OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A 34-year-old Oklahoma City woman died Saturday evening after the vehicle she was driving left Interstate 35, went down an embankment and struck a train car in southeast Oklahoma City, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Troopers identified the driver as Talaiesha Washington. The wreck happened just before 7:10 p.m. near Southeast 15th Street. A passenger in Washington’s vehicle was hurt and taken to a local hospital, while the driver of the other vehicle involved was not injured.
Troopers say the crash began with a collision on southbound I-35
The Highway Patrol said Washington was traveling south on I-35 when her vehicle reportedly hit the rear of another vehicle. After that impact, her vehicle left the interstate and dropped down the embankment beside the roadway.
From there, the vehicle kept moving across railroad tracks before striking a train car. Troopers said Washington was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash.
Passenger taken to hospital after the vehicle reached the tracks
The only person injured besides Washington was a passenger riding in her vehicle. Authorities did not identify that passenger, but troopers said the person was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The driver of the other vehicle was not hurt, according to the patrol. No other injuries were reported in the crash, which happened in the evening hours near a busy stretch of interstate and rail crossings.
Seat belts were being used in both vehicles
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said seat belts were in use in both vehicles at the time of the wreck. That detail was included in the patrol’s account of the collision and the sequence of events that followed.
Officials have not said whether any other factors played a role in the crash. The patrol’s report focused on the vehicle leaving the highway, crossing the embankment and hitting the train car after the initial impact with another vehicle.
What is known about the location and timing of the wreck
The crash happened on southbound Interstate 35 near Southeast 15th Street in southeast Oklahoma City, placing it in a heavily traveled corridor that connects the city’s south side with central routes. Troopers said the time was just before 7:10 p.m. Saturday.
That timing places the wreck during the early evening, when traffic can be heavier and visibility can begin to change. The location also put the vehicle close to railroad tracks after it left the interstate.
Investigation details have not been expanded publicly
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has not released additional details about why the vehicle struck the other car or what led it to leave the roadway. The agency also has not provided more information about the condition of the passenger who was hospitalized.
For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the crash sequence, the fatality and the injury to the passenger. Troopers said Washington died at the scene and that seat belts were being used in both vehicles.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
