Claremore Man Killed In Mayes County Car Crash

A Claremore man died in a two-vehicle accident in Mayes County, Friday evening.

The accident happened on state highway 82, just south of the town of Locust Grove, at approximately 5:17 p.m.

According to a report by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 59-year-old Paul Bickford was travelling northbound on OK82 in a 2001 Ford Ecoline van.

Troopers say Bickford's vehicle started to move left of center where it collided with a 2013 Chevy Sonic driven by 36-year-old Harold Proctor of Stillwell.

Bickford's car then departed the roadway to the left, slammed into a guardrail and then careened into a tree before finally coming to a stop.

Although wearing his seatbelt, Bickford was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries suffered in the accident. He was pinned in the wreckage for approximately 40 minutes. Proctor was not injured.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.