Five Are Killed When Front Tire Blows on Truck

Okmulgee Families Victims in Headon Crash Near Sapulpa

STATE TRAFFIC DEATHS
        1952 to date, 142, April, 13.
        1951 to date, 134; April, 3.

Lives of five Okmulgee residents were snuffed out and a 9-year-old girl was critically injured Sunday when their car collided head on with a truck semitrailer on a U. S. 75 curve near Sapulpa. Dead are: MELVIN THOMAS FISHER, 34. MRS. ALMA ROSELLA FISH­ER, 35. DIANE FISHER, 6, their daughter. BURFORD HULL, 51. MRS. GENEVA HULL, 46, his wife.

Worst Since February

In critical condition was the Fisher's daughter, Cheryl, 9. The Hulls were next door neighbors of the Fisher family.

Driver of the truck, Thomas Burton Hall, 51, Tulsa, told trooper Ray Griffin the truck blew a tire and caromed into the car's path. Owned by Dar s h Produce Co., Tulsa, the truck was loaded with 20,000 pounds of fruit jars.

It was the deadliest state wreck since February 26 when five persons died in an accident east of Lawton.

Defective Rim Blamed

Mrs. Fisher, her 6-ye a r old daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Hull were dead on arrival at Curry clinic, Sapulpa.

Fisher, driver of the car, died about midnight Sunday. Earlier, it was reported that he suffered head and internal injuries, a broken leg and severe cuts a n d bruises.
His daughter, Cheryl, remained in critical condition early Monday. Force of the crash smashed the front of the car back into the seats.

Hall, who was not injured, said he was driving south on a curve two miles south of Sapulpa when his left front tire blew, swinging the truck to the left side of the road. Trooper Griffin and Sheriff Guy Willibey said a defective rim probably, caused the blowout.