Top left: Kiercy Hickson (Dighton Marlor Funeral Home). Bottom left: Quincy Jones. Top right: Haliegh Salazar. Bottom right: Brad Palmer (DHS). Middle: Michael Rosario-Cruz (Oklahoma Highway Patrol).
A Tennessee man allegedly drove his truck the wrong way down an Oklahoma highway and slammed into a car carrying four young people, including three who just graduated from high school.
Michael Rosario-Cruz stands accused of four counts of second-degree murder, two counts of DUI causing bodily injury, and going the wrong way on a one-way road, among other charges, in the May 22 early-morning crash that occurred in Canadian County, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.
Rosario-Cruz allegedly took the lives of Kiercy Hickson, 20, and Quincy Jones, 19, along with Haliegh Salazar and Brad Palmer, both 18. Troopers said Rosario-Cruz began driving west in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 and crashed head-on into the victims” vehicle near Czech Hall Road.
The car carrying the young victims immediately erupted into flames. All four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while Rosario-Cruz was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Rosario-Cruz allegedly had open containers of alcohol and a gun inside the truck. Officials are still awaiting results of a blood test to determine his BAC.
“This isn’t an accident,” Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton told reporters at a press conference. “This is the murder of four young kids, three of them that just graduated the week before from high school. This is an intentional act. This defendant in this case made the decision, intentional decision to go and drink at a local bar, then get on the interstate, so impaired that he got on the wrong direction.”
The defendant lives in Memphis and was in the Sooner State working, authorities said. He was taken to the Canadian County Jail after being released from the hospital on Sunday.
According to OHP, Rosario-Cruz entered the country illegally in 2015 and was able to stay under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. He also had a work permit.
After the crash, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security obtained a detainer for the suspect so he cannot be released from jail during the criminal proceedings.
“These young men and women had their whole lives ahead of them. This tragedy was completely preventable,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.
Rosario-Cruz remains behind bars without bond. His next court date was not immediately available.
