A Husband's Misery: Driver in deadly crash charged with misdemeanor

A Green Country man says his life has been turned upside down since his wife was killed in a crash last fall.

Daniel Ferguson says his misery was amplified, learning that the driver who caused the crash is being charged with a misdemeanor.

A Love That Began in Their Teenage Years

Daniel and Sarah Fergerson met when they were teenagers, and from the start, Daniel knew she was the one.

"I knew she was my wife, from then," says Daniel Fergerson, Sarah’s husband.

A Tragic Accident

On Sept. 7, the couple took Fergerson's motorcycle to get coffee and were headed home. Daniel was waiting to turn left—that’s the last thing he remembers.

"The next thing I know, I'm waking up on the concrete and they're working on my wife, and I'm thinking, she's fine, they're working on her, she'll be fine,” Fergerson says.

Daniel suffered a broken back, broken ribs, and a concussion. While in the emergency room, an officer approached him with devastating news.

"Comes up to me and says, 'your wife's dead,' and it's turned my world upside down, ever since," says Fergerson.

Coping With Loss

Daniel and their children are now trying to adjust to life without Sarah, the woman who was their entire world.

Adding to his heartbreak, Daniel learned that the driver, Del Wytovak, was charged only with a misdemeanor and could likely receive probation.

"I'm going to forgive him as a person, but by law, I think the punishment does not fit the crime, by any means," says Fergerson.

The District Attorney's Statement

The District Attorney’s office released a statement regarding the case:

“The death of Sarah Fergerson is a tragedy, and we understand the pain of the loss with which this family is dealing. Oklahoma has long had the crime of Negligent Homicide on its books to address allegations of the negligent operation of a motor vehicle which results in the death of a human being. Del Wytovak, the operator of the vehicle which struck Mrs. Fergerson, is charged with the commission of this particular crime.

Obviously, it is improper for our office to comment about the facts of this case during the pendency of that charge. Mr. Wytovak, like every other citizen charged with a crime, is entitled to the presumption of innocence until a judge or a jury determines otherwise.

We look forward to presenting the facts of this case to the appropriate judicial authority for that final determination. We will continue to meet with and discuss this case with Mrs. Fergerson’s family as this case moves through our court system.

It is important to note that there are occasions in which more egregious crimes are committed while operating a motor vehicle, and which result in the death of a human being. Those crimes typically involve facts where the driver was impaired or intoxicated, or while the driver was eluding the police. In those instances, we will file First Degree Manslaughter charges.”

Details from the Affidavit

The affidavit states that a car was between Wytovak and the Fergersons'. When that car quickly darted over, Wytovak realized too late that the motorcycle was stopped in front of him and could not stop in time.

Police say he was driving 10 miles over the speed limit.

Wytovak’s Attorney

We contacted Wytovak's attorney, who stated that after careful consideration, they have decided not to comment at this time.