Two fatal auto-pedestrian accidents on Tulsa's Keystone Expressway

Wednesday, November 23rd 2005, 2:54 pm

By: News On 6

A tragic traffic accident in Tulsa on the eve of Thanksgiving. A man was killed in front of his wife and three children. One of the children, a 2 year old girl, is in critical condition.

The driver of the truck, who hit them, was booked into the Tulsa County jail for leaving the scene. It happened in the 1100 block of West Keystone Expressway.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright says the family's car had run out of gas and they were walking next to the highway to the nearest gas station. The father was carrying his 2-year daughter. Mom and the other two children, 4 and 7, were several steps behind. Tulsa Police Sgt Bob Rohloff: "As they're walking along, a westbound pick up truck, for some reason, left the roadway and went into the grass and hit the father and daughter. The father appeared to be killed instantly."

The mother and two kids saw a big cloud of dust then ran to check and found a terrible scene. The baby girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

In the meantime, the pickup kept going and eventually stalled. So his girlfriend, who was behind him in another vehicle, pushed him through the exit, where Tulsa Police stopped them about a half-mile away.

The driver says he had a power steering malfunction and didn't know he'd hit a person. Sgt Rohloff: "He indicated he never knew he hit somebody, he thought he just hit the sign." He had also hit the sign. That driver, Norman Stephens was taken to jail. He was booked on a felony count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

His truck has been impounded and will be examined for evidence. Tulsa Police say there's no indication any alcohol or drugs were involved, but they gave the driver a blood test. They expect those test results back from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation lab in about six months.

The victims name has not been released.

Later Wednesday evening, another man was killed when he was hit by a car on the Keystone Expressway near the Gilcrease Museum Road exit.

Tulsa Police say the man was trying to hitch a ride when he was hit by not one car, but two. Tulsa Police Cpl Larry Edwards: "witnesses said he walked out in the roadway and struck by one vehicle and he got up and was hit by a second vehicle."
The victim's name hasn't been released.

Police say he may have been a transient.