14-year-old girl hit and killed while chasing after her dog on SH-76
MCCLAIN COUNTY (KOKH) — A family is in mourning after their 14-year-old daughter was hit and killed while chasing her dog off in Dibble, Oklahoma Tuesday evening around nine p.m.
OHP says a 14-year-old girl was chasing her dog when she was hit by a car and killed near SH 76 & 214th St. around 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
"Unfortunately it is a terrible event. The 14-year-old female walked into a state highway trying to corral her dog and a motorist struck her," OHP Trooper Eric Foster said. "She was pronounced deceased on the scene."
The community is now coming together in mourning, putting up a memorial for the young girl.
"We have some of the girls that are in our troop that are friends with this young lady that passed away last night," Dibble Girl Scout Troop Leader, Heidie Hembree said. "And so they wanted to come together and make something to set forth beside the road."
The driver of the SUV that hit the girl will not be charged by law enforcement.
"There was no evidence of any wrongdoing by the person who was driving the motor vehicle at all," said Trooper Foster.
OHP says the accident was unavoidable.
"On these state highways, [they're] two lanes, they're head to head, short shoulder or smaller shoulders. There's nowhere for traffic to go," Trooper Foster said, "It's hard for vehicles to evade."
OHP says people driving on rural Highways like Highway 76 need to watch their speed.
"It's so important, you know, on these rural highways to maintain your speeds, under the speed limit, and really pay attention," Trooper Foster said.
It is an issue that neighbors in the area say they see far too often.
"There's multiple people flying up and down that road," said Robert Johnson, who lives off 214th st. & Highway 76. "There have been head-on collisions from it happening. Something needs to be done."
Both OHP and neighbors can agree that people driving on Highway 76 need to slow down and be aware, especially at night.
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