According to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, an Arizona man died August 11 in a multi-car pileup at the Y nine miles west of Watonga.
The report shows a 69year-old man of Safford, Arizona, was stopped at the intersection of State Highway 33 and U.S. 270 Two other vehicles were on 270 westbound waiting to turn left onto southbound 33 heading toward Thomas.
The Arizona vehicle entered the intersection into the eastbound lanes of 270, and was struck by an eastbound tractor trailer, driven by Brandon Beamon, 37, of Garden City, Kansas.
The initial collision caused the auto to strike the vehicles waiting to turn, driven by Angelica Petty, 32, of Fay and Andrea Renee Perkins, 45, of Fairview. Petty was injured in the collision.
The semi struck in the initial collision then left the roadway to the left where it struck two construction vehicles parked nearby.
OHP reported that all drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
The Y intersection has long been recognized as dangerous and is part of the Oklahoma State Department of Transportation’s ongoing plan for flattening and straightening to improve the visibility at the intersection. That work is scheduled to begin this fiscal year.