Published: April 14, 2008 06:11 pm      

Three die in car wrecks (1 of 3 stories)

Woman dies near Asher; kids hurt

Asher — A head-on collision killed a woman and left two toddlers fighting for their lives northeast of Asher Saturday night.

The accident occurred on County Road NS 345 four miles west of Asher and one mile north of State Highway 39 just after 8:30 p.m. A report by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Troy Thompson said Heather Johnston, 23, Asher, was driving north in a 2000 Mazda when she failed to keep right and collided with a 2001 Chevrolet SUV driven south by Elizabeth Skender, 25, Asher.

Thompson said Johnston was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in Johnston’s vehicle, Alexis Johnston, 2, and Colton Johnston, 1, were taken by OU MediFlight to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City and admitted in critical condition. Thompson said the children in Johnston’s vehicle were in child safety seats, but the seats were not used properly.

Skender and two passengers in her vehicle, Austin Middlebrooke, 5, and Alexandriea Middlebrooke, 3, both of Asher, were not injured. A third passenger in Skender’s vehicle, Trenton Moore, 20, Asher, was taken by Seminole Medicus ambulance to Seminole hospital and admitted in good condition.

According to radio traffic, Valley View EMS paramedics and two Pontotoc County sheriff’s deputies were called to assist at the scene. Sunday, Alexis Johnston was upgraded to serious condition and Colton Johnston was upgraded to fair condition.

Thompson said seat belts were in use by all occupants of Skender’s vehicle. Thompson was assisted by troopers Rusty Manion and James McKee, Asher police, firefighters from Asher and Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse police.