Senior staff writer

DURANT - A Valliant teen involved in a Saturday morning crash east of Durant has died.

Toby Wayne Collins, 17, died Saturday evening at Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened at 10 a.m. 4.7 miles east of Durant on U.S. 70 when Collins, who was westbound, attempted to pass another vehicle. According to the patrol, Collins then saw that he was in the path of an eastbound car and he swerved to the north and then to the south to try to avoid a collision. His Oldsmobile slid sideways in the eastbound lane and was struck on the passenger side by a 1999 Mercury driven by Amanda Sheets, 25, Durant.

Bub Heflin witnessed the crash.

“He pulled around to pass me and lost control,” Heflin said. “He skidded out into the eastbound lane. She got onto the shoulder to try to miss him and they had a wreck.”

Authorities shut down the highway to allow a medical helicopter to land, and Collins was flown from the scene.

According to the patrol, Sheets was not injured. A passenger in her car, Jay Lindly, 27, Durant, was taken to the Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma where he is in stable condition with internal-trunk injuries.

All occupants wore seat belts, according to Trooper Kyle Ince's report.