Investigators seeking answers in fiery crash
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49
By Josh Rabe
Published: October 25, 2007
MUTUAL — Luis Miguel Jimenez, a California truck driver, is recovering at an Oklahoma City burn unit two days after a fiery crash on a busy northwestern Oklahoma highway left four dead and investigators trying to piece together what went wrong.
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What happened
Jimenez, 30, of Escondido, Calif., was driving a tractor trailer westbound on U.S. 270 about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when he failed to stop for a construction zone and slammed into a line of vehicles waiting to be directed through, according to a patrol report.
The last vehicle in the line, a pickup driven by James Thomas Goree, 48, of Woodward spun around 360 degrees and turned over before coming to rest in a ditch.
Goree was treated for injuries and later released from Woodward Regional Hospital.
A second pickup, driven by the Greens, was caught under the approaching rig, which then plowed into the Heberts' car, pushing it into the back of a cattle trailer, the report states.
The Greens' pickup, the Heberts' car and the tractor trailer all caught fire in the collision.
Clint Gene Hixon, 48, of Yale was driving the rig pulling the cattle trailer. He wasn't injured in the crash. His rig also was pushed into a pickup at the front of the line, driven by Thomas E. Nichols, 21, of Cheste, who also escaped injury.
Jimenez was flown to the burn unit at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he was admitted in serious condition. He was upgraded to good condition by Wednesday evening and is being treated for second-degree burns to about 11 percent of his body, said Brooke Cayot, hospital spokeswoman.
Prosecutors are waiting until the highway patrol completes its investigation to determine whether criminal charges are warranted, according to the patrol. Troopers may need to question Jimenez.
The aftermath
Troopers said it took as long as nine hours to remove some victims from their vehicles. None of the survivors were pinned in their vehicles. All of the dead and injured, with the possible exception of Jimenez, were wearing seat belts, according to the report.
The highway remained closed for more than 11 hours, reopening shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday.
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He was upgraded to good condition by Wednesday evening and is being treated for second-degree burns to about 11 percent of his body, said Brooke Cayot, hospital spokeswoman." I hope this helps you some in the info search on Luis. I'm glad to hear he is doing better.
Truth Seeker, Oklahoma City - I have worked for a trucking co. in safety and these trucks are governed for the most part so I highly doubt he was doing over 70. Sometimes it just seems like they are.
RANDY, NEWCASTLE - I haven't read anything that said anyone is taking sides. They are just offering condolences. I was just on this very road twice last week. There may be signs of road construction, but I did not see any signs that said anything about flagpersons or traffic being stopped. If this young man was coming over a hill or even if not who is to say he didn't try to stop. If you are driving 65 mph (the posted speed) and you come up on stopped vehicles without warning how long would it take you to stop your car or maybe a 1/2 ton pickup. So, imagine how long it would take this young man to stop an 18 wheeler even if he had tried to turn in to the ditch as someone else mentioned it could have caused an accident.
How about we let the officers do their job and figure out what happened before we lay blame. Construction signs two miles back? There should have been some closer than that.
My prayers go out to all the families of this tragic accident.
Shame on you as an AMERICAN to be so ignorant. Signs aren't posted in "Mexican" because there is no such language. Just as we speak ENGLISH, they speak Spanish! Just goes to show you how intolerant Oklahomans can really be!
Puede posess de demonios su alma y le maneja loco. Puede su herida de heridas para siempre. Su hijo, sus hijos, sus nietos y mil generatons de su familia sabrán su vergüenza y el dolor. Usted se pudrirá en el infierno y se siente que el dolor por una eternidad como Satanás escoge la carne de huesos. Toda su familia sabrá la vergüenza que usted los trae y sus ojos serán rasgados aparte.