A 63-year-old Oklahoma man died late Wednesday night after his vehicle collided with a sounder of ten feral hogs and subsequently went off the roadway. Roger Gregory Cummings was traveling on Sandhill Road in Stephens County, approximately 90 miles south of Oklahoma City, when the incident occurred.
Cummings swerved to avoid the hogs, causing his car to leave the road and enter a ditch on the left side. The vehicle then struck a fence and rolled, ejecting Cummings from the car. The vehicle came to rest on its side, on top of the driver. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol confirmed that Cummings was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The exact time of the collision is unknown, but the vehicle was last observed at 11:30 p.m.
Cummings had recently retired from Marlow Lumber after 40 years of employment. His former employer described him as a valued member of the community.
Locals living outside of city limits frequently encounter wildlife on the road, but a fatal collision of this nature is considered rare, with less serious crashes involving deer being more common. Emergency services were alerted to the scene around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, and it is speculated that the crash may not have been discovered until later due to darkness and the location of the vehicle.
Feral hogs have become a growing concern in Oklahoma, with their population increasing in 70 of the state's 77 counties. They are most commonly found in the southern part of the state and are most active at night, according to the Oklahoma Wildlife Department.
An assistant chief of law enforcement for the Oklahoma Wildlife Department stated that feral hogs are not considered wildlife in the state and are not protected by law. The department supports measures to reduce their population, such as shooting and trapping.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and further details may be released by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as they become available.