A 26-year-old Oklahoma City man died Thursday afternoon after slamming into the back of a stopped commercial vehicle on Interstate 35 in Garvin County, a collision that sent both vehicles up in flames near Paoli. Uriel Rea Martinez was traveling northbound in the outside lane around 4:16 p.m. when he failed to slow down for traffic that had backed up because of an earlier crash, according to investigators.
The commercial vehicle he struck had already stopped in traffic near mile marker 77, caught behind that earlier collision along the stretch of highway connecting Paoli and Pauls Valley, according to News 9. Martinez struck the rear of the stopped commercial vehicle, and both vehicles became fully engulfed in flames following the impact. He died from his injuries, while the driver of the commercial vehicle was not hurt. Northbound lanes of I-35 were shut down in the aftermath, as KFOR reported.
Both Drivers Were Belted In, No Passengers Involved
Investigators noted that both drivers were wearing seat belts and that neither vehicle carried passengers at the time of the crash. Proper restraint use has been shown to cut the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent for front-seat occupants in passenger cars, according to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That context underscores how severe the impact and resulting fire must have been for Martinez not to survive despite being belted in.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported the crash circumstances and confirmed Martinez's identity, but cautioned that the information released so far is preliminary and could change as the investigation continues. The case remains a developing story, and no additional details about the earlier collision that caused the backup near mile marker 77 have been released.
Crash Risks Along I-35
A sudden stop in an active interstate lane can create a risk of a secondary collision. A fatal motorcycle-semi crash in Moore shut down lanes in August.
What Happens Next in the Investigation
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Under Oklahoma Statute Title 47 § 11-310, drivers must maintain a reasonable and prudent following distance, while § 11-801 requires driving at a speed that allows a vehicle to stop within the assured clear distance ahead. Whether those statutes are relevant here remains to be determined as the investigation continues.
The crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not released further details on what caused the initial collision that left the commercial vehicle stopped on the interstate.
