Oktaha High School Basketball Team Rescues Couple After Car Accident

An accident on a rural Muskogee county road near Oktaha could have turned to tragedy Tuesday night. But, a group of high school basketball players came to the rescue.

Oktaha Superintendent Jerry Needham spoke from the heart about the character of his basketball team, "They're having a decent season, I think they're close to 500. "There's a lot to be taken into account besides w's and losses."

On their way to homecoming Tuesday night, a group of players came across a different challenge altogether and didn't hesitate an instant to put their own lives at risk.

Bryce Ayers, one of the basketball players, said, "When we turned, Levi and I seen smoke and we pulled up, there was the car upside down."

"I was rolling along pretty good and we just shot off in the grass and we bailed out. The truck was still rolling," said Levi Hill.

"It never crossed my mind, didn't worry about it," Ayers said. "More worried about getting them out because the car, the front of it was in flames."

The car, driven by an elderly couple, was headed north on Highway 69 near Oktaha Road when it flew off the overpass.

"They come off the bridge, hit the middle of the highway below, and then slid and flipped and went through the guardrail and landed upside down, right in between the bridges," Hill said.

The boys grabbed what they could to get the fire out

Levi "He took, I think it was his mom's favorite hoodie and starting patting the fire out," said Hill. So me and Brandon's dad just started throwing dirt on it.

Then they forced open the door to rescue the passengers.

"What amazed me when we ripped that door open, the husband was just sitting up," Hill said. "He seemed just fine."

Paramedics were soon on the scene and the boys back on their way to homecoming; where they received special recognition, a standing ovation, and a life lesson they say won't soon be forgotten.

"All of us being teenagers, we think we're bulletproof, but that's a prime example," Ayers said. "I promise you they didn't plan on that happening."

The highway patrol didn't release the name of the couple, but said their injuries were not life-threatening.

The Oktaha basketball team, they won their homecoming game against Porter.