Sept. 13, 2024
A late-night crash on Thursday claimed the life of a Granite man following a collision between a semi-truck and a car just south of Elk City.
The accident occurred at approximately 11:01 p.m. at the intersection of OK-6 and OK-152, about seven miles south of Elk City in Beckham County.
Authorities report that a 2016 Volvo semi-truck, driven by 53-year-old Jesus Herrera of Hialeah, Florida, was traveling westbound on OK-152 when it failed to stop at a stop sign. The truck collided with a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria, driven by 54-year-old Christopher L. Rains of Granite, who was heading southbound on OK-6. The semi struck the car on the driver’s side, resulting in a fatal impact.
Emergency responders from the Elk City Fire Department arrived shortly after the collision but were unable to save Rains, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Herrera, the truck driver, was not injured in the crash.
Authorities on the scene reported detecting the odor of alcohol on Herrera. The investigation points to a combination of alcohol and failure to stop at the intersection as key factors in the deadly accident. DUI charges are pending, and the condition of Rains at the time of the crash remains under investigation.
Herrera was taken into custody and booked into the Beckham County Detention Center. He faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol, and transporting an open container of beer.
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