Choctaw mother dies in crash as calls for road safety grow
A 25-year-old mother died in a crash on NE 23rd in Choctaw, leaving her six children injured and prompting renewed calls for safety improvements to the road.
A 25-year-old mother died in a crash on NE 23rd in Choctaw, leaving her six children injured and prompting renewed calls for safety improvements to the road.
A 25-year-old mother, Kaitie Tabor, died Thursday evening in a crash on NE 23rd in Choctaw, where her six children, ranging in age from 3 months to 7 years old, were also injured.
Police said the crash happened just before 7 p.m. Tabor and her 3-month-old baby were ejected from the vehicle. The baby, who was in a car seat, survived, but Tabor later died at the hospital. All six children were taken to the hospital and are currently in stable condition.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but concerns about safety on NE 23rd are not new.
“I’ve been there for about 12 years, and it’s weekly that someone is coming over that blind hill and hitting the curb. It’s a 55 mph zone, which means people are traveling 65-75 mph,” said Richard Watson, who lives off NE 23rd.
Watson described the dangers of the road, noting that the shoulder disappears and drivers encounter close curbs. He said homes sit just off the highway, and last July, a car hit a curb and clipped his home.
“There’s no street lights, there’s no warning signs, there’s no reflective material, so people come over at a high rate of speed [and] really have no warning that it goes from a shoulder to a curb,” Watson said.
Choctaw Mayor Chad Allcox said he has been advocating for safety improvements along NE 23rd for years.
“Over the last two years, we’ve had six severe car accidents. None of them were fatalities until the one, unfortunately, last night,” Allcox said.
Since taking office three years ago, Allcox said he has been asking the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to make changes, including adding traffic lights at Triple X Road, Indian Meridian and McDonald Road, where Thursday’s crash occurred.
However, Allcox said progress has been slow.
“We’re not slated as of right now to have any assistance out this way until 2032,” he said.
“They have a large area to take care of; I understand that, but my fear is additional people could end up losing their lives,” Allcox said.
ODOT released a statement Friday afternoon.
"The safety of the traveling public is at the center of every decision made by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Following any crash on state highways and interstates, ODOT reviews the available facts and circumstances, including the law enforcement report, to identify potential opportunities for safety improvements in the area.
Planning for major transportation projects is a long-term process, often years in the making. ODOT remains committed to safety and transparency throughout each phase of that process and will continue to provide updates and opportunities for public input well in advance of any construction that could impact the traveling public," ODOT officials said.