TRUCK flips; 10 injured

Friday, July 20th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

GUTHRIE, Okla. (AP) _ An extended-cab pickup truck loaded with 16 people blew a tire and rolled over on Interstate 35, injuring 10 of the people, two critically, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Trooper Pete Norwood said the truck, which had a camper shell, was towing another pickup truck, and both vehicles went out of control, throwing several people to the pavement.

One of those injured was taken by helicopter to a hospital after the accident just north of Guthrie about 11 a.m.

``There were too many people in the vehicle,'' Norwood said. ``It's just unsafe to have that many people in a vehicle unless you are driving a bus.''

He said it appeared that most of the people involved in the accident, including a number of children, belonged to an extended family traveling from Minnesota to Texas.