Ellis County, Oklahoma: A 70-year-old driver loses control after tire failure on open highway
Leona Nunez, 70, of Shattuck, Oklahoma, died Tuesday afternoon after a single-vehicle crash on Highway 15 in Ellis County, according to authorities.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said emergency crews were called around 3:40 p.m. to the crash scene near Highway 15 and North-South Road 186 in a rural part of the county.
Investigators reported that Nunez was driving westbound when the vehicle began to experience trouble with a spare tire mounted on the front right side.
According to officials, that spare tire suffered a blowout while the vehicle was in motion, causing a sudden loss of control.
The vehicle left the roadway to the right, went down into a ditch, and continued moving across rough ground.
It then struck a tree, bringing the vehicle to a stop.
Nunez sustained fatal injuries in the impact and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed no other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the roadway remained open after emergency operations concluded.
Officials noted the crash occurred in a rural stretch of Ellis County, where long open roads connect farms, ranches, and small communities.
Highway 15 in this area is commonly used by local drivers and agricultural traffic moving across northwestern Oklahoma.
Investigators said the vehicle condition, including the use of a spare tire on the front right wheel, is part of the ongoing review of what led to the crash.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol handled the initial investigation and documented evidence from the roadway and surrounding area.
No additional details have been released as officials continue to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
