Reports from troopers place the incident late Saturday night in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35 near mile marker 50, between Davis and Sulphur in Murray County, where emergency crews were dispatched between 11:20 and 11:30 p.m. after receiving calls about a person falling from a moving vehicle. Responders arrived to find the victim, 19‑year‑old Lani Hicks of Ardmore, critically injured on the roadway.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Hicks had been riding in a vehicle driven by another 19‑year‑old and was seated in the front passenger area when she climbed into the open window while the car was traveling at highway speed. Investigators say she lost her balance and fell from the vehicle into the northbound inside lane of I‑35.
Troopers reported that after falling from the window, Hicks landed directly in the roadway and was struck by multiple passing vehicles. The drivers involved stopped and cooperated with investigators, and no secondary collisions were reported. Emergency responders attempted to stabilize her, but she was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival.
The vehicle from which Hicks fell contained five passengers, and OHP noted that the driver immediately pulled over after realizing what had happened. Troopers interviewed all occupants at the scene and documented the vehicle’s interior and window position as part of the investigation. No other passengers were injured.
Authorities have not indicated impairment or reckless driving by the driver, and no arrests or citations have been announced. OHP stated that the primary focus is determining the exact sequence of events that led Hicks to climb into the window and fall from the moving vehicle. The roadway remained partially closed for several hours as investigators reconstructed the scene.
The death of Lani Hicks has deeply affected the Ardmore community, where friends and family are mourning a young woman whose life ended in a sudden and devastating manner. OHP continues to gather witness statements and review evidence, urging anyone who may have been traveling near mile marker 50 at the time of the incident to contact troopers with additional information.