Published: November 10, 2009 10:39 am      

Wrecks injure area residents

Separate accidents during the weekend resulted in Pauls Valley and Paoli residents winding up in area hospitals.

A motorcycle mishap spelled trouble for Bobby Hodge, 57, of Pauls Valley.

Hodge lost control of the 2000 Harley-Davidson cycle he was driving near Elmore City early Saturday night. With no passengers riding along, Hodge’s cycle was traveling southbound on state Highway 74 when at a listed time of 7:17 p.m. the vehicle rolled over one time about 5 1/2 miles north of Elmore City, according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report.

Hodge, who was ejected an unknown distance, is reported by troopers to have had his driving ability impaired. The listed cause of the accident was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Although wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, Hodge was taken by air ambulance to Norman Regional Hospital, where he was admitted in stable condition with head and arm injuries.

Assisting OHP trooper Heath Green of the Garvin/Murray detachment were Garvin County deputies and Elmore City EMS and police.

Also hurt Saturday in a separate incident was Paoli resident James T. Pickle, 26.

Pickle was alone, driving a 2002 Ford Explorer southbound on Interstate 35 when for an unknown reason the vehicle swerved to the left.

It went into a broad slide, running off the left side of the road, overturning one complete time and coming to rest on its wheels, reported OHP trooper Doug Brinson of the Murray County detachment.

The listed time of the accident is 9:58 p.m. Saturday about 19 miles south of Pauls Valley in Murray County.

Pickle was reported to not have been wearing a seatbelt and was ejected an unknown distance from where the Explorer stopped moving.

Pickle was initially transported by Murray County EMS to a site nearby, where he was taken by air ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was admitted in serious condition with trunk internal injuries.

The official cause of the accident is still under investigation by troopers.

Assisting at the wreck site were Davis fire and police and Murray County deputies.