September 8, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 ae Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Part Two: Young driver gives safety cautions following severe injuries in a western oklahoma single-vehicle accident Texting and driver can be deadly Girl Scouts the young man warns of Western By Shonda Little Newcomb’s lifted 2008 GMC you don't do something will be had worked and explain how it In last Saturday's edition of pickup truck had drifted into the right-hand ditch. Then, as the time you have a wreck, but that’s how it worked out,” But- happened. So, I've known how quickly the roadways can be- Oklahoma Newcomb looked up, he real- come deadly since I was a kid. to hold The Elk City News, 19-year-old ler said. Elk City High School graduate ized that they were just about However, while Butler has used When this happened, I was so Mikah Butler told her harrow- to hit a sign. He said that he the accident as an opportunity mad at myself, and I expected ing account ofa May 23 vehicle yanked the steering wheel hard to highlight seatbelt safety, Mikah to be, too. I mean, I was wreck that left her with a bro- ken neck. On that fateful evening, Butler to the left, overcorrecting. her boyfriend offers an equally the one driving, and I had put ‘The dangerous chain of events crucial cautionary tale. then led to the truck flying “I was texting and driving,” her, myself and others into this position by texting and driv- sign-up event had been serving as maid of through the left-hand lane Newcomb admitted. “I know ing. I'm so thankful that we are honor in her older sister’s wed- with the truck's lifted tires ef- better. I have been taught both still here, but it was defi- By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan ding. The nuptials had been ex- fortlessly gliding over the me- nitely a hard-earned lesson,” about the importance of safe changed at a ranch near Foss. dian’s guardrail. Being driven driving since I was a small Newcomb shared. Kim Herndon, area Service Unit Manager, says that the Girl At approximately 1:30 a.m., at approximately 78 miles per child. But I think the tempta- Though Newcomb was not Scouts of Western Oklahoma will be holding a sign-up event the exhausted Butler had her hour, the truck then flew over tion of texting and driving is ejected from the truck, he still for their five Elk City troops at the Elk City Fall Festival which 19-year-old boyfriend, Ty the westbound lane of I-40. something that we can all re- received severe injuries. Along Newcomb, pick her up from “By nothing less than a mira- late to. You make an exception with a fractured nose and facial will be held Sept. 18 and 19 at the Elk City Civic Center. Hern- the venue. cle, we didn’t hit any oncoming that first time because we are bone, he suffered bleeding on don says that the five troops also have girls from other nearby Within approximately a half- traffic,” Newcomb sighed. all so used to being connected his brain and liver. towns. The most recent enrollment count showed that they hour, a blissful day that had At this point, as the truck was to our cell phones all the time. “The area that we were in was had 56 Scouts. You must be five years old and in Kindergarten been otherwise idyllic, outside still hurdling toward the access Then after a while, you get under construction at the of the usual chaos poured into road, it began to flip multiple confident that nothing will time, so there weren't any of as well as pay a yearly (it runs from October to October) $25 executing a wedding, sudden- times before coming to a rest happen. Because we all get by those bumps that are designed fee in order to join and start as a Daisy. The troops each meet ly morphed into a wreckage on the cab. with it so many times without to alert drivers when they once a week. Aside from the popular annual cookie sales, which of twisted metal and broken After a long summer packed anything happening, texting have drifted off the road. So I Herndon says teaches the girls business skills, they have sev- glass. full of hospitalization and and driving don't feel danger- literally look up, see that sign “Tt happened in the blink of an painful reparative surgeries, ous. But, I’m telling you, it just and jerk to the left. So many eral other activities such as nuts and candy sales in September eye,” Newcomb recounted. “It's Butler leaned upon the expe- takes one time, and you can be times, I have thought about and October, sleepovers and Journey lock-ins where, Herndon crazy how — just like that — rience to warn other young injured or worse.” how I should have just hit the explains, they learn an entire Journey book over a weekend your whole world can suddenly adults of the importance of As Newcomb noted, his child- sign, but you never know what and earn badges. be changed.” wearing seatbelts. hood was almost rooted in the kind of fight or flight reaction your mind is going to have. Herndon shares that the variety of activities that Girl Scouts ‘The young couple was traveling “I was ejected from the truck importance of safe driving. in the eastbound lane of I-40, for that reason. My boyfriend After all, his father Chris has Everything is really blurry and