A 15-year-old from Stillwater was killed late Saturday night in a two-car crash on U.S. Highway 177 just north of Meeker in Payne County, according to authorities. The collision left one vehicle fully engulfed in flames and the other on its roof, and several other people were injured.
Crash details
Troopers told KOCO that the crash happened when a Kansas man driving on a county road toward U.S. Highway 177 failed to stop at a stop sign and hit the passenger side of a northbound car carrying four people heading toward Stillwater. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Kansas driver’s vehicle became fully engulfed in flames, while the struck car rolled over and came to rest on its top. OHP said there were injuries to other passengers in the car.
How the state tracks deadly crashes
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol forwards collision reports into a statewide crash database that is used for traffic-safety planning and enforcement. Rural stop-controlled intersections and two-lane highways account for a disproportionate share of fatal crashes in Oklahoma. That trend is highlighted in the state’s highway safety plan from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which outlines how crash data guides enforcement and engineering countermeasures.
Investigation ongoing
Troopers told KOCO that the collision remains under investigation. Authorities have not released additional identifying information about the victims or said whether any charges will be filed.
