Three die in separate vehicle crashes Friday, Saturday
BY KENDRICK MARSHALL World Staff Writer
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Three people died in separate vehicle crashes in Oklahoma Friday and Saturday, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.
Dead are Henry Mac Ellis, 70, of Muldrow; Gary Basquez, 42, of Wetumka; and Lesley Turay, 46, of Tulsa.
Ellis died and in a two-vehicle, alcohol-related crash near Sallisaw on Saturday, according to OHP. He died at St. Francis Hospital after the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina he was driving collided with a 1995 Chevrolet S-10 pickup just after 5 p.m.
Troopers said the accident occurred when Ellis’ northbound vehicle failed to yield to a stop sign and crashed into the eastbound pickup on a county road just east of Sallisaw.
The driver of the pickup refused treatment at the scene, OHP said. A passenger in the pickup was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a Fort Smith, Ark., hospital troopers said.
Troopers said Ellis, who was wearing a seatbelt, as being impaired at the time of the crash and attributed the cause of the wreck to driving under the influence.
Turay died following a two-vehicle crash late Saturday in Muskogee County.
Troopers said Turay was driving her 2001 Cadillac Deville on Oklahoma 16 just one mile west of Muskogee about 10 p.m. when it collided with a 1997 GMC Yukon driven by 23-year-old Sothea McConnell, the OHP said.
Turay was pronounced dead at the scene. McConnell was flown to St. John Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, OHP said. Turay was wearing a seatbelt, troopers reported.
Basquez was killed in a single-vehicle rollover wreck in Hughes County.
Basquez was driving a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer north on a county road at 3:53 p.m. when it left the road to the right, re-entered the roadway, veered off the road to the left and overturned before striking a fence, OHP said.
The SUV then rolled three-and-a-half times before coming to a rest on its top. Basquez was ejected 15 feet from the vehicle, troopers said. He was prononced dead at the scene.
Basquez was not wearing a seatbelt, troopers said.