participate in teach them independence, finances and other When they were just outside of was wearing his and wasn’t served for numerous years jumbled together. I had gone valuable skills as they eventually enter into adulthood. Clinton, where Newcomb was ejected. I normally wear a with the Oklahoma Highway unconscious. I don't know if it To enroll or find more information you can visit gswestok.com raised, the young couple found seatbelt, but I was tired and Patrol. was from adrenaline or hitting or call Cici at (580)284-6113 or Deana at (580)799-3535. themselves in a life or death fell right to sleep. You never “He would show us photo- my head. Then I came to situation. think that the one time that graphs of the accidents that he See Texting page 2. ak we. District 5 Armed dispute leads to Elk City man 2, V ay ™, Southwest Oklahoma County Health Departments being charged with possession of Weekly a sawed-offshotgun COVID-19 data Staff Report count of possession of a sawed- While the two officers ap- motel room. The gun was in off shotgun. proached the stairwell, the offi- plain sight. On Sept. 1 the District five Southwest Oklahoma County Health ‘The investigation began at ap- cer reported that he could hear "The shotgun barrel was broke Departments released their weekly COVID-19 report for the week proximately 2:07 a.m. on Aug. two male subjects arguing on open and a single unaired of Aug. 22 - 28. It was shared that Oklahoma ranked 20 (out of all 28 when the Elk City Police De- the motel's second floor. round was present in the weap- States and DC) in the total number of reported COVID-19 cases partment received a call from ‘The two officers were then met on," the officer wrote. in the last seven days with 19,645 new cases which is a 32.8% the Bedford Inn, located at with three more ECPD officer increase from the week before (Aug. 15-21). ‘The officer then observed a fe- 2004 South Main Street. and a Beckham County Sher- male subject lying in bed, fac- ‘There were 189 deaths to include five in SW Oklahoma. The aver- ‘The caller reported that a male iff's Officer deputy. ing the west wall. age age of cases was 40 years. There have been 3,014 COVID-19 subject was refusing to leave ‘The group of law enforcement She was ordered to show her hospital admissions in the last 30 days in Oklahoma. 93.9% his room. officers moved up the stairs. hands and walk to the doorway (2,829) of hospital admissions in Oklahoma during the last 30 "Elk City Dispatch informed ‘The reporting officer observed while facing away. days (as of Aug. 30) were non-vaccinated; 95 are under the age of responding units a subject re- amale subject. All three subjects were placed 18 and 25.3% of new hospitalizations are from people who are 44 fused to leave the motel room, ‘The man was issued commands in handcuffs while being de- years of age and younger. and the reporting party had a to show his hands and get on tained, ‘As of Aug. 31, Beckham County had a total of 3,064 cases with Contreras gun pointed at the male sub- the ground. ‘The officers then inspected the a total of 58 deaths. There are currently 51 active cases with 42 ject refusing to leave," the re- When the reporting officer firearm, which reportedly had of them being newly reported in the week of Aug. 22 - 31. There By Shonda Little porting Elk City Police officer looked inside the motel room's "clearly been shortened." were no new deaths in that time period. wrote. window, he could see a second ‘The officers were unable to lo- As of Aug. 31, 44.4% of the population in the state of Oklahoma In Oklahoma, possession of a Upon arrival at the scene, the male subject. This man was cate a serial number. aged 12 years and older were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 sawed-off shotgun or rifle is a reporting officer parked on the later identified as Christopher Contreras reportedly claimed while 53.3% of the population aged 12 years and older have re- felony offense punishable by south side of the motel build- ‘Thomas Contreras. ownership of the weapon. ceived at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. incarceration, a fine or both. ing and approached the stair- Contreras was lying on the ‘The officer then spoke with the Both the Sayre and Elk City locations of the Beckham County After law enforcement re- way on the east side of the ground. female subject. Because she Health Department have been offering walk-ins as well as ap- ceived a call for service from building. ‘The officer then reportedly ob- was officially being detained, pointments for administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. For an Elk City motel last week- ‘The reporting officer was met served a single-shot shotgun she was read her Miranda Con- more information, you can follow the Beckham County Health end, a 32-year-old Elk City by a second ECPD officer near with a shortened barrel, which See Dispute page 2. Department on Facebook, call them at (580)928-5551 (Sayre) or man is now facing one felony the stairwell. was lying on the desk in the (580)225-1173 (Elk City) or visit vaccinate.oklahoma.gov. Vol. 119, No. 72 aT Te Weather tomorrow 98/71 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com