Semi Truck accident involving 2 tractor-trailers leaves one trucker dead in a horrific crash on I-35 in Oklahoma City, OK on January 6, 2012. Photo credit: KFOR-TV

Oklahoma City is located in Canadian County, Cleveland County and Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma in the central part of the state about 141 miles east of Muskogee, 106 miles southwest of Tulsa and 19 miles northwest of Norman.

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The accident occurred around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2011 on Interstate 35 just south of the I-44 interchange near NE 122nd Street in Oklahoma City, OK. A tractor trailer was heading southbound on I-35 just north of NE 122nd Street when the truck lost control, crossed the median into the northbound lanes and crashed into an oncoming semi truck.

Map showing location of fatal big rig crash between 2 semi trucks on I-35 near NE 122nd Street in Oklahoma City, OK on January 6, 2012.

The driver of the northbound 18 wheeler was killed in the accident. The deceased trucker was identified as Martin Alba, 54 years old from Riverside, CA. His big rig hit a pole supporting a freeway sign which severed the engine from the tractor and peeled the container trailer open, completely demolishing the truck and scattering its cargo all over the shoulder.

Authorities were not sure if there was more than one victim in the accident, though, or whether there was another victim trapped in the wreckage.

An article in The Republic website reported on the story:

Two sets of identification were found in the debris from the northbound truck, so investigators are trying to determine if another victim is in the wreckage

The southbound truck, an empty 1999 Peterbilt Haliburton semi tanker, came to a stop just short of the NE 122nd Street overpass on the northbound side of the road. The stopped truck was laying on its side completely blocking all the northbound lanes of traffic.

The driver of the southbound semi truck, Randy Edwards, 56 years old from Waurika, OK, managed to get out of the cab and was taken to a hospital. According to some reports he did not appear to have suffered serious external injuries, but he did suffer internal and head injuries. He was transported by ground ambulance to St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City.

A car driven by Linda Lane, 66 years old, was also struck by the southbound semi truck. According to reports, she was not injured in the accident.

The northbound lanes of I-35 were closed for several hours while emergency personnel, Police investigators and Hazmat crews worked the scene of the accident.

The cause of the crash is not known at this time, but is currently under investigation.

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Oklahoma City Truck Accident Lawyer

On Tuesday morning an unidentified truck driver was driving east on Turner Turnpike, also known as Interstate 44. The driver is employed by Brooks Grease Service based in Tulsa, OK. At the time of the truck accident the driver was transporting a cargo of cooking grease from Oklahoma City to Tulsa.

Shortly after 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning the semi driver was eastbound on the Turner Turnpike/I-44, traveling through the northeast part of Oklahoma City. The rollover truck accident happened as the semi trailer moved near Post Road, south of the suburb of Wellston. The tanker truck suddenly went off balance and flipped over on its right side. The tractor trailer skidded about 50 feet along the guardrail before finally coming to a rest, lying across the metal barrier and the shoulder of the interstate.

No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.

Emergency personnel with the Oklahoma City Fire Department rushed to the site of the overturned tanker. The driver was able to get out of his cab and received minor injuries to his hand in the truck accident. Paramedics treated the semi driver at the scene and there are no reports that he required hospitalization.

When the semi truck overturned the impact damaged the tanker section and the cargo of cooking grease began to leak out onto the highway. The grease, which was described as potentially hazardous, spread across the eastbound lanes of the interstate. A haz-mat team responded to the truck accident site and worked to clean the spill and keep it contained, however an unknown amount got into a nearby river.

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Police shut down the Turner Turnpike/I-44 surrounding the crash site and diverted vehicles to secondary roads. For several hours after the truck accident occurred drivers were rerouted off the highway at the juncture with Interstate 35. They were then allowed back on eastbound I-44 at a point past Post Road. Police reopened the inside lane of the interstate shortly before noon on Tuesday, and they hoped to have the other lanes open by Friday.

