Area accidents near Ada in Pontotoc County and near Zaneis in Carter County claimed two lives and critically injured another late last week and early this week, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Troopers said a man died when the Jeep he was driving missed a curve on S.H. 3W, 17 miles north of Ada last Friday. He was identified as Mark K. Baxley, 56, of Ada.
Baxley was taken to Mercy Hospital in Ada where he was pronounced dead, according to the patrol.
The accident happened about 4:40 p.m. when Baxley’s vehicle went off the road to the right and overturned one and one-half times, coming to rest on its top, troopers said.
According to the patrol, Baxley was pinned in the wreckage for about 23 minutes before being freed by first responders from the Ada Fire Department.
Seatbelts were in use, according to the patrol report. A second fatality accident occurred about 9:36 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 18 on U.S. Hwy. 70 and Tribble Rd., one mile west of Zaneis, the patrol reported.