Friday, February 27, 2015

SEMINOLE COUNTY, OKLA. – NEWLY RELEASED DASH CAM VIDEO SHOWS THE FINAL MOMENTS OF AN OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPER’S LIFE.














Trooper Keith Burch was also seriously injured in the crash.

“As far as describing the scene or the video, there are no words for it,”  said Lt. John Vincent, with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Lt. Vincent has seen the 25 minute long dash-cam video all the way through the fatal crash.

“It’s one that I wish I wouldn’t have had to have watched,” Lt. Vincent said.
It starts out with Trooper Keith Burch pulling up to the scene of an overturned semi on I-40.

Seconds later, Trooper Nicholas Dees and a deputy arrive at the scene to provide backup.

Authorities say Burch parked to protect oncoming traffic from hitting the wrecked semi-truck.
On the back of his unit, he placed a yellow flashing light instructing drivers to move over into the next lane.
“You will see that traffic is moving along just like it’s supposed to,” Lt. Vincent said.

Authorities say that was until a car starts coming toward them.
You see both Burch and Dees react before the video cuts to black.
“The part where the trooper is struck and everything is taken out of there. It doesn’t need to be seen. This is a family member, a friend, this is a husband and a father,” Lt. Vincent said.

Next, you see a car smashed against the wrecked semi and the panic starts setting in.

The driver of the car, 29-year-old Steven Clark, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter.

OHP officials also say a 4-month-old child was in the car with Clark at the time of the crash.

The child was placed in DHS custody until a family member could pick the child up.

According to court documents, Clark admitted to OHP investigators that he saw the troopers’ flashing emergency lights but didn’t slow down. Instead of merging to the right lane to go around the crash and the trooper’s car, he drove right toward it.


This tragedy now serves as a reminder of the risks officers take every day.

“That’s one of our brothers that has been hurt and another one of our brothers that has been killed. It puts a very human aspect into what we do,” Lt. Vincent said.

Funds to help the families of Trooper Dees and Trooper Burch have been set up at the Department of Public Safety Federal Credit Union.


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UPDATE: According to Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian, a high rate of speed was not the only thing to blame for a crash that claimed the life of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper.

Trooper Nicholas Dees and Trooper Keith Burch were investigating an overturned semi along I-40 when 29-year-old Steven Clark allegedly hit them.
According to court documents, Clark admitted to OHP investigators that he saw the troopers’ flashing emergency lights but didn’t slow down. Instead of merging to the right lane to go around the crash and the trooper’s car, he drove right toward it.

Clark is charged with manslaughter in the death of Trooper Nicholas Dees.
Rep. Christian says Oklahoma Highway Patrol Chief Rick Adams, Pontotoc County District Attorney Chris Ross and other sources have told him that Clark was updating his social media pages while driving.

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OKLAHOMA CITY – The man accused of killing OHP Trooper Nicholas Dees was arraigned on first-degree manslaughter charges Monday.

The district attorney is considering adding more charges after watching the dash cam video of what happened.

Steven Clark apologized outside the courtroom.
“I’m very sorry. I don’t even remember what happened,” Clark said.

Wearing a brace around his orange jumpsuit, the 29-year-old appeared confused going before the judge, asking if he could do community service or something to get out of jail today.

The judge said “no” and told him how to get an attorney.
“If there was anything I could do, I don’t know what happened. If I could undo it, I would,” Clark said.

Clark is charged with manslaughter in the death of Trooper Nicholas Dees.
Trooper Dees and Trooper Keith Burch were investigating an overturned semi along I-40 last week when Clark allegedly hit them.

According to court documents, Clark admitted to OHP investigators that he saw the troopers’ flashing emergency lights but didn’t slow down. Instead of merging to the right lane to go around the crash and the trooper’s car, he drove right toward it.

“If it was in any way my fault, which I’m sure that it was, I’m sorry. I would fix it, I would change anything,” Clark said.

Trooper Dees’ funeral was held Saturday. Trooper Burch is recovering from his injuries and has been talking with investigators.

More than a dozen state troopers were in court today in support of both of them.

“The fact that a man’s life weighs on my soul… I don’t know what to say,” Clark said.

The judge raised Clark’s bond to $100,000. His next court date is set for March 5.


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OHP TROOPER KILLED IN ACCIDENT ON I-40 EAST OF SHAWNEE

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was killed Saturday evening while investigating a semi-rollover on Interstate-40 east of Shawnee. 
Another trooper was taken to OU Medical Center and was stable, according to Sgt. Paul Timmons. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, he said.

The crash shut down I-40 just after 10:20 p.m. at mile marker 195 a few miles west of the Hwy 377 exit. Authorities are diverting traffic around the area as the scene is investigated. 

The troopers were investigating a tanker that had crashed in the westbound lanes. Another vehicle was heading westbound and hit the troopers, Timmons said. 

The trooper died at the scene of the crash. 

The investigation could take some time, keeping lanes closed into the early morning hours Sunday, Timmons said.  As of 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning ODOT reports the westbound lanes of I-40 remain closed from SH-377 to Shawnee for crews to cleanup the roadway.  

Westbound travelers are being detour around the accident sight.  The detour will go north to Prague, US-62 west to Meeker then south on SH-18 to I-40.  The eastbound lanes are narrowed to one lane to allow equipment access to the scene.  Motorists are advised to find alternate routes.