The Oklahoma State Capital

GUTHRIE, Okla. — Guthrie police could be seen conducting an interview Monday morning on Guthrie's west side near Ritzhaupt Park, which still carried the evidence of a violent overnight crash.

Skid marks stretched across Noble Avenue. A tree bore fresh damage. Small pieces of vehicle debris remained scattered along the north-side curb, and the smell of the car fire still hung over the small skate park.

Police tape marked off part of the park's southern border, where a section of fence was simply gone. Deep holes in the earth showed where fence posts had stood before being ripped from the ground.

The damage testified to the force of an early-morning crash that left two people dead in the 1700 block of W. Noble Avenue.

The vehicle is believed to have been traveling eastbound when its driver lost control, left the roadway and struck two trees before coming to a stop and catching fire.

Official accounts remain brief, leaving unanswered exactly what caused the driver of the white 2021 BMW, whose plate checked back to an Edmond owner, to lose control or what happened in the final seconds before the vehicle left Noble.

Police and fire initially responded to the scene, at near 3:30 am. By mid-morning, the physical path left behind by the crash was still readily visible.

Skid marks could be seen beginning near the 17th Street intersection, where Noble jogs slightly to the north. A damaged tree and missing fencing marked the vehicle's path, while the skate area itself showed significant damage.

Ritzhaupt Park Crash - September 14, 2026

5 photos

A Guthrie police officer could be seen speaking with a neighborhood resident as the investigation continued.

Ritzhaupt Park, located at 1708 W. Noble Ave. near 16th Street, is a small city park that today includes a playground and skate park. The skate area sits immediately alongside Noble behind fencing separating it from the roadway.

The skate park has been part of the west-side neighborhood for many years, following the conversion of the park's former tennis court. In July 2014, an organized event called “Skate Ritzhaupt” was held there, with professional skateboarder Brian Sumner, who had skated with Tony Hawk, scheduled to appear.

The park bears the name of Dr. Louis H. Ritzhaupt, a prominent Guthrie physician and surgeon who also became one of the longest-serving members of the Oklahoma State Senate during the middle of the 20th century. A Democrat representing Senate District 12, Ritzhaupt first entered the Senate in 1933, served through 1951, then returned in 1957 and remained through the 1963 legislative session. By 1963, the Guthrie surgeon had become the “dean” of the Senate, with 26 years of service.