Woman Hospitalized After Chain-Reaction Crash In U.S. 412 Construction Zone

A distraction inside the vehicle is the cause of a four-vehicle injury wreck on U.S. Highway 412 near Catoosa, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol says.

According to a collision report, the chain-reaction crash happened during traffic congestion in a construction zone on Saturday about 10 a.m.

Three vehicles were slowed in the westbound lanes of the highway due to the construction, but another car came along and failed to slow down, OHP said.

A Ford Taurus, driven by Shawn Crutchfield, 29, of Chouteau, slammed into a Chevy Cobalt driven by Arlene Reed, 47, of Tulsa.

Reed then hit two more vehicles.

She crashed into 18-year-old Connor Henry’s car, which departed the roadway to the left. Then Reed’s Cobalt went on to hit a second car, occupied by Kipp Violett and Lisa Violett of Inola.

Reed was transported by medical helicopter and admitted to a Tulsa hospital with head injuries, according to the report.

Henry and Kipp Violett were not injured, while Lisa Violett was transported to a hospital, treated and released.

Crutchfield and his 2-year-old passenger were treated and released at a hospital.

OHP says Crutchfield’s condition was apparently normal, but he was distracted by something in his vehicle at the time of the crash, the report says.

All those involved were wearing seatbelts, the trooper says.