STATE BRIEFS
State Briefs: Friday, July 4, 2008

Published: July 4, 2008

A Tulsa County judge Thursday set an Aug. 5 preliminary hearing for Diane Sue Whalen, 54, charged with crimes against nature in connection with videos that investigators said features dogs engaging in sex acts with humans.

Also scheduled for a preliminary hearing that day is Donald Roy Siegfried, 55, who faces the same charges as Whalen.

Two of Whalen's dogs were ordered forfeited to the sheriff in civil court proceedings, and Siegfried's dog is being held by the sheriff pending a later court hearing.

A Minco man was killed Wednesday when his motorcycle struck a deer in rural Caddo County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

David Leslie Lee, 53, died at the scene of the wreck, which occurred about 9:10 p.m. east of Binger on State Highway 152 just west of County Road 2680, the patrol said.

Lee was eastbound on the highway when his motorcycle struck the deer, the patrol said. He was thrown from the motorcycle and smashed into two signs and a bridge abutment before landing in a creek bed, the patrol said.

A 79-year-old Midwest City man died Thursday, hours after firefighters found him unconscious in a burning home.

John Coleman died early Thursday at Midwest Regional Medical Center, Midwest City Fire Department spokesman Jerry Lojka said.

About 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a blaze at 131 W Lilac Lane and found Coleman unconscious in a back bedroom, Lojka said.

Investigators believe the fire was caused by a lamp positioned too close to drapes in the home. Lojka said the fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage to the home.

Pennsylvania authorities identified an Oklahoma City man who died from an accident while riding an inner tube down a creek near Carlisle, Pa.

The victim was Leon Clymer, 70.

Coroner Michael Norris said Clymer became trapped by the force of the water flowing over a low-head dam in Tuesday night's accident on the Yellow Breeches Creek.

Clymer was founder and head elder at Kehilat Rosh Pinan, a Messianic Jewish congregation in Oklahoma City.