Oklahoma State To Honor Victims Of 2015 Fatal Homecoming Crash In Parade

It has been eight years since a woman crashed her car through the crowd at Oklahoma State’s homecoming parade in Stillwater, killing four people. The university plans to honor the victims once again during its upcoming parade on Saturday.

Homecoming week is typically a big celebration at every university. Those who have seen it in Stillwater will tell you just how special Oklahoma State makes it.

“Every year, we have 80, 90, 100,000 alumni and friends that come to Stillwater,” said Dr. Ann Caine, President of the Oklahoma State Alumni Association. “We have a week-long of activities.”

Around OSU, homecoming now brings a sad reminder of the horrific incident that killed four parade spectators in 2015. Dr. Caine says she was among the thousands on campus that day for what was supposed to be another great homecoming weekend.

“[I] started seeing all the helicopters flying,” she said. “I thought, wow, there’s been a bad accident on [Highway] 412 or something. Then, come to find out, the tragedy happened.”

That tragedy forever changed the lives of many people, especially the victims and their families.

“You think of Dr. Stone, a longtime professor and OSU alum. His wife, a longtime OSU employee,” said Dr. Caine. “Little two-year-old Nash, and then Nikita, who was a student at UCO.”

Caine says that day also changed the campus and the entire town.

“It just cast this pall over the whole celebration of homecoming,” she said.

Following the tragedy, donors gave money to build a memorial to remember the victims. Stillwater now takes more steps to enhance security, including more barriers as a way to keep people safe.

The homecoming parade once again is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday. Organizers say there will be a banner with the words “Stillwater Strong” to honor those four lives taken eight years ago.