Bonnie and Marvin Stone, a married couple who were both longtime employees of Oklahoma State University, were killed in a crash at the school’s homecoming parade. (Photos via Oklahoma State University)
Two longtime employees of Oklahoma State University were among four people killed when a car slammed into a crowd watching the school’s homecoming parade Saturday in Stillwater.
Marvin Stone a professor emeritus, and his wife, Bonnie, who worked in information systems, were identified by police as victims of the crash. The Stones, Stillwater residents, were both 65.
Nash Lucas, the 2-year-old son of an OSU student and a 23-year-old University of Central Oklahoma graduate student from Indian, Nikita Nakal, were also killed in the crash, which injured dozens.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Marvin Stone Was Awarded the School’s Top Faculty Award When He Retired
Marvin Stone retired as a professor in 2006 after 24 years in the Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering department, the university said.
He continued his research as an Emeritus professor and earlier this year was honored for his innovations at a U.S. Congressional reception in Washington, D.C.
When Stone retired from the university, he was given the Eminent Faculty Award, the university’s highest faculty honor. A scholarship fund was set up in his honor when he retired.
2. Bonnie Stone Worked at the University for 33 Years
Bonnie Stone worked in the Institutional Research and Information Management department. “She was known for leaving her office and going to a faculty member’s office to help input data,” the university’s president, Burns Hargis told the NewsOK.com.
3. Bonnie & Marvin Stone Were ‘Best Friends’
(Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
“They were two of the most kind, thoughtful and fun loving people I have known. Bonnie was an information systems genius that kept the student information system running smoothly, helping anyone at any time having difficulties with the system. Childless, Bonnie and Marvin were best friends. You could tell by just watching them. The only comfort in their deaths is that neither of them has to go on without the other. Now, they are in heaven and I’m sure the Cowboy family has welcomed them with open arms,” friend Debbie Gimlin wrote in a Facebook update Sunday morning, according to NewsOK.
“It’s a tragedy. That’s all there is to it,” neighbor Ernie Robinson told the Tulsa World. “But they went together. I’m sure they wanted it to be that way. They’re going to be missed without a doubt.”
4. The Car Careened Into the Parade Spectators After Hitting a Police Motorcycle
A wrecked police motorcycle lays on the scene after a suspected drunk driver crashed into a crowd of spectators during the Oklahoma State University homecoming parade near the Boone Pickens Stadium.(Getty)
Police and witnesses say the Hyundai sedan driven by 25-year-old Adacia Chambers crashed into an unoccupied police motorcycle before hitting the crowd.
“All I remember is a gush of wind, and then the sound. Leo, who was standing next to me, wasn’t standing next to me. He was off to the side,” said Mark McNitt, who was standing beside his stepfather, Leo Schmitz, who was injured in the crash. McNitt told reporters the crash was like a bomb going off.
At the scene, multiple helicopters were used to airlift victims to Stillwater Medical Center. Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the recovery process. The accident occurred at the corner of Hall of Fame and Main Street, a very populated area just two blocks from the football stadium.
5. The Driver Is in Police Custody on Suspicion of Driving Under the Influence & Murder
The driver accused in the crash, Adacia Chambers, 25, is in police custody. (Stillwater Police)
Adacia Chambers, the 25-year-old driver, was taken into custody after the crash and is being held at the Stillwater jail on suspicion of driving under the influence and four counts of second-degree murder, police said.
Chambers, a Stillwater resident who works at a local fast food restaurant, is a native of Oologah, Oklahoma, about 100 miles from Stillwater.
She is expected to appear in court for the first time on Monday.
Read more about Chambers at the link below:
