A four-year-old Hobart child was killed last week in an automobile collision on U.S. Highway 183 near Hobart.
The boy, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was one of four passengers in a 2009 Toyota Tacoma being driven by Benedicto Reyes, a 50-year-old Hobart man, when it collided with a 2010 Dodge Ram being driven by 19-year-old Caden Church of Sentinel.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol report filed by Trooper Chris Sherman, Reyes was eastbound on State Highway 9 at approximately 12:37 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, and failed to yield at the junction with US Highway
183. He entered the intersection and was struck by Church’s vehicle.
The report further indicated that only the occupants of the front seat of Reyes’ vehicle were wearing their safety belts at the time of the collision. The four-year-old boy who was killed was reportedly ejected from the vehicle upon impact.
In addition to the fouryear-old victim, two other juveniles, nine and 15 years of age, were also in Reyes’ vehicle, along with 36-year-old Francisco Reyes-De Leon, of Owasso. Reyes and the nine-year-old boy were transported by air to OU Medical Center and admitted in stable condition. Reyes-De Leon and the 15-year-old boy were taken to Elkview Hospital by and admitted in stable condition.
Church had two passengers in his vehicle, 20-year-old Georgia Griffith of Rocky and a 14-year-old unnamed juvenile girl. All three were transported to Elkview Hospital where they were treated and released. All three were wearing their safety belts.
The report indicated the condition of both drivers at the time of the accident was under investigation.