4 Killed In Adair County Crash Involving 13 People

Four people, including two girls, are dead and six more went to the hospital after a crash near the Oklahoma - Arkansas state line.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the crash involved a truck and a State Line Christian Academy van.

Previous Story: OHP: 2 Juveniles, 2 Adults Killed In Crash In Adair County, 6 Others Hospitalized

Troopers said the head-on crash in Watts on April 28 involved 13 people. Amanda Payne of Watts was on her way home and saw the crash.

“What do you do? Do you grab the babies that are screaming or the mom that’s bleeding out, or you run over and get the guy that’s trapped under the truck?” explained Payne. “So, I mean, it was rough.”

Troopers said in the State Line Christian Academy van, that there were 11 people, all from Westville. The driver, a 34-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl, and an 11-year-old girl died. The other passengers, including 37-year-old Chad Murray and children ages two to 14, went to the hospital. Some have been released.

In the truck, the driver, 61-year-old Larry Valentine of Arkansas, died, and 25-year-old Asa Valentine of Arkansas went to the hospital.

“From our investigation so far, it doesn’t look like too many seatbelts were in use as well, so that definitely plays a role in the types of injuries we have in this type of collision,” said Lt Mark Southall with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

While State Line Christian Academy is closed after the crash, Westville Public Schools is ready to support.

Superintendent Terry Heustis said one of the kids killed is a former Westville student.

“We’re one big, happy family, whether they went to school here before or going here now, we all consider them our kids, and we’re here for the families and here to do everything we can to help anybody that’s dealing with any kind of grief and those kinds of things,” said Heustis.

OHP said the traffic homicide unit will be back at the scene Monday to investigate, as well as try to talk to witnesses.