Tragedy struck on a Rogers County highway when a pickup truck collided with a school bus, claiming the life of the truck's driver and leaving nine children with minor injuries. The incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon along U.S. 169 at EW 370 Road, according to KOCO, prompting authorities to close the highway for approximately three hours.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported, as News 9 recounts, the Oologah-Talala Public Schools bus was in the process of unloading children when the crash occurred. The vehicle, with 27 passengers aboard, was stopped in the outside lane, its flashing lights activated and stop sign extended, which a white pickup driven by David Witty, 66, of South Coffeyville, did not stop in time and subsequently rear-ended.
Authorities at the scene pronounced Witty dead following the collision. In a statement obtained by KFOR, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol mentioned that "An initial investigation revealed that the school bus had stopped in the outside lane with its flashing lights on and stop sign extended when a truck crashed into the back of the bus." They went on to confirm that the crash remains under investigation.
Located northeast of Tulsa, the community of Rogers County has been reminded all too jarringly of the fragility of life on otherwise ordinary afternoons. The students, having sustained minor injuries during the incident, bear physical testament to this sudden disruption of normalcy. OHP, in the aftermath of this collision, is reviewing all evidence as it continues its investigation, trying to piece together the final moments before the pickup met its tragic fate, KFOR reported.
