Near miss with drone, crash on turnpike heightens stress on law enforcement
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Sean Thornburg was filming Wednesday's procession from St. Francis hospital when he captured a near miss between a drone and the Tulsa police helicopter.
We do not know who was operating the drone or whether they had FAA approval to fly in that controlled airspace, but we do know that drone pilots are supposed to yield to manned aircraft like helicopters, which did not happen here.
The drone coming close enough that prop wash from the helicopter blew it away.
Less than 24 hours later, another incident, this time just outside Oklahoma City.
Three Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers were rushed to the hospital after a crash at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Two are based in Tulsa, one in Oklahoma City.
Tonight the two Tulsa troopers are out of the hospital, the third is recovering, still in the hospital.
All of this makes a difficult situation worse for law enforcement across the state.
"It's very challenging right now," said Captain Paul Timmons with Oklahoma Highway Patrol. "We train for this job. This is part of the training that we go through. We understand that we have a job to do, and as difficult as it is, you have to put those feelings and emotions aside until you take care of the business at hand."
"They're all mourning and then to have this event happen on top of it, it's hard. It's tough," said Karen Gilbert.
Gilbert with Tulsa Crime Stoppers is close with many officers, including Sergeant Craig Johnson.
She says it's been very hard on all law enforcement, especially today. But their mission today was a success, and Sgt Johnson's tissue donation will save lives.
"That was Sgt. Craig Johnson," said Gilbert. "That was his calling, to protect and serve the citizens of Tulsa. Even after his passing, he's still doing that. He's still making sure that people continue to live from him."
OHP says that as the motorcade of law enforcement vehicles was traveling on the Kilpatrick Turnpike, a vehicle driving westbound saw the procession and pulled to the right, stopping on the westbound shoulder so the procession could pass.
According to OHP, one of the troopers leading the motorcade, struck the left rear bumper of the vehicle as it was parked on the shoulder, traveled back into the westbound lanes, where it crashed with other OHP motorcycles.
OHP says the driver of the vehicle had legally pulled to the shoulder, stopped, and did not violate any traffic laws.
