A 35-year-old man from Columbus, Nebraska, died yesterday after a high-speed attempt to outrun Love County deputies ended in a violent crash near Ardmore, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Troopers said his vehicle veered off the road into the grassy area between I-35 and Holiday Drive, shot across a ravine and the BNSF railroad embankment, then slammed into the opposite slope.
According to FOX 25, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol identified the driver as 35-year-old Salinas Candelario of Columbus, Nebraska. Investigators told the station that Candelario crossed into Ardmore city limits while fleeing Love County deputies, then cut through the grass between I-35 and Holiday Drive before launching over the ravine and BNSF tracks and hitting the far embankment. Troopers said that Candelario was ejected from the vehicle and died from his injuries at the scene.
Ardmore's recent pursuit incidents
The crash is the latest in a string of pursuit-related incidents in and around Ardmore. In September 2025, Ardmore police released dashcam video from a chase that ended in a wreck and left an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper seriously injured, according to KXII.
Pursuit deaths nationally
Deadly pursuits have been climbing nationwide. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Fast and Fatal project documented at least 3,336 people killed in police vehicle pursuits between 2017 and 2022. That reporting, along with federal data, has intensified debate over when officers should initiate or continue high-speed chases and how agencies track pursuit deaths, particularly when crashes injure bystanders or responding officers.
What authorities say
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is handling the investigation into Saturday’s crash, according to FOX 25. Officials told the station the details released so far come from their preliminary findings and that the investigation remains open.
