OHP Lt. Comments On Dash Cam Video Released In Deadly Accident

Newly released dash camera video shows the moments before and the frantic moments after two Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers were hit by a distracted driver.

Wednesday, February 25th 2015, 11:10 pm

By: News 9


Newly released dash camera video shows the moments before and the frantic moments after two Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers were hit by a distracted driver.

2/25/15 Related Story: OHP Releases Dash Cam Footage Of Crash That Killed Trooper.

Trooper Nicholas Dees died last month and a second trooper is dealing with injuries.

The video isn't easy to watch. The actual accident along Interstate 40 near Shawnee itself is not being shown, but it does show the split second before and the last few moments of one trooper's life.

“We got a crash. Semi rollover. One lane is blocked,” Trooper Keith Burch said.

Burch pulled up to the scene of the semi-rollover and got out of his patrol car. He called for a wrecker and then backed up to his vehicle.

“You'll notice that traffic onto the right is progressing very slowly but very uniform and doing what they're supposed to,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. John Vincent said.

But, there was one driver who wasn't.

The video shows Trooper Nicholas Dees on the right and on the left is Burch when suddenly Burch can be seen jumping to the left, as an out of control car comes flying up behind them.

Burch was able to somewhat leap out of the way, but Dees' back was turned, and there was not enough time for him to see what was coming.

The next four and half seconds of video have purposely been removed.

“We've redacted four and a half seconds of it,” Vincent said. “You see them working the collision. All of a sudden it just stops.”

Moments later, a car driven by Steven Wayne Clark of Cushing crashed into the semi. Trooper Dees died instantly.

Clark had an infant in the back seat of his vehicle. Investigators reportedly believe Clark was updating his social media page at the time of the accident.

He was charged with first degree manslaughter.

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