An 18-year-old Oklahoma teenager died after she sat in a moving car’s windowsill as it barreled down a busy interstate late at night, according to police.
Lani Hicks, of Ardmore, was riding in a vehicle with four others on Saturday around 11.30pm along I-35 when she got up and sat in the front passenger window, troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.
The car, driven by Mylie Campbell, 19, raced down the roadway while she sat with part of her body out of the vehicle near mile marker 50.
Hicks suddenly fell out of the window and into the busy highway, where she was fatally struck by several other vehicles, authorities stated.
Just one of the other passengers was injured, and none of the passengers were wearing seatbelts, investigators said, according to KTEN.
A spokesperson with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol told the Daily Mail that the agency does not ‘have any reason to believe that criminal charges will be filed’ in connection to Hicks’ death.
There is also ‘no evidence to suggest that drugs or alcohol played a role in this tragic incident,’ which they said ‘appears to be a devastating accident.’
‘Our hearts go out to Lani’s family during this incredibly difficult time, and they remain in our thoughts and prayers as this investigation concludes,’ the spokesperson added.
Lani Hicks, 18, died on Saturday evening after she fell out of a moving car on I-35 in Oklahoma after sitting in the front passenger’s seat windowsill, police said
After falling from the car, Hicks (pictured on the right with her sister) was fatally struck by multiple vehicles
It is unclear why Hicks sat in the window, or how fast the car was going at the time of the accident.
Hicks is remembered by those who knew her as someone with a ‘vibrant personality that brought joy to everyone around her,’ according to a GoFundMe page.
She leaves behind her father, mother, and older sister.
‘Her sudden passing has left her family and friends heartbroken, and the loss is felt deeply throughout the community,’ the donation page read. ‘By coming together, we can help ease some of the stress and allow Lani’s family to focus on healing and remembering their beloved daughter.’
As of Monday afternoon, more than $9,000 had been raised to help her grieving family.
Tributes for Hicks have also poured in online, with one friend calling her ‘the sweetest ever.’
Hicks leaves behind her father, mother, and older sister (pictured together)
‘It’s so heartbreaking to see she’s gone so young. Every time I saw her, which wasn’t often these past few years…we’d always catch up for a second or two and I loved to hear about what she was doing with her life,’ one mourner wrote on Facebook.
‘My heart sank into my stomach this morning when I saw the news. Lani was such a beautiful soul, I’m glad to have known her these past 10 years,’ another griever posted.
The incident remains under investigation.
A similar incident took place in August 2022, leading to the death of 18-year-old Lynette Trinkle.
Trinkle was traveling in a car with friends after being picked up from a party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, around 2.30am when tragedy struck.
Trinkle, who was the front seat passenger, attempted to ride from the windowsill of the car after seeing another vehicle full of her friends do the same as they passed by on the road.
Hicks has been remembered as someone with a ‘vibrant personality that brought joy to everyone around her,’ a GoFundMe page read
Lynette Trinkle, 18, died after leaning out of a car window in 2022.
But as she did so, the teen lost her balance and fell out, leaving her with severe head trauma and road rash.
Life-saving efforts were performed on Trinkle, but she died from her injuries.
According to the medical examiner, the vehicle she was riding in was going about 40 to 50mph in a 35mph zone.
The driver denied being under the influence, FOX 6 reported.
