11 Dead In Oklahoma Accidents

Friday, May 18th 2007, 11:21 am

By: News On 6

CANUTE, Okla. (AP) _ Seven people died Friday morning in a one-vehicle accident on Interstate 40 in far western Oklahoma, while four others died late Thursday in two-vehicle collision along Interstate 44 in southwest Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy Randolph said that the seven-fatality accident occurred near Canute, in northwest Washita County. Randolph said the vehicle was eastbound on I-40 about 7:30 a.m. when the driver may have fallen asleep. The vehicle went through the highway median and airborne over a county road before hitting an embankment.

Troopers still were looking for identification for the victims, Randolph said. One person in the vehicle was taken to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City and is expected to survive, she said.

Authorities closed eastbound lanes on I-40 for 42 minutes as a result of the accident.

In the Oklahoma City accident, Oklahoma City firefighter Lt. Michael Tiderman, 38, of Tuttle, and his son Justin Tiderman _ identified by police as either 11 or 12 years old _ died after the driver of a northbound car on I-44 lost control for an unknown reason, crossed the highway's center line and crashed into their southbound truck.

The Tidermans had been returning home after a baseball game, Oklahoma City Police Master Sgt. Gary Knight said.

The two men in the car, who also died, have not been identified. Knight said they were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the car.