After Servicing Rig Tipped Over Near Blackwell Killing 1 and Injuring Another; Families Seeking Answers As Potential Lawsuit Looms

The scene of the tragedy. Photo from Jacob States’ family.

BLACKWELL, Okla. (KFOR) – A family is grieving the loss of a loved one as another family hopes for a full recovery for theirs after a maintenance rig tipped over near Blackwell in early April. Now, a lawsuit may be on the horizon.

Although an official lawsuit has not been filed, the families’ attorney, Sherman Reed, said one is “likely” after several investigations from several agencies to determine what happened and why.

“There’s a lot that this family is having to adjust to, having to come to terms with, that they never thought two weeks ago that they would be dealing with,” Reed said.

The families are left in shambles after the tragic incident two weeks ago that severely injured Zane Jones and killed Jacob “Jack” States. States is survived by his fiancé, Shannan, and their three kids, Brantley, Baker and two-month-old Britton.

“There is a child that’s two months old that will obviously never know or meet his father,” Reed said. “There’s a young mother who now has lost not only her companion, but also knows that her child is not going to know and have the ability to be raised by the father.”

Reed said in early April that Zane and Jacob were on a servicing rig doing some maintenance on a saltwater disposal well.

“So, this well servicing rig was brought in, it was set up, and then obviously during a very windy day of operations that rig fell over,” Reed said.