Two people were killed and two others were injured Sunday evening after a single-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 35 in Love County, turning an ordinary drive into a fatal rollover at mile marker 16.
According to officials, the vehicle left the roadway around 6:15 p.m., rolled an unknown number of times and slammed into a tree. Two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Emergency responders transported the two surviving passengers to a nearby hospital with what authorities described as minor injuries.
What troopers say
Investigators with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol report that the vehicle was headed southbound near mile marker 16 when it veered off to the right, began rolling and finally came to rest after striking a tree, as reported by KOKH. Troopers were called to the scene at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday, the station notes.
Victims identified
"Officials with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol say 45-year-old Dede Dalton and 37-year-old Ashley Trotter were pronounced dead at the scene," KOKH reports. The outlet adds that two other passengers were rushed to a hospital with minor injuries.
Safety context
Rollover crashes are among the most unforgiving types of wrecks, since occupants can be thrown from the vehicle or suffer serious head and neck injuries if they hit the roof. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes that wearing a lap and shoulder belt cuts the risk of fatal injury to front-seat car occupants by about 45 percent, and buckled passengers are far less likely to be ejected during a rollover.
Investigation ongoing
Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers are still working to determine what led up to the crash and have not released a probable cause. Officials say additional information will be shared as the investigation moves forward.
