On a quiet Saturday night in Grady County, tragedy struck when a gray Chevrolet pickup driven by 62-year-old Dale A. Gibson of Paoli veered into the oncoming westbound lanes of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike and collided head-on with a white Toyota Camry driven by 47-year-old Larry L. Granger of Lawton. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the pickup was traveling east in the westbound lanes for reasons still under investigation.
The crash happened around 10:40 p.m., just east of mile marker 101 on the turnpike. Both men were alone in their vehicles, and fortunately, each was wearing a seat belt. Despite that, the impact left no survivors — Gibson and Granger both died at the scene, and there were no passengers in either car. OHP confirmed their identities later that night.
Troopers are actively investigating what caused Gibson to drive the wrong way. They haven’t ruled out any possibilities yet — whether it was a medical emergency, confusion, or some other factor. No charges have been announced so far. The agency’s report remains open as they piece together what went wrong.
Friends and family of both men are reeling from the heartbreak. Gibson, from Paoli, was in his early sixties; Granger, from Lawton, was in his late forties. Each life lost leaves a ripple in these tight-knit communities — a painful reminder of how quickly things can turn.
The H.E. Bailey Turnpike, where the crash occurred, is a main artery in this part of Oklahoma, carrying heavy traffic through rural stretches. While it’s equipped for high-speed travel, wrong-way collisions like this are rare but often deadly — and law enforcement is urging drivers to stay alert, especially at night.
In the wake of the crash, local authorities and the Highway Patrol are renewing calls for better signage, lighting, and perhaps more preventive measures to stop wrong-way entries. For now, though, the focus is on honoring the memory of two men whose Thursday evening started like any other, but ended in heartbreak.
As the investigation continues, their families are left waiting — for answers, for closure, and for a measure of peace.
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