she is only being charged (if she is) because she was drunk. Had she not been drunk (and just been a typical car driving idiot) and used the "I didn't see them" excuse, no charges would be filed.

uke

I'll be surprised if she actually serves a jail term. Past history suggests even drunk drivers are handed "one free murder" cards when the victim is a cyclist. Then again, she killed one over the limit, so they might have to put her away for a year or two. It certainly won't be anything close to 20.

Dchiefransom

She felt so bad that she started drinking after she hit them?

no1mad 

I was going to post about this 'event', but somebody beat me to it. Here's another source covering the story. There's a aerial shot of the scene.

redtires

I know what your saying, but that's actually kind of a "technical" statement. While she is in the hospital, she is legally being detained by police, when the docs are done with her, then she will be formally placed under arrest, and then transported to a county jail to be booked in with charges. I would be surprised as hell if they did not immediately arrest her as soon as she is released from the hospital's custody.

SeattleShaun

“We have problems with bicyclists on this road all the time being struck,” he said.

Um...no, you have a problem with negligent drivers....

no1mad 

I thought that statement was odd as well. I live not too far from there.

I haven't heard about other cyclists being struck at all.

unterhausen

No kidding, that's an 8 foot wide shoulder.

biffstephens

It is a HUGE shoulder...I lived in Tulsa for 5 years and did the "bait shop" ride many many times. It can be a busy HWY and it is a HWY...I think the Speed limit is 55...

I don't remember anyone getting hit in the area either...

The sad thing is 2 people maybe 3 got killed for nothing. The punishment wont be enough and people will blame the cyclist for being there....Hopefully someone can turn this in to something to help people....

no1mad 

That driver may actually face some stiffer charges, depending on who has jurisdiction. Tulsa just recently attained 'bike friendly' status from the LAB. The Mayor, Chamber of Commerce, and the more savvy Realtors are all using that as marketing, since it's the only city/town in the state to have the designation.

JonnyHK 

Photos are very scary. Those bikes are just destroyed - a carbon bike in small pieces! The dent in the front of that SUV is huge.

Video footage showed the driver in handcuffs being loaded into a police car.

jamesl

I've ridden that road -- flat as a pancake, straight as an arrow, with at least 8 foot shoulders so cars can pull off safely. The only way you could hit a cyclist is by aiming -- or being blind drunk.

The area is outside Tulsa city limits -- most likely Tulsa County or the suburb of Sand Springs.

Sad and so pointless. When I see a story like this I have to hold my breath hoping to god it's not someone I know....

lewie

Okies are sweet people an whatnot but I guessing the last think the woman expected to see on the road was some bikes in the middle of oklahoma. I heard Tony Randall was born near that town you have got to be kidding me lol

genec

I suppose someone will say that "taking the lane" was the best solution...

Cycho

Sad and senseless. I have to give kudos to the two motorists that were able to detain the homicidal driver when she tried to flee the scene.

unterhausen

I suspect the woman was aiming at what she thought was traffic far in front of her. I think that's what the blind guy that killed one of our professors was doing, he saw lights and aimed at them.

maddyfish

I generally say to be out in the lane. ANd I never ride on emergency lanes (shoulders) but a drunk behind the wheel trumps all strategies.

genec

OK I'll take your drunk behind the wheel trump. (I agree there is no "strategy" for that)

But as to being out in the lane... did you look at this road in the videos?

Feldman

Never mind these candyass little crosses by the side of the road. Drunk drivers who have killed need to be shot dead at the wreck location, their heads severed and displayed on a pike.

Digital_Cowboy

Alcohol and cars and bikes do NOT mix. She should be charged with murder NOT vehicular manslaughter. As well as given a VERY stiff jail sentence and when she get's out have her license permanently suspended.

As well as having to do community service in a trauma ward, or with the disabled.

Digital_Cowboy

We had an "accident" down here in St. Pete a few months back where a woman struck a bicyclist from behind in the right hand turn lane. There were no charges pressed at the time of the "accident" by the FHP. Keeping in contact with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator's office I haven't yet heard IF any charges have been filed in the case.

Digital_Cowboy

That's one hell of a dent in the front of her truck. How fast was she traveling when she hit them?