Six killed in separate traffic accidents

Sunday, September 26th 2004, 2:12 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Six people were killed in five separate accidents, including one that may have involved alcohol and three involving motorcycles, authorities said Saturday.

A Yukon man was killed Friday night when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck in Midwest City, police said.

Ransom Payansape, 54, was driving west on N.E. 23rd Street as Daniel Cortez, 48, was headed east around 7 p.m.

``It's a five-lane roadway in that area,'' said Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes. ``Two east-bound lanes, two west-bound and a center turn lane. ... Cortez was driving eastbound on the inside lane of NE 23, when for no apparent reason, his vehicle crossed the center turn lane and entered'' Payansape's lane.

A motorist driving ahead of Payansape saw Cortez, of Oklahoma City. approaching and swerved into the outside lane, avoiding a collision, Clabes said.

``Payansape tried to do the same thing, but he tried to turn into the center lane,'' Clabes said. ``At the same time, Cortez whipped back into the center lane, striking him head-on.''

Payansape was pronounced dead at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

Cortez was arrested on complaints of driving under the influence of alcohol and manslaughter.

A Ponca City couple also died Friday when their motorcycle struck a car near Newkirk in Kay County, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Anthony F. Taglialatela, 28, and Deanna G. Taglialatela, 29, were driving south on U.S. 77 when Anthony Taglialatela pulled into the northbound lane to pass another vehicle, the patrol said.

As he did, his motorcycle collided with Mary Ellen Charles' vehicle, throwing the Taglialatelas from the motorcycle.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Charles, 53, of Arkansas City, Kan., was hospitalized with trunk and leg injuries.

The Taglialatelas were wearing helmets, the patrol said. Charles wasn't wearing a seat belt.

In another motorcycle accident, a Geary man was killed in a head-on collision in Blaine County.

Carl Adamson, 45, was killed Friday when a car driven by Watonga resident Patrick Ridenour went left of center and struck Adamson's motorcycle, the patrol said.

Adamson was thrown about 100 feet from the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Ridenour was not injured.

The patrol says Adamson was not wearing a helmet.

In other accidents, Larry M. Carpenter, 30, was killed when his dirt bike collided with that of another on private property near Monroe in Le Flore County, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

About 6 p.m. Friday, Carpenter was driving north and David C. McGee, 31, was headed south when their vision was obscured by a line of trees.

As they men entered a curve, their dirt bikes collided head-on, throwing both off.

Carpenter died at the Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center in Poteau. McGee was flown to Sparks Hospital in Fort Smith, Ark., where he was in stable condition, the patrol said.

Both were wearing helmets.

In another fatal accident, Jackie D. Brown, 50, was killed when his vehicle ran off U.S. 77 south of Pauls Valley and struck a culvert about midnight Friday, troopers said.

His car went airborne, sailing about 60 feet before crashing onto the passenger side.

Brown was thrown through the windshield after his car hit a tree, the patrol said.

He was dead at the scene, authorities said.