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August 6, 2009

Alcohol may have factored in head-on collision

Press staff reports

PEGGS – Four people were flown to Tulsa hospitals after a collision Wednesday morning on Sate Highway 82, north of Tahlequah.

Oran John Spencer, 54, Tahlequah, was admitted to St. Francis Hospital with head and trunk injuries and was reported in stable condition.

Michael Foutch, 22, of Owasso, was admitted to St. John’s hospital with head, external and internal trunk injuries in stable condition.

Vanessa Sunday, 22, of Tahlequah was admitted to St. John’s Hospital with head, internal and external trunk, and leg injuries in stable condition. Jordan Sunday, 2, also of Tahlequah, was admitted to St. Francis Hospital in unknown condition with trunk and internal injuries.

Trooper Steven Meridith reported Spencer was driving a 998 Lincoln Town Car northbound when he ran off the roadway to the right and hit a culvert. He overcorrected, coming back on the roadway and struck the 999 Oldsmobile Alero driven by Foutch head-on.

Meredith noted an odor of alcoholic beverage in Spencer’s car. The cause of collision is under investigation. Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies assisted at the accident scene.

Spencer’s vehicle was equipped with a seat belt, but it was not in use. Jordan Sunday was the only passenger in the second vehicle in a passenger restraint. Airbags deployed in both vehicles.

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Poll

The use of cell phones while driving is increasingly becoming an issue. What do you think about cell phone use by emergency personnel, like law enforcement officers, EMTs, firemen, etc.?

• If the law allows the common citizen to use cell phones while driving, emergency personnel should be able to also.
• Emergency personnel should be held to a higher standard. Since they are often driving faster than normal, they should not be allowed to use cell phones while driving, even if other citizens can.
• They should be allowed to use them like anyone else, but their host entities (hospitals, fire departments, cities, etc.) should carry extra insurance for this reason.
• Don't know.
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