A tragic start to 2026 saw two separate fatal incidents in Wagoner County on New Year’s Day, claiming the lives of a North Texas woman and a visiting jogger from Washington state.
Fatal Head-On Collision on SH-72
The first incident occurred at approximately 1:26 a.m. on State Highway 72 near East 181st Street South. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), a vehicle driven by Danny A. Ramirez, 33, of Arlington, Texas, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes.
An oncoming vehicle, driven by a 17-year-old from Louisiana, swerved to avoid the wrong-way car. However, Ramirez also swerved in the same direction, resulting in a violent head-on collision.
- Victims: A passenger in Ramirez’s vehicle, Estefania V. Rivera, 26, of Dallas, was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Injuries: Ramirez was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. The three occupants of the second vehicle, including the teenage driver and two passengers, were also injured. OHP noted that while Ramirez and Rivera were wearing seatbelts, the occupants of the second vehicle were not.
Pedestrian Fatality on East 141st Street
Shortly after 9 a.m. the same day, a second tragedy struck near East 141st Street South and South 261st East Avenue. Noel D. Brandon, 31, of Maple Valley, Washington, was struck and killed by a vehicle while jogging in a grassy roadside area.
Brandon, an HVAC instructor and father of a 4-year-old son, was in Oklahoma visiting family and training for an upcoming ultramarathon. The driver involved, identified as Erik Rosales-Leon, 27, of Tulsa, allegedly departed the roadway before striking Brandon. Rosales-Leon now faces charges of second-degree murder, driving under the influence (DUI), and leaving the scene of a fatal collision.
