Drivers concerned about Tishomingo intersection where fatal crash occurred

TISHOMINGO, Okla. (KXII) - We’re still waiting on details regarding Tuesdays crash in Tishomingo that killed six high school students but members of the community are looking at the intersection where it happened at as part of the problem.

State Highway 22 and US Highway 377 is a busy intersection that concerned drivers for years before Tuesday’s fatal crash.

“I’ve always said they needed some kind of signal there, its just too dangerous,” said Tishomingo motorist Sherri Knobbe.

Both highways have a 50 mile per hour speed limit and the southbound lane of 377 has a sharp curve in the road that leads into the intersection.

That spot is where the semi and the chevy spark carrying six teenage girls collided.

“Its 50 miles per hour coming out of Tish coming around that corner,” Knobbe said. “If anybody pulls out trucks don’t have time to stop.”

The eastbound lane of 22 where the car carrying the teens was coming from has a stop sign before 377.

Drivers we talked to say that creates an awkward angle, making it difficult see traffic coming from the north and south.

“You have to turn, kind of turn in so you can look and make sure nobody’s coming from Madill,” said Tishomingo resident Theresa Dodd. “And then you have to check back again to make sure nobody came down, its dangerous.”

The crash left the community in mourning and parents of other teen drivers on edge.

“I have a grand daughter that drives and it just hits really home when you’re this close,” Knnobbe said.

Many in the community hope this tragedy will lead to the change that they believe is necessary.

“Its been needing to be taken care of for a long time and there’s a lot of lives that have been lost,” Dodd said. “And this maybe will help them make the decision to make that a better intersection.”

Donations to help the families of the victims cover funeral expenses can be sent to P.O. Box 190 Tishomingo, OK 73460 or venmo’d to @tishstrong.

Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved.