Report On Deadly Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Crash To Be Released

Wednesday, November 15th 2006, 2:37 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says an investigation into a crash that killed an OHP trooper and a truck driver in northeast Oklahoma indicates the trooper made an improper turn across Interstate 44.

Trooper Bill McClendon of Mounds and truck driver Hussein Haji-ege Osman died in the crash on October first near Claremore.

OHP Captain Chris West says the report is now complete and will be released Thursday morning and that it will indicate McClendon made an improper turn.

Authorities have said McClendon was trying to make a U-turn to cut through a gap in the concrete median of the interstate.

The OHP says the report also will indicate McClendon's emergency lights were activated, that Osman was speeding, failed to yield to an emergency vehicle and was operating a vehicle with unsafe brakes.

But the owner of the truck and Osman's best friend -- Harpreet Sidhu -- says the rig was in good working order.