Published: December 26, 2007 10:39 am      

Two men die, five people injured in seperate Christmas Eve car crashes

Two Davis residents died Monday in a head-on collision near Davis and five people were injured in a seperate accident north of Ada.

The head-on collision occurred on Sunshine Road four and a half miles north of State Highway 7 in Murray County. A report by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Tracey Laxton said a Ford Taurus driven by Richard Sherrill, 50, crashed head-on into a 2004 Saturn driven by Marcus Downs, 72. The report said Sherrill was driving north and ran off the road to the right. As he drove back onto the roadway, he went left of center and collided with Downs.

Sherrill was pulled from his vehicle just before it caught fire. Downs was pinned inside his vehicle for two hours before being freed by Davis firefighters. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene of massive injuries by Medical Examiner John Miller, the report said. Both men were taken to Hales Funeral Home in Davis. Conditions were clear and dry, according to the report. Davis police, Joy firefighters and Murray County sheriff’s deputies also responded.

A two vehicle accident on State Highway 3W 12 miles north of Ada sent five people including three children to the hospital Monday.

The accident occurred when a man driving a late model Chevrolet pick up crossed the center line and crashed into the side of a Ford SUV, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper James McKee. The expedition slid off the roadway and rolled three and a half times.

Four passengers were able to escape the vehicle but the driver was pinned for 15 minutes before being freed by firefighters from Oil Center and Ada, according to officials on scene. Two adults and three children were taken to Valley View regional Hospital with minor exterior and unknown interior injuries.

McKee said The driver of the pick up was going too fast when a vehicle in front of him slowed to make a turn. The man swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into the SUV. The man in the pick up was not injured and was cited for operating a motor vehicle in a manner not reasonable and proper, McKee said.