Reopened OK City Sees Increase in Car Crashes, Other Incidents

Area law enforcement officials are reporting that calls involving traffic crashes and other incidents have increased significantly since the state reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tahlequah Police Chief Nate King said reports have at least doubled since the executive order was lifted and Tahlequah reopened.

“Calls picked up last week and doubled for officers working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” said King. “They were averaging about 25 call per shift, and I expected to see an increase once the executive order was lifted.”

Tahlequah Fire Department Capt. Jody Enlow said they were getting two to three calls per shift during the COVID-19 lockdown, but calls have steadily increased as well, and firefighters are keeping busy.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jason Chennault, on the other hand, said his office hasn’t seen an increase in calls.

“As of now, we haven’t seen that our number of calls has gone up, and I don’t expect them to,” said Chennault.

King said he suspects the reason for the increase in calls is that people are simply becoming impatient, and they're out and about more.

As an example, law enforcement officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Water Avenue and East Downing Street on Friday, May 8.

Tahlequah Police Officer Thomas Donnell worked the crash, and according to the report, the driver of a Ford Fuson was southbound on Water Avenue and proceeded through the intersection.

At the same time, the driver of a Toyota Corolla was eastbound on Downing Street, ran a red light, and struck the side of the Ford.

Tahlequah Fire and Rescue and EMS were called to the scene, but there were no reports of injuries.

Several commuters from Tahlequah to Tulsa, who have begun returning to work on a regular basis, said they had noticed an uptick in crashes, as well as heavier traffic.

The Daily Press asked Sarah Stewart, with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, whether she could confirm an increase in trooper-attended crashes. However, Stewart she wasn't able to provide that information, or an average number of highway traffic or accidents over the past couple of weeks. She suggested it might be better to ask that question at the end of the month.

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