The girls were driving a small passenger car when it collided with a trailer at an intersection in the town of Tishomingo, about 222 miles south of Oklahoma City.
There is a stop sign directing traffic at this intersection and the posted speed limit for the highway is 50 mph. Witnesses said the Chevy entered US-377 after a “rolling stop” at the stop sign and was hit by the front left trailer, which pushed it off the roadway, according to the update.
The truck then went off the road and came to a stop in a private driveway next to the highway. The driver of the truck was unharmed, the statement said.
The investigation continues and the NTSB, in conjunction with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, has dispatched a team of four investigators and a family support specialist to Oklahoma to investigate several issues.
They will evaluate highway conditions, such as light and weather conditions, as well as the history of accidents at the site and possible reasons for human error. They will also examine whether the vehicle meets federal and state regulations.
Investigators will reconstruct the crash events and analyze physical evidence and vehicle damage, the statement said.
The team’s work on the ground is expected to be completed by Monday and a preliminary report is expected at the end of next month. The full investigation, including probable cause and any contributing factors, will be completed within the next two years
“On behalf of our students, staff, families and community, I want to thank you for your thoughtfulness, prayers and encouragement,” Bobby Waitman, Superintendent of Tishomingo Public Schools, said in a statement.
“As we begin the heartbreak process, I am reminded that our number one priority as educators is to provide for the emotional, mental, social and physical needs of our students. This is our focus right now—and every day that we our students,” said Waitman’s statement.
