The deaths of two persons in an Oklahoma Turnpike work zone have led to manslaughter charges against a California truck driver. They also came less than a week after the Oklahoma Department of Transportation ended a month-long observation of a public awareness campaign to prevent highway work zone fatalities and accidents.
Charges were filed recently in Oklahoma County District Court against Gurigbal Singh in the May 8 deaths of Barbara Homan of Yukon and her passenger, Antonio Ibanez.
State troopers who investigated the deadly crash on the I-44 turnpike near Hogback Road in Oklahoma county say Singh failed to devote full time and attention while driving and disregarded a work zone. The charges state he failed to “reduce speed for conditions.”
Sing’s 18-wheeler smashed into the rear of Homan’s car then plowed into four other vehicles that were also eastbound on the turnpike.
“Witnesses interviewed at the scene stated they witnessed the Freightliner fail to slow for the congestion prior to impact,” stated the charges. “Troopers determined that Singh was driving at an unsafe speed for the conditions—by not reducing his speed for the traffic conditions at the time despite having numerous advanced warning devices posted.”
The DOT explained in its month-long observation that the top three causes of work zone fatality collisions are: not slowing down, following too close and distractions. They have resulted in 75 deaths statewide in the past four years including four ODOT workers. Eighteen fatalities happened in work zones in 2016 in the state. But there was a total of 242 collisions in Oklahoma work zones the same year.
