Several vehicles participating in the cavalcade of truckers traveling from California on an 11-day trek to Washington DC to protest COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates were involved in a crash on Sunday.
Two semis and two pickup trucks from the convoy collided on the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma around 5.30pm en route to Vinita, an Oklahoma city located west of the Missouri and Arkansas borders.
State police told KTUL the crash, which occurred about 15 miles west of the Big Cabin exit, resulted in injury.
However it remains unclear at this time how many people were injured and the status of their conditions as the Oklahoma Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
The interstate was closed down for half an hour while officials addressed the accident. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, the People’s Convoy has raised over $1.5million in donations to help drivers as they travel to DC.
The group has called on President Joe Biden to end the national emergency originally declared at the start of the pandemic, as well as any remaining coronavirus mandates. The truckers allege the government has infringed upon their constitutional rights are being infringed.
‘That’s the whole point of this, it’s about freedom. Your freedom to choose what you feels is best for your life, within the morals and guidelines of our Constitution,’ convoy participant Mike told KOCO Sunday.
Another cross-country protest, known as the Freedom Convoy USA 2022, was instructed to abandon the campaign and merger with other larger anti-mandate groups racing toward the capital after the group arrived in Las Vegas Saturday with only five trucks in its ranks.
The disbanded group, which was named in solidarity with the ‘Freedom Convoy’ trucker protests that occurring in Canada over the past month, said they were expecting ‘1,000-2,000 truckers’ prior to departing Los Angeles for the cross-country excursion.
BIG CABIN, OK – FEBRUARY 28: The People’s Convoy, parked at the Big Cabin Travel Plaza Monday morning, is heading to Missouri after hitting another road block along its cross-country route Sunday
VINITA, OK – FEBRUARY 27: Two semis and two pickup trucks from the convoy collided on the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma around 5.30pm en route to Vinita, Oklahoma. State police said the crash resulted in injury and caused the highway to shut down for 30 minutes. The vehicles involved in the crash are not pictured
VINITA, OK – FEBRUARY 27: The People’s Convoy has received an outpour of support as it makes its cross-country journey to protest COVID-19 mandates. In addition to being met by supporters along the route, the has convoy raised over $1.5million in donations to help drivers as they travel to DC
Despite the accident and previous delays – including inclement weather – that have impacted the convoy route, the People’s Convoy is still scheduled to reach the capital city by March 5.
Kris Young, who is the admin for the group’s Facebook page, claims the convoy is currently traveling along Interstate-44 as it heads for its next overnight stop in Cuba, Missouri. The group will participate in a midday rally in St. Robert, Missouri on Monday as well.
According to an itinerary posted to social media, the Freedom Convoy – which started its route started in Los Angeles Friday and was set to make stops in Salt Lake City, Denver and other major cities before arriving in Washington on March 1, ahead of President Joe Biden’s inaugural State of the Union address – is set to meet up with the People’s Convoy Tuesday and Wednesday near Indianapolis.
Some truckers connected with the group during its trek through Oklahoