A pre-dawn crash in Tulsa, Oklahoma, left a vehicle overturned on Interstate 244 and sent a 1-year-old child to the hospital after authorities say a teenage driver failed to stop at a sign and drove off an overpass, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.
According to the Tulsa Police Department, the incident occurred shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday near Southwest Boulevard.
Officers responding to the scene found a car flipped upside down in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 244 after it had fallen from above.
Emergency dispatchers relayed a key detail as crews arrived, reporting that a child could be heard crying at the crash site.
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Police said three individuals were inside the vehicle at the time: a 17-year-old driver, an 18-year-old passenger, and a 1-year-old child.
Investigators believe the sequence began when the driver did not stop at a posted stop sign. Authorities said the vehicle then approached a curve in the roadway but failed to follow it, striking a curb instead.
That impact caused the vehicle to become airborne.
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From there, the car traveled across a drainage ditch and broke through a barrier along the overpass. It then fell onto the interstate below, landing upside down in active traffic lanes.
First responders closed portions of Interstate 244 to allow emergency crews to reach the scene and secure the area. Firefighters and emergency medical personnel worked to assess those involved and transport the injured.
The 1-year-old child sustained injuries in the crash and was taken to a local hospital. Officials said the child is expected to recover.
Authorities also noted that the child was not secured in a car seat at the time of the incident.
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Police did not provide additional details about the conditions of the teenage driver or the 18-year-old passenger but confirmed that both were involved in the crash.
The Tulsa Police Department has not yet released the identities of those involved.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the driver’s actions leading up to the crash and whether any additional factors may have contributed.
Police said charges against the 17-year-old driver are possible as the investigation moves forward.
Officials are also asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact the Tulsa Police Department with information that could assist investigators.
The incident caused temporary disruptions along the interstate as crews worked to clear the scene and reopen lanes to traffic.
Authorities have not indicated how long the vehicle remained on the roadway before it was removed or whether any other motorists were affected.
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