OHP: Teens’ Vehicle Did Not Yield At Stop Sign In Tragic Crash That Killed 6 Tishomingo Girls

by: Hicham Raache/KFOR

Posted: Mar 24, 2022 / 09:13 PM CDT

Updated: Mar 24, 2022 / 09:13 PM CDT

TISHOMINGO, Okla. (KFOR) – The vehicle occupied by six Tishomingo teenage girls who died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on Tuesday did not yield to a stop sign before the crash, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Highway Patrol released a summary of their investigation into the tragic crash that killed the six teen girls.

The crash occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A 1994 Peterbilt truck-tractor pulling a semi-trailer loaded with gravel was heading south on U.S. 377, approaching the intersection of U.S. 377 and Oklahoma 22. The speed limit on U.S. 377 is 50 miles per hour, according to OHP.

A 2015 Chevrolet Spark occupied by the six Tishomingo teens was traveling east on Oklahoma 22, approaching U.S. 377.

“Witnesses reported the Chevrolet stopped behind another vehicle at the stop sign but did not itself stop at the stop sign, and entered US-377 attempting a left turn,” OHP officials said.

The Peterbilt struck the Chevy’s front-left end in the U.S. 377 southbound lane, pushing it off the road in the southwest direction. The tractor-trailer went off the highway and came to a stop in a private driveway on U.S. 377’s east side.

Investigators said on Wednesday that the Chevy’s 16-year-old driver, a 17-year-old passenger and two 15-year-old passengers were all pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Two other passengers – another 17-year-old and 15-year-old – were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit (THU) investigated the deadly collision upon request from the Tishomingo Police Department.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

The crash site was documented with ground and aerial photos, and witnesses were interviewed.

“A preliminary case review will be submitted to the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District for review,” OHP officials said.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of four investigators and a family assistance specialist to Oklahoma on Wednesday. OHP said the Safety Board investigators will examine the following issues in relation to the crash:

• Highway — The environmental factors involved in a crash include the roadway condition, signage, geometric design of the highway, lighting, weather condition, traffic volumes, and accident histories. The group also evaluates the highway infrastructure for adequacy of roadside barriers and compliance with various design manuals.
• Human performance — The performance of the human operators involved in the accident and looks at all ‘before-the-accident’ factors that might be involved in human error, including fatigue, medication, alcohol, drugs, medical histories, training, workload, equipment design, and work environment.
• Motor carrier — The operations of the driver and motor carrier. This includes an examination of the motor carrier’s compliance to applicable federal and/or state regulations and the oversight of the involved companies by Federal and state authorities. Investigators may also review the carrier’s overall safety culture and related safety programs involving driving operations, fatigue management, vehicle maintenance, and driver fitness for duty.
• Reconstruction — Mapping and documenting the scene and the vehicles involved in the crash and analyzing physical evidence and vehicle damage to reconstruct the crash events.