Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) announced Tuesday that investigators have secured video from inside the cab of the semi‑truck involved in the fatal Turner Turnpike crash that occurred on Monday afternoon. The footage shows the moment a semi‑truck struck a Suburban van carrying students and a faculty member from Webster High School, returning from the Oklahoma Student Councils Association State Convention.
What happened
According to Lt. Mark Southall of OHP, the semi‑truck was departing a rest stop near mile marker 170 when it collided with the school‑district van traveling eastbound on the turnpike. All passengers in the van were wearing seatbelts, but the impact caused severe damage to the vehicle’s structure, compromising the belts and resulting in the ejection of two students.
One of the ejected students, a 16‑year‑old, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other student who was thrown from the van remained hospitalized as of Tuesday. The remaining five students and a faculty member escaped serious injury and were released from the hospital after treatment.
Investigation steps
OHP investigators are reviewing the newly released video alongside data from the van’s event‑data recorder, witness accounts, and the semi‑truck driver’s statements. Southall emphasized that the video will help clarify the sequence of events leading up to the collision, but he noted that the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
“The damage to the vehicle caused those vehicle seatbelts to become compromised, ultimately leading to the ejection of those two students,” Southall said. “We are continuing to piece together what happened and will share further details as they become available.”
Community response
The tragedy has deeply affected the Tulsa community, especially the families of the Webster High School students and the faculty member who accompanied them. School officials have not released the name of the deceased student out of respect for the family.
Local leaders, including the Tulsa Public Schools superintendent, have expressed condolences and pledged to support the families through counseling services and community resources. The incident also sparked renewed conversation about student transportation safety on state highways.
How to help
OHP is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has additional information to contact the agency’s tip line at (405) 555‑0123. Anonymous tips are also accepted through the OHP website.
As the investigation proceeds, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will continue to provide updates to the public and to the families affected by this heartbreaking event.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
