UPDATE: Karson Baker, who was inside the truck Gorbet was driving, has died.
Brad Baker, Karson’s father, posted on his Facebook page, saying, “To tell you that our angel is gone from this world. He is now with God. Please take comfort in knowing he was never in pain.”
He added that Karson wanted his organs to be donated if anything happened, so the family is preparing to honor his wishes.
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday at Jenks Simmons Fieldhouse in El Reno.
EL RENO, Okla. – An accident that claimed the life of two Oklahoma teenagers is now under the microscope.
While it is a tragic situation, officials say the other driver involved in the crash may have saved lives that morning.
Early Sunday morning, deputies were called to a horrific scene.
Just after midnight, two trucks had collided along Manning Rd. and Britton Rd.
Deputies say 16-year-old Jesse Gorbet was driving south on Manning Rd. with five of his friends when he crashed into another truck.
Gorbet was behind the wheel with his friends; Karson Baker, Josh Castrop, Taylor Maine, Abbie Schwarz and Connor Ryan.
Officials say Gorbet’s truck collided with another truck near the center of the road.
Unfortunately, Gorbet died from his injuries.
On Wednesday, we learned Baker also succumbed to his injuries.
Snow still blankets the accident scene at Manning Rd. and Britton Rd., hiding the tragedy that happened there.
Small bits of debris peek out, reminding Mike Curry of the night his doorbell rang.
Curry said, “I opened the side window and there was this young man standing there saying, ‘Help me! Help me! Help me, please! I’ve been in a wreck.’ And I could see blood all over him.”
The man at the door was 20-year-old Ty Hood.
The truck full of teenagers had just crashed into him as he was headed west on Britton Rd.
Sgt. Jerry Henrick, with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, says he thinks Gorbet was traveling too fast to stop at the stop sign on icy roads.
Investigators are now working to get a search warrant to get into the two trucks involved in the accident.
Inside, they hope to gather information from the air bag chip that will reveal how the crash happened.
Authorities say that chip will detect speed, brake patterns and seatbelt usage.
However, it won’t bring back the young life that was lost.
“It’s just a terrible feeling that you get inside,” said Sgt. Hemrick. “Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children. It’s supposed to be the other way around, and you just grieve for them.”
The other five kids in Gorbet’s truck have several crushed bones.
As for Hood, he suffered a broken pelvis in the wreck.
Still, he managed to walk 100 yards to Curry’s house to get help.
It’s a move Sgt. Hemrick says may have saved the other victims involved in the crash.
“They would have been out there for a long time,” said Sgt. Hemrick. “They were far enough off the road where it would have been tough to see them.”
Curry says he is glad he answered the door that night.
He said, “I did what any normal person ought to do, just ought to do. There’s no hero here.”
Sgt. Jerry Hemrick says the teens did have beer in their truck, but he doesn’t believe that caused the crash.
Hemrick says Gorbet did not have alcohol in his system; neither did Hood.
Investigators say it’s important for young drivers to remember, by law they can only have only one other passenger in the car when they are driving.
They also warn adults and teens to stay off the roads when weather is hazardous.
As for the alcohol in the teen’s truck, the ABLE Commission is investigating to find out who gave it to kids.
Now, that person or business could face charges.
Family members have set up funds to help the victims’ pay for medical expenses.
