Seven killed on Oklahoma highways over Thanksgiving holiday

Troopers responded to seven fatality wrecks on Oklahoma highways this past Thanksgiving holiday, three of which happened on Thanksgiving Day. The latest occurred Saturday evening just east of Rogers Avenue in Pensacola in Mayes County. Troopers said pedestrian Gerald Wyche, 49, of Pensacola was hit by a truck driven by Jay Martin, 63, of Pryor and died at the scene. On Saturday afternoon, Colbert Police said Robert White laid his motorcycle down getting onto Highway 69/75 in front of Loves Travel Stop in Colbert. Officers said a car swerved to avoid White, but ended up hitting him instead. Witnesses said the driver of the car stopped to check on White, but fled after citizens began performing CPR on him. White died at the scene. The car is described as a black 4-door Honda Civic. Anyone with information is asked to call the Colbert Police Department at 580-296-2700. On Friday, Robert Nichols, 32, of Wagoner was driving west on Toppers Road at OK 251C a couple miles east of Wagoner just before 10 p.m. when he left the left side of road for an unknown reason and hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Friday just after noon, troopers said, James Drawbridge, 56, of Helena was headed south on State Highway 58 less than a mile south of County Road 53, one mile south of Fairview in Major County, when he went left of center and hit a vehicle driving north. Drawbridge was pronounced dead at the scene. Oklahoma Department of Corrections confirmed he was the chaplain at James Crabtree Correctional Center.

The driver of the other vehicle, Thomas Crelly, 70, of Stratford, and the passenger of the other vehicle, Kathleen Crelly, 69, of Stratford, were both flown to an Oklahoma City hospital in critical condition. On Thanksgiving evening, Chris Skadal, 68, of Checotah was killed driving north on Lottawattah Road at State Highway 266, three miles West of Checotah in McIntosh County, after troopers said he failed to stop at a stop sign and hit another vehicle headed west in the intersection. The driver of the other vehicle, Steven Kirby, 49 of Checotah, was flown to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition. A 3-year-old child from Ponca City was killed in a two-vehicle wreck Thursday evening on US 177 and Badlands Road a few miles east of Marland in Noble County. Troopers said the young victim was riding in a car with Casey Horinek, 20, of Ponca City when their vehicle and another vehicle collided. Horinek was flown to an Oklahoma City hospital in critical condition. None of the occupants of the other vehicle suffered serious injuries. Troopers are still working to figure out what happened. Also on Thursday evening, troopers said Sherry Cawhorn Christopher, 68, of Roland, was killed driving east on US 64 about a mile west of Muldrow in Sequoyah County when she went left of center and overcorrected to the right. We’re told Christopher then drove off the right side of the road and overturned the vehicle. She was taken to a hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where she was pronounced dead. Her passenger, Thomas Christopher, 66, of Roland was taken to the same hospital, treated and released. Nine people were killed on Oklahoma highways during last year’s Thanksgiving holiday. OHP said it is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. DOWNLOAD THE FREE VNN APP HERE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/plugin-powered-by-vnn/id1419708542