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July 27, 2009

Three injured in separate crashes on interstate

Three people were injured after two separate crashes in Sequoyah County, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports.

Gina Vargas, 60, of Whittier, Calif., was listed in fair condition at Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith, Ark., a hospital spokeswoman said. Nona Gladish, 81, of Pea Ridge, Ark., also was listed in fair condition. O.B. Gladish, 80, was treated and released from Sparks, the spokeswoman said.

Both crashes happened eastbound on Interstate 40 on Sunday. According to the OHP, Vargas was a passenger in a 2002 Kenworth driven by Jorge Valezquez, 39, also of Whittier, Calif. Valezquez was eastbound at about 8 a.m. when he missed a curve, ran off the left side of the road, tried to get back on the road, and the vehicle turned over onto its side. Valezquez was wearing a seat belt, but Vargas was in the sleeper.

The Gladishes were injured about 12:25 p.m. O.B. Gladish was driving a 2008 Harley-Davidson with a sidecar attached. Nona Gladish was the passenger in the sidecar. As O.B. Gladish was pulling off the highway onto the right shoulder, he lost control as the vehicle traveled over the rumble strip. He than ran off the right side of the road and traveled approximately 540 feet into the tree line where the vehicle stopped, ejecting Gladish. Nona Gladish was wearing a seat belt in the side car, the report states.

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