Salina Man Dies After Crashing Into Tree In Mayes County

A Salina man who crashed into a tree and was pinned in his vehicle for two-and-a-half hours, died early Saturday morning.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported a 1983 Chevrolet truck driven by Richard Phillips, 44, failed to negotiate a curve and struck a tree head-on.

The collision happened 1 mile north of Salina on a Mayes County road at 4:39 a.m.

First responders had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate Phillips, who was pinned until just after 7 a.m.

Phillips was not wearing a seatbelt, troopers said.