Blaine County Accidents Kill One, Injure Two Others

An 11-year-old child died in an auto accident north of Southard Sept. 30.

According to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a Jeep driven by Jennifer Lee Hughes Bailey, 47, of Wetumpka was involved in a single vehicle accident on south of OK-51 and 650 Road.

Although the accident remains under investigation, it appears Bailey was wearing her seatbelt and the child was not, resulting in her being ejected from the vehicle. Bailey, who was pinned in the vehicle, was transported by air ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City where she was admitted in critical condition with head, neck, arm, leg and both internal and external trunk injuries. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene by Medical Examiner’s Investigator Emma Proffitt.

In another, unrelated accident, Nolan Rackley, 33, of Okeene, was injured Oct. 2 about four miles west of Okeene.

According to the report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Rackley was headed west on OK 51 while Ethan Born, 20, of Booker, Texas, was headed east. Rackley attempted to turn into a driveway, but the sun obstructed his vision and he struck Born’s Dodge pickup head on.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts. Born was not injured, while Rackley was taken to Okeene Municipal Hospital then transferred by air ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City where he was admitted in stable condition.