A bizarre and stunning twist developed in the U.S. Justice Department’s indictment of Oklahoma oilman Aubrey McClendon when the 56-year old former Chesapeake Energy CEO was killed in a Wednesday morning traffic crash in Oklahoma City.
There is speculation by some that perhaps it might have been a suicide because police say there were no apparent efforts by the 56-year old McClendon, at the wheel of his SUV, to avoid slamming into a highway overpass abutment. The SUV crashed around 9 a.m. near NW 122nd and Midwest Boulevard and burst into flames. The vehicle was destroyed by the fire and about four hours later, police confirmed the driver’s identity as that of McClendon.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash and indicated it might take up to two weeks to make a determination about the cause. Within hours of the crash, McClendon’s death was confirmed in a twitter announcement by the new company he formed after being forced out as CEO of Chesapeake Energy a few years ago. The statement was made by American Energy Partners.
“It is with deep sadness that AELP confirms that earlier today,its founder, Aubrey K. McClendon died in a car accident on Midwest Boulevard in Oklahoma City. Aubrey’s tremendous leadership, visison, and passion for the energy industry had an impact on the community, the country, and the world. We are tremendously proud of his legacy and will continue to work hard to live up to the unmatched standards he set for excellence and integrity. We will deeply mourn his loss and please join us in expressing our condolences to his family.”
News 9 reporter Lacie Lowry said police indicated that “speed was a factor” and McClendon’s SUV went left of center before crashing into the abutment. The posted speed limit is 40 MPH but investigators determined McClendon was driving much faster. The force of the impact drove much of the engine and front of the vehicle back into the driver’s compartment.
“Police say Aubrey McClendon had plenty of chances to change his course and he did not,” tweeted Lowry from the early-afternoon news conference.
“He pretty much drove straight into the wall” said Capt. Paco Balderrama at the news conference. “There was plenty of opportunity to go back to the roadway. That didn’t occur.”
He indicated McClendon’s 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe was so badly burned in the crash that investigators could not determine if he was wearing a seatbelt.
McClendon was indicted Tuesday by an Oklahoma City federal grand jury and accused of orchestrating a scheme to rig bids on leased land in northwest Oklahoma between 2007 and 2012, a time when he ran Chesapeake Energy. The U.S. Attorney’s office would not comment what might happen regarding the indictment. McClendon helped found Chesapeake Energy Corp. in 1989. He and co-founder Tom Ward were each 29 at the time and by 1993, they took it public.
