Witnesses refute report of car in river [Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.]

Dec. 16--TAHLEQUAH -- Statements from witnesses seem to refute the story of a Tahlequah man who claimed unknown suspects sent his car plunging into the Illinois RiverDec. 8.

Cherokee County sheriff's deputy Stephanie Stephens and the Illinois River Area Volunteer Fire Department were called to No Head Hollow Public Access when a 2010 Ford Fusion ended up in the river and began to float away.

At the scene, Travis Wyman told deputies he had some time to kill, and decided to drive to the access point and look at the trees, which he expressed concern about. Wyman said he parked his car at the top of a boat ramp and left it running while he looked around.

At some point, Wyman said, he needed to use the restroom facility. While inside, he heard another vehicle pull in and then take off from the site, and as he emerged from the restroom, he heard his car splash into the river below the boat ramp.

But Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission Administrator Ed Fite later called Stephens, and said he and Cherokee County 911 Coordinator Marty Kimble had driven past the site just before Wyman called deputies.

Fite said Wyman was "calmly" walking toward the restroom facility, and that there was no vehicle in site at that point.

Stephens said Wyman's first question to her when she arrived at he scene was whether he should call his insurance agent, and that he also admitted to her he was behind on car payments, but "not too bad."

A Hulbert wrecker service later pulled the car from the river after it had drifted south of the boat ramp, facing north.

Stephens said the hood of the car had a large dent, but the vehicle had suffered no other damage aside from that caused by the water.___

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