East Texas motorist killed in McCurtain County crash

TX – An East Texas motorist was killed and her passenger was injured in a crash south of Idabel early Thursday morning, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

In a report, OHP Trooper Lt. Brad Dansby said a truck driven by 24-year-old Blake Bearden of Wake Village, Texas, was southbound on US 259 at 4:20 a.m. when his vehicle crossed the center line of the two-lane highway and hit a northbound Honda sedan.

The Honda’s driver — identified as Stepheny Bennett, 48, of DeKalb, Texas — died at the scene from the impact. Her passenger, 26-year-old Sherese Bennett, also of DeKalb, was airlifted to Medical Center of Plano, Texas, for treatment. She was last reported in stable condition.

Lt. Dansby said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.