According to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority the outer lane and shoulder of the turnpike will remained closed for several days so crews can perform repairs. The grease that was spilled in the truck accident destroyed the asphalt surface. Highway crews will have to dig up the wrecked asphalt and repave the damaged sections of the interstate. Workers will also have to replace the guardrail that was ruined when the semi truck skidded on the barrier.

Police have reconstructed the single vehicle truck accident and may file charges against the driver. According to reports, the semi driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel just before he flipped the 18 wheeler and crashed into the guardrail. It is not known if police officers suspect drugs or alcohol, or if the driver had to submit to a toxicology screening. Commercial Vehicle Inspectors will likely look at the driver’s log books to determine if he was taking the required rest breaks.

No charges have been brought yet, pending the completion of the truck accident investigation.

Tulsa Oklahoma semi truck rollover due to driver speeding

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the driver of the semi was going too fast around a curve near the intersection of the two interstate highways. Because he was speeding, the driver then lost control of the big rig, causing the truck to slide onto the snow, hitting a guardrail, rolling on its side, which then caused the big rig to leak diesel fuel onto the highway.

The OHP reports that the driver was not hurt.

Sapulpa Fire crews were called in to clean up the diesel fuel that leaked onto the interstate.

The tractor trailer truck was pushed off the highway so the road could be re-opened to traffic.

Speeding is one of the most common causes of semi truck accidents because the truck driver is rushing to stay on time, disregarding safety in order to make a deadline, says Nationwide truck accident attorneys, Gordon & Elias.

If you need information about truck accident law pertaining to Tulsa, Oklahoma, talk to a Tulsa truck accident attorney who is qualified to answer your questions. Contact Steve Gordon toll free at 800-773-6770 24/7.

At TruckAccidents360.com, you can find an Oklahoma truck accident lawyer who specializes in representing victims involved in tractor trailer, big rig truck injury accidents.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that Mary Dye, 51, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma was driving eastbound on I-44 with the victim’s semi in front of her, when she tried to pass the truck just before the 33rd W. Avenue bridge, losing control of her car and hitting the outer guardrail. Dye’s car bounced off the guardrail, hitting the semi.

Semi truck explodes into flames after car veers off guard rail hitting the18 wheeler truck

The impact caused the semi to veer just enough left to hit the metal guardrail and concrete bridge wall. Its fuel tanks ruptured as it overturned and fell onto 33rd West Avenue.

Gornwiga Nation, who lives near I-44 and 33rd W. Avenue in west Tulsa, was able to catch the fiery accident on tape.

Watch video below:

“You can see from the video my hand was shaking,” said Nation.

Her sister, Palpy Hudson, heard it all happen.

“We heard a loud brake noise that we hear all the time on the highway,” said Hudson. “It was kind of like that but it was followed by the big noise, boom.”

“We were hoping to help somebody, but the fire, it was just scary,” said Hudson. “It was like the most scariest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Just minutes earlier, a car lost control on I-44 eastbound, hit the guardrail, then hit the semi truck causing the truck driver to lose control.

“The semi went to the far left, striking the guardrail, then the bridge wall and continuing down in between the two bridges onto 33rd W. Avenue,” said Martin Stewart with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

That’s when the semi went up in flames. Both the driver and the passenger of the semi died at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the semi made it out okay, but her car caught fire too.

“Holy smoke it’s about the worse one I’ve ever seen,” said bystander Pat Bedard. “I’m just glad nobody was under there, you know.”

Two people inside the semi have been confirmed dead. Dye was transported to a local hospital, but released.  She was able to escape despite her vehicle catching fire as well.

No one else was injured by the explosion or flying debris.

The west bound side of Interstate 44 was reopened at 11am after being closed for more than three hours. The other side was opened a short time later, and was closed for more than four hours.

All four lanes of I-44 between I-244 and US-75 are shut down until further notice. ODOT officials say the westbound lanes should open up soon, but the scene will not be cleared until later this afternoon.

Marla Carter of KJRH contributed to this story.

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Tulsa truck accident lawyer
Oklahoma truck accident attorney
Truck accident injury lawyer