Arizona Woman Dies After Head-On Crash On I-44 Near Catoosa

Russell Hulstine, NewsOn6.com

CATOOSA, Oklahoma -- A Glendale, Arizona woman is dead after a head-on collision on I-44 east of Catoosa Thursday afternoon.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol identify the woman as Kaye Sturgeon, 67.

She was a passenger in a car that was eastbound on I-44. 

Troopers say the car was driven by 74-year-old Otis Hudspeth of Ponca City.  The other two passengers were 75-year-old Clara Hudspeth and 68-year-old Philip Sturgeon.  Troopers said all three were taken to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition.

Troopers say a pickup truck westbound on I-44 crossed into the eastbound lanes and crashed head-on into the Hudspeths' car.

The driver of the pickup truck, 25-year-old Levi Ryon of Catoosa, was also taken to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition.

Ryon was pinned in his 2008 Chevy truck for 45 minutes.  Two passengers in the 1994 Volvo were also pinned for about 45 minutes. 

The OHP credits a bystander for saving the life of one of the victims. Troopers say the man, who had medical training, revived a female passenger in the car who had stopped breathing.

Troopers say Ryon was not wearing a seatbelt, but all four people in the Volvo were.

Troopers are still trying to determine why Ryon drove through a guardrail and into the eastbound lanes of I-44.