Six high school students died in a collision with a semi-truck on Tuesday, leaving Tishomingo Public Schools and the community in mourning.
Six Tishomingo High School students were killed in the crash, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. They were in a car that was involved in an accident with a semi-truck shortly after 12 o’clock at the U.S. 377/Oklahoma 22 intersection.
The tractor-trailer was traveling south on US 377. According to an OHP official, the car in which the girls were riding was stopped at a stop sign.
“We don’t know the full nature or details of what caused the crash, only that the car at some point was at this stop sign and that in the following moments the semi hit them,” the OHP official said. “When we got to the scene you could see the car about 100 feet or so from the intersection completely totaled.”
The roof and multiple doors of the vehicle were ripped off.
“We’re not sure how much of that was caused by the crash or by emergency responders but the scene was heartbreaking,” the OHP official said.
Superintendent Bobby Waitman released a statement Tuesday expressing condolences for the loss of high school students.
“We feel it is imperative that we inform you that our District has suffered a great loss today involving high school students,” Waitman said in a letter to parents and community members. “Our hearts are broken, and we are grieving with our students and staff. We have counselors available to students presently. We also have space prepared at Tishomingo High School with counselors available through the evening.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims while in Kingston to examine tornado damage.
“We just heard about the tragic loss of six teenagers; still getting details; gonna be reaching out to the superintendent. Our hearts are broken with those six families. Just devastating news,” Stitt said
Source: KFOR
