The Town of Sterling is mourning one of its police officers after a rain-soaked crash on Oklahoma 65. Corporal Kelton B. Reese, 38, of Lawton, was on duty the afternoon of October 15, driving southbound near Spencer Road, when the Oklahoma Highway Patrol says his vehicle traveled too fast for the wet roadway. It crossed the centerline, ran off the road, and struck several trees roughly two miles south of Sterling. Reese, who was wearing his seatbelt, was trapped with chest injuries and a broken leg and later died.
The Town of Sterling released a statement expressing deep sorrow, describing the loss of a colleague and a member of its family. That bond between a small-town department and the people it serves is hard to put into words, but anyone from this part of southwest Oklahoma understands it.
Support for the Reese family is already building. A GoFundMe has been set up, and a donation jar is available at Sterling City Hall. Funeral arrangements had not been released as of Wednesday morning. As the community grieves, the crash also serves as a stark reminder about speed and wet roads on our rural highways, especially with fall storms moving through the Wichita Mountains area. If you’re able to give, or if you just want to share this with a neighbor who drives Highway 65 regularly, it all helps. Have you ever had a close call on a wet rural road? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.