A Kingston man has been charged with two counts of firstdegree manslaughter following an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit into a crash on Nov. 4, 2022, that killed two people, including the man’s wife.
Twenty-one-year-old Bailey Joe Greenlee was charged last week in Bryan County District Court. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the crash happened east of the Roosevelt Bridge on Highway 70 when a Mustang driven by Greenlee collided with a Hyundai Sonata driven by Darryl Love also of Kingston. A passenger in the Mustang, 21-year-old Kaylei M. Greenlee, died at the scene and a passenger in the Sonota, Melva Love, 73, also died. Mrs. Love was the wife of Mr. Love.
Mr. Greenlee and Mr. Love were injured.
According to a report by Trooper Joshua Christian, Greenlee was driving a defective vehicle at a speed greater than reasonable and proper at the time of the crash. An affidavit states Greenlee lost control of the Mustang and it went into a broad slide while crossing the center line before being struck in the right passenger side by the Sonota.
Christian obtained a search warrant for the Mustang and he learned the left rear tire was worn to the point that wire and banding underneath was exposed, the affidavit states. The front right tire was a spare. Mrs. Greenlee’s mother told Christian she knew the tires were an issue and that Mr. Greenlee was driving on bad tires for about a month and a half.
According to the affidavit, the event data recorder revealed the Mustang began losing lateral stability and this was believed to have occured because of the rear tire breaking loose from the friction of the roadway caused by water on the road. Data obtained from the National Weather Service showed wind speeds of 14 mph with gusts up to 37 mph plus heavy rain indicated.
“The causation of this collision has been determined to be a direct result of Bailey Greenlee failing to keep proper vehicle maintenance by not replacing a spare tire that was installed for approximately 27 days and not replacing another tire that was beyond the legal limits of law and safety,” Christian wrote in his affidavit. “Due to the weather conditions and vehicle conditions existing at the time of the crash, Bailey Greenlee was operating a vehicle at a speed greater than reasonable for those conditions.”
According to the affidavit, Christian tried over the course of several months to locate Greenlee for an interview. Christian learned Greenlee was in south Texas and his father refused to allow Christian to speak with him over the telephone. The district attorney’s office sent Greenlee a letter informing him of the charges.
First-degree manslaughter has a penalty of imprisonment for not less than four years.