9-year-old Glenpool student killed in multi-vehicle crash on Highway 67

A 9-year-old Glenpool student was killed Monday morning in a multi-car crash that shut down eastbound lanes of Highway 67, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Troopers said the crash happened near Fern Street after a vehicle swerved to avoid a semi-truck, crossed the median and struck several other vehicles.

Glenpool officials held a press conference following the fatal crash on Monday. Watch the entire video in the player below.

In total, five vehicles were involved, Lt. Mark Southall with OHP said. A nearby school bus sustained minor damage but was not directly involved in the crash.

The juvenile victim’s name has not been released. OHP said other victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The Glenpool Police Department is assisting OHP in processing the scene. Authorities said the highway, also known as 151st Street South, will remain closed for some time, and drivers are urged to avoid the area.

As of 12:25 p.m., the eastbound lanes of Highway 65 have been reopened.

Glenpool Public Schools released the following statement:

Dear Glenpool Community,

It is with a great deal of sadness that I am informing you of the death of one of our students. This tragic event has affected many within the Warrior family. The district wants to tell you so that you can discuss this with your child

This morning, a traffic accident involving multiple vehicles occurred. Students who were riding on bus 12 witnessed parts of the accident, and the bus was hit by debris. The students on the bus were physically unharmed and were immediately bused to the Elementary School. Counseling staff were on site to assist when the students arrived. All parents whose children were on bus 12 were contacted with specific information about their child.

One of our students who was a passenger in one of the vehicles lost their life. This tragedy has shaken our school community, and we understand that many will be feeling shock and grief. We will have counselors on hand at the Elementary to support any student, staff member, or family who needs to talk.

We have also assigned additional counselors to the Upper Elementary to provide support to both teachers and students. Every child processes grief differently, and there's no way to know exactly how this will affect yours. If, after your conversation, you believe your child requires additional support, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Some general guidelines to follow when speaking to your child: Talk with your child about their feelings regarding the tragedy, share your own feelings as well. Discuss what happened; provide your child with age-appropriate information they can understand.

Reassure your child that they are safe; you may need to repeat this reassurance often. Listen and comfort your child often. Notify the school if you feel they need counseling support to cope with their grief. Our support and prayers go out to the family during this time of loss and grief.

Curtis Layton

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation released this statement on the SH-67 crash

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation grieves with the Glenpool community and family who suffered such a tragic loss in the fatal crash on SH-67. Our hearts and thoughts are with them. While law enforcement continues its investigation, ODOT will evaluate the site conditions for safety. This is standard procedure after any fatality crash on an interstate or state highway.

Public safety is ODOT’s first priority. Safety improvement projects must be backed by data and engineering to ensure the right improvements for the conditions.

Several months ago ODOT expedited a safety study on SH-67/151st S. near US-75 to help determine solutions more quickly. ODOT expects the study to be complete by the end of the year. The specific improvements and locations have not been determined but will be done in consultation with the City of Glenpool and driven by collision and other data along the corridor.

This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates.