Texhoma woman critical after accident

December 23, 2011

TEXHOMA, Okla. — Denise Keylon, a Texhoma resident who teaches fourth grade at Academy Elementary School in Guymon, was critically injured early Friday morning in an accident on ice-covered Highway 54 just outside Texhoma. She underwent surgery at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo on Friday morning.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol report, Keylon, 44, had stopped to help another motorist who had slid into a ditch on U.S. Highway 54, three miles east of Texhoma. After moving the driver and passengers of the stranded vehicle into her own vehicle, Keylon was walking around her vehicle to get in, when she was struck by another vehicle.

The OHP said the second vehicle attempted to stop, but slid on the ice and struck Keylon.

Keylon was taken to Memorial Hospital of Texas County and then flown to Amarillo.

The driver of the stranded vehicle was Sarah Gordon, 33, of Valley Center, Kan. Passengers in the vehicle were James Gordon, 7, Sophia Gordon, 6 and Tristan Franklin, 2. They were not injured.

The driver of the vehicle that slid and struck Keylon was Maria Swenson, 24, of Riverside, Calif. The passenger was Jonathan Ludwig, 28, of Columbia, Calif. Both were taken to the Guymon hospital, treated and released.

The accident was investigated by Trooper Ryan Williams of the Guymon Detachment and assisted by Trooper Levi Hill. The Texhoma Police Department, Texhoma EMS and the Texas County Sheriff's Department also assisted.