Published: January 23, 2008 09:47 am      

Slick roads blamed for deadly crash

A McAlester man died in a two-vehicle accident west of Stuart, one of three accidents which occured from late Monday afternoon through early Tuesday, with weather conditions cited in all three instances.

Also injured in other accidents were a Crowder woman and Kiowa and Pittsburg residents.

Danny Cloud, 51, one of the drivers involved in the accident near Stuart late Monday afternoon, was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple injuries, the OHP said.

Wayne Green, 59, of McAlester, the driver of a semi involved in the wreck, was transported by ambulance to the McAlester Regional Health Center, where he was listed in good condition with arm and back injuries, the highway patrol said.

No passengers were reported in either vehicle.

The accident occurred at 4:15 p.m. on Monday a mile west of Stuart on U.S. Highway 270, the highway patrol said.

Cloud drove east in a 1998 GMC pickup, while Green headed west in a 2007 Volvo semi truck, the highway patrol said. Cloud’s pickup went left of center, striking the back tires of the semi, which caused the pickup to go underneath the trailer of the semi truck, according to the highway patrol.

Cloud was pinned for approximately two hours and Green was pinned for approximately 90 minutes, the highway patrol said.

It was raining at the time of the accident, according to OHP.

Trooper Tommy Allen investigated the accident, assisted by trooper C.L. Parkins and Lt. Randy Rogers, with assistance from the Calvin, Stuart and Arpelar fire departments.

In another accident, a Crowder woman went to the McAlester Regional Health Center on Tuesday following an early-morning wreck in Pittsburg County.

Jana McCraken, 44, was transported to the hospital by ambulance following the single-vehicle accident, according to the OHP. She was listed in good condition, the highway patrol said.

The accident occured at 7:24 a.m. as McCraken drove north in a 1998 Lincoln on U.S. Highway 69 at Coal Creek, the OHP said. The Lincoln hit a patch of ice, causing it to skid into the center dividing wall before coming to rest on the outside shoulder, the highway patrol said.

No passengers were reported in the vehicle. Conditions were described as dark and icy.

Trooper Neal Hurst of the Oklahoma Lake Patrol investigated the accident.

Another single-vehicle accident near Kiowa on Tuesday sent three people to the hospital.

The driver, Debra Lewis, 52, of Kiowa, was transported by ambulance to the McAlester hospital, where she was treated and released with head and arm injuries, the highway patrol said.

A passenger, Robert Boswell, 24, of Pittsburg, was also transported to the McAlester hospital, where he was treated and released with a head and arm injuries, according to the highway patrol.

Another passenger, Phillip Lewis, 54, of Kiowa, was transported by ambulance to the hospital in McAlester, then transferred to St. John’s Medical Center in Tulsa, where he was reported in stable condition with a head, trunk and internal injuries, and a leg injury, the highway patrol reported.

The accident occurred at 6:15 a.m. as Debra Lewis drove a 1998 Dodge van north on U.S. Highway 69 two miles south of Kiowa, the highway patrol said. The driver lost control on the icy bridge and ran off into the center median, overturning and coming to rest on the driver’s side, the highway patrol reported.

Conditions were described as icy.

OHP Capt. Jeff Seawall investigated the accident.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.