Soldiers survive war, die in car accidents

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- They survived the dangers of war, only to be killed in car accidents while at home.<br/><br/>Two Oklahoma soldiers have been killed in car accidents on Oklahoma roads in less than

Monday, June 7th 2004, 5:42 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- They survived the dangers of war, only to be killed in car accidents while at home.

Two Oklahoma soldiers have been killed in car accidents on Oklahoma roads in less than a week.

Andre Shoola, 20, died when his sport utility vehicle swerved off the left side of Oklahoma 78 and struck a tree at about 5:20 a.m. Friday, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers reported.

Sean Crockett, 23, was driving on base the evening of May 31 while stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., when he missed a curve in the road and rolled his sport utility vehicle, his family said.

Crockett was flown to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Shoola's friend, Amanda Burton, said she and Shoola and two other friends decided to join the Army National Guard during their senior year of high school in Tishomingo.

The four signed up for duty in 2002. Burton and Shoola were assigned to a transportation unit, hauling supplies and ammunition. Shoola came home in March.

Burton said she remembered him for his sense of humor and easy way of making friends.

"We go to war and come home together, and come home fine; it's not supposed to happen," Burton said. "It stunned everybody."

Angie Crockett said her husband Sean had settled down after his "wild and crazy" high school days in Harrah.

After he joined the Marine Corps, married and had two children, she said, he told her his life was "a dream that came true."

Crockett had spent nine months in Iraq in early 2003, and was preparing to leave for a second tour.

"He was the answer to my mother's and father's prayers. He was wonderful to me and treated me like a princess," Crockett said.

Services for Shoola are pending. Crockett's funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Oklahoma City.