To build its database, the World and Lee tapped the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which has a filter to sort for โpursuit-relatedโ fatal wrecks but relatively few details about them.
The World and Lee then used that basic information to request traffic collision reports, law enforcement records and court documents from state and local agencies. The investigation also analyzed raw collision report data and autopsy records.
The World and Lee were able to determine what prompted 65 of 68 deadly Oklahoma law enforcement chases via public records.
The investigation relied upon a handful of media reports to fill in where agencies had poor or no documentation or where public officials didnโt respond to or werenโt cooperative with open records requests.
Ultimately, which agency or agencies pursued in one of the 68 deadly chases couldnโt be determined.
Seven fatal pursuit wrecks aren't in FARS data because they were "legal interventions" โ officers spinning out or hitting fleeing drivers โ or determined to be deliberate crashes. FARS is meant to capture unintentional wrecks.
The World and Lee focused on the 2016-2022 time frame because the newspaper began tracking and investigating Oklahoma Highway Patrol vehicle pursuits in 2016. The latest federal data available for this article was from 2022.
The newspaper investigation of OHP has uncovered reckless trooper actions and false or misleading statements, shoddy record-keeping, failure to address โalarmingโ concerns expressed by commanders and unwillingness to formally review several fatal chases despite red flags.
