Published: July 13, 2009 10:26 am      

Local woman killed in weekend accident

Four weekend accidents injure seven more

Four accidents over the weekend in the McAlester area have resulted in one death and a number of injuries.

Karen Robbins, 39, of Wilburton, died shortly after midnight this morning following a single vehicle accident on Saturday night, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Following the accident, Robbins was transported by medical helicopter to St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, where she was listed in critical condition with head, arm, trunk and internal injuries, the highway patrol said.

The accident occurred around 8:40 p.m., 1.5 miles east of Gowen on U.S. Highway 270, the highway patrol said.

Robbins was eastbound in a 2003 Toyota pickup when the pickup ran off the right side of the highway, was overcorrected and went into a broadside roll, rolling one complete turn before striking a tree, the highway patrol said.

Robbins was ejected five feet from where the pickup came to rest, the highway patrol said. Seat belts were equipped but not in use, the patrol said. An air bag was equipped, but did not deploy, the highway patrol said.

In another accident, a Savanna woman was injured Saturday in a two-vehicle accident on the Krebs-to- Adamson county road.

Jessica Whorton, 21, was transported by ambulance to the McAlester Regional Health Center following the accident, the highway patrol said. She was listed in stable condition with a leg injury, according to the highway patrol.

The two-vehicle accident occurred at 11:37 a.m. on Saturday, 6.2 miles east of Krebs as Brent Hollis, 44, of Hartshorne, was eastbound in a 1999 Dodge pickup truck and Whorton was driving west in a 1995 Pontiac, according to the highway patrol.

Hollis was attempting to turn left in the pickup and struck the Pontiac driven by Whorton, the highway patrol said.

Whorton was pinned in the car for approximately 20 minutes before being freed by members of the McAlester Fire Department using a special tool, the patrol said.

Hollis was not injured in the accident, according to the highway patrol. No passengers were in either vehicle.

Seat belts were equipped and in use in both vehicles, the highway patrol said. Air bags were in use and deployed in both vehicles, the OHP said.

Another accident on Sunday in Latimer County resulted in a number of injuries, including injuries to some McAlester residents.

The accident occurred nine miles west of Talihina on State Highway 63.

Andrew Griffin, 16, of McAlester, the driver of a 1996 Toyota, was pinned inside the vehicle for approximately 40 minutes before being freed by members of Wilburton Fire Department who were using special equipment, the highway patrol said.

Griffin was transported by medical helicopter to Sparks Medical Center in Fort Smith, Ark., with leg and internal injures, the highway patrol said. He was listed in stable condition, according to the highway patrol.

A passenger, Diana Griffin, 40, of McAlester, was also pinned in the wreckage for approximately 40 minutes before members of the Wilburton Fire Department freed her, the highway patrol said. She was also transported by medical helicopter to Sparks Medical Center, where she was listed in stable condition with leg and internal injuries, the highway patrol said.

Another passenger, Rachel Griffin, 2, of McAlester, was transported by ambulance, to the Choctaw Nation hospital in Talihina, where she was treated and released, the highway patrol said.

Brent Rose, 30, of Talihina, the driver of a 2000 Ford Explorer involved in the accident, was uninjured, according to the highway patrol.

A passenger, Beth Rose, 29, of Talihina, was transported by ambulance to the Choctaw Nation hospital in Talihina, where she was listed in stable condition with back and internal injuries, the highway patrol said.

The accident occurred at 2:13 p.m. as Andrew Griffin was eastbound in the Toyota, the highway patrol said. The vehicle left the roadway to the right, was overcorrected, and ran off the left side of the road, according to the highway patrol.

Brent Rose was westbound in the Explorer and took evasive action to miss the Toyota, and swerved right off the roadway, striking the Toyota, the highway patrol said.

Seat belts were equipped and used by all occupants and air bags deployed in both vehicles, the highway patrol said.

Another weekend accident, involving an all-terrain vehicle, occurred at 6 p.m. on Saturday on a county road three miles west of Wilburton in Latimer County.

Following the accident Jeffrey White, 40, of Wilburton, the driver of the ATV, was transported by medical helicopter to Speaks Medical Center in Fort Smith, Ark., where he was listed in critical condition with a head injury, the highway patrol said.

A passenger, Justin Fite, 11, of Wilburton, was transported by a personal vehicle to the hospital in Latimer County, where he was treated and released, according to the highway patrol.

The driver of a Honda involved in the accident, Clinton Williams, 35, of Greenwood, Mo., and a passenger, Anna Sherman, 22, of Kansas, City, were not injured, the highway patrol said.

The accident occurred as both vehicles were westbound on the county road and Jeffrey White attempted to pass the Honda and struck the rear of the vehicle, the highway patrol said. He lost control of the ATV, which overturned two complete times, ejecting the driver 70 feet from the point of impact and ejecting the passenger, Justin Fite, 60 feet, according to the highway patrol.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.