By Fox23.com News Staff
UPDATE 3/2/2026 — The Owasso Police Department has identified the person killed in a multi-vehicle crash last month on Highway 169.
The person in the burning car was identified as Christopher ‘Shane’ Trotter, 44, of Nowata.
OWASSO, Okla. — A deadly multi-vehicle crash on southbound U.S. Highway 169 on Monday morning may have been caused by traffic backup from an earlier collision, Owasso Police said.
Owasso Police, Fire, and medics responded around 7:30 a.m. to a five-vehicle crash near the 9700 block of southbound Highway 169. Officers found an inoperable semi-truck with damage to its front blocking all lanes, along with four other damaged cars scattered from the shoulder to the center median.
One vehicle was fully engulfed in flames and had slid partly into a drainage ravine. Owasso Fire crews extinguished the fire while paramedics treated injured drivers.
Three drivers were treated and released at the scene. One driver was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition.
The driver of the burning car was pronounced dead after the fire was extinguished. The identity of the victim has not been released.
Owasso Police said the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet officially identified the person due to the condition of the remains, and the name will be withheld until identification is confirmed.
Lt. Nick Boatman of the Owasso Police Department said a separate noninjury crash near the 8600 block of southbound Highway 169 earlier Monday may have caused traffic to back up, leading to the deadly collision.
Southbound Highway 169 was closed for several hours while evidence was collected, but the road has since reopened.
Police said the inside lane is open, though delays remain likely as officers continue working in the area.
The investigation is ongoing.
