1 Dead After Fatal Crash Near Chouteau Train Tracks

Emergency crews are on the scene of a fatal crash near a Chouteau train track.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol identified that driver as David Reyes.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol along with Chouteau Fire and the Mayes County Sheriff Office are investigating after a driver appeared to have crossed the center median off US 412 on the west side of 69 Highway. After crossing the median it appear the car hit a barricade before rolling down toward the train tracks.

Troopers say Reyes appears to have been ejected from the car which burned overnight. The accident was not discovered until 1:50 p.m. on Monday.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said right now it’s not clear what caused the driver to veer onto the other side of highway 412 and crash into a ravine next to a rail road.

"At the time he hit the bridge and possibly went down where the train tracks are and crashed," said Trooper Jeffrey Laue with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The driver was thrown out of the vehicle and at some point it caught fire. As a train was going by, News On 6 was told a railroad crew saw the crash shortly before 2 p.m. Monday afternoon and called it in.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol's Traffic Homicide unit is investigating the crash.

"They come out they map the scene, they assist the other agencies, and the other troopers in gaining the information from the crash,“ said Laue.

Laue said while any death is unfortunate, this crash could have been much worse if he'd hit another car.

Laue said the next step is for the Traffic Homicide Unit to talk with family and friends and to try and figure out how and why this happened.

"We really take these serious and we go in depth on the investigation, especially this fatal collision," said Trooper Laue.