Turner Turnpike lanes closed because of fatal crash

<br>STROUD, Okla. (AP) _ The westbound lanes of the Turner Turnpike near Stroud were closed for nearly seven hours Saturday after two people were killed and a third was injured when a tractor-trailer rig

Saturday, March 9th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STROUD, Okla. (AP) _ The westbound lanes of the Turner Turnpike near Stroud were closed for nearly seven hours Saturday after two people were killed and a third was injured when a tractor-trailer rig smashed into an overpass.

The driver of the truck apparently fell asleep and the vehicle went off the road and hit a support column for the overpass, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

The driver was flown by helicopter to an Oklahoma City hospital, where he was in critical condition with massive head and internal injuries Saturday.

Two passengers who were in the truck's sleeper compartment were killed at the scene, troopers said.

All three were thrown from the vehicle.

The names of the driver and passengers were not released, pending notification of their relatives.

The turnpike opened about 11:45 a.m., nearly seven hours after the 5 a.m. crash, the patrol said.

Troopers diverted traffic at Stroud while cleaning up the crash.