Ponca City boy in critical condition after personal injury collision

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that a personal injury collision occurred at about 3:55 p.m. Friday in the area of Prentice Road and East South Avenue, which is about 0.25 miles east and 1 mile south of Ponca City, OK in Kay County.

The patrol said the accident involved a 2021 Blue Bird Bus driven by Lacy Gower [sic], 50, of Ponca City, OK. Gower was not injured.

There were 8 juvenile passengers from Ponca City on the bus who were also not injured.

The second vehicle involved was a bicycle ridden by a 12 year old male whose name has been withheld, of Ponca City, OK. The boy was flown by Air Evac to Westley Medical Center in Wichita, KS. He was then flown from Westley Medical Center to an unknown hospital in St. Louis, MO. He was listed in critical condition with head, arm, leg, trunk internal, and trunk external injuries.

The Highway Patrol’s report stated that the bus was going eastbound on a county road. The boy on the bike was going southbound out of a steep private drive. The bike struck the side of the bus. The report indicates that seatbelts were equipped on the bus, in use by the driver only. A helmet was not in use by the bicyclist. The condition of Gower and the bicyclist were both reported as apparently normal. The report attributes the cause of the collision to a failure to yield from a private drive.

Investigated by Trooper Adam Beck #700 of the Kay County Detachment of Troop K. Assisted by Lt. Kirby Logan #62, Trooper Trent Cagle #380, Trooper Mike Wallace #708, Trooper Matt Stacy #889, Kay County Sheriff’s Department, Ponca City Fire Department, and Ponca City EMS.

This report is based upon the trooper’s investigation of this collision. It may contain the opinion of the trooper.