‘I Was Scared’: Drivers Left With Damaged Cars After Highway 75 Buckles Near Ramona

A group of drivers are looking at a repair bill after driving over a portion of Highway 75 that buckled Tuesday afternoon in Washington County.

Drivers say it was scary because they say they didn’t have enough time to react, and they say their only choice was to go right into it and hope for the best.

Desiree DeShazo and Cheli Jones were heading south on Highway 75 near Ramona when they say the road buckled.

They say they hit the debris going the speed limit of 70 miles per hour.

"It just popped up so quickly in front of us that we couldn't react to it in any manner but to just drive over it,” said Desiree DeShazo.

"We had just passed a truck driver, that's why I was in that lane, and boom,” said Cheli Jones. “Couldn't get over."

Tammie Chidester had a similar experience.

"I was scared, I didn't know how to control the car, and I didn't know what else to do,” said Chidester. “I was panicking more or less."

ODOT says the road buckled because heat caused it to expand.

"This mainly happens on older road surfaces,” said T.J. Gerlach, the spokesperson for ODOT. “It mainly happens where we have two panels meeting together. Sometimes, it will happen around fixed potholes or concrete patches."

Gerlach says road buckling is more common this time of year.

"Unfortunately, this year, the heat came in early, as everybody knows, and it looks like it's around to stay for a while, so we may see more of these occur,” said Gerlach. “We urge everybody to be careful out there on the roadways."

Chidester is glad it wasn’t worse and hopes everyone made it out of the situation okay.

"I just feel sorry for the people that had the same problem we did, and I hope everybody's okay and safe,” said Chidester.

ODOT says if your car was damaged by this road buckling, you need to file a claim with the state through the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services.