OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Three people, including an Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Trooper, were killed in a crash on I-35 Wednesday shortly before noon.
Emergency crews responded to the accident on northbound I-35, between Britton Rd. and Hefner Rd. OHP reported that debris fell from a southbound vehicle, causing 36-year-old Mercedes Bayne to swerve her SUV across the cable barrier into oncoming traffic, where the vehicle struck Trooper Vernon Brake.
Trooper Brake, a nearly 20-year veteran of OHP, was killed alongside Bayne and a 4-year-old child. The incident has deeply affected the OHP, with a spokesperson stating, “Our department is heartbroken. Our focus right now is on his family.”
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and have closed all lanes of I-35 in both directions between Britton Rd. and Hefner Rd. Witnesses or anyone with information are urged to contact the OHP Communication Center at 405-425-2323.
A photograph of a truck believed to be connected to the incident has been released, and the public is being asked for assistance in identifying it. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.