Crash Near Kansas Border Kills 3 University Of Oklahoma Meteorology Students

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) confirmed that three students from the University of Oklahoma were killed in a crash near the Oklahoma-Kansas border Friday night. Sources with the school confirmed they were meteorology students.

Sunday, May 1st 2022, 9:43 am

By: Hunter McKee

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Three meteorology students from the University of Oklahoma were killed in a crash near the Oklahoma-Kansas border Friday night.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) said their vehicle hydroplaned during the severe storms.

"Just a tragic accident," said Lt. Phillip Ludwyck, with OHP.

It happened just before 11:30 last night, when the three students were driving along I-35, near Tonkawa.

They were driving in the southbound lane, and it was raining heavily.

"It appears that they hydroplaned, struck a barrier wall, and then became disabled crossways in the interstate," said Ludwyck.

OHP reports say before they could get out of the vehicle, a freightliner tractor trailer crashed into them.

All three students were pinned for over 5 hours and then extricated by first responders on scene.

20-year-old Nicholas Nair, 19-year-old Gavin Short, and 22-year-old Drake Brooks were all pronounced dead at the scene.

OU sent a statement saying in part,

"The university is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of three students. Each were valued and loved members of our community."

The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a hospital in Blackwell and later released.

Sources say all three students were studying meteorology. One of them was even a part of the university newscast, OU Nightly.

"You think about the future that they had and the intelligence and the wisdom and it's just heartbreaking to think we lost three very talented young men," Ludwyck said.

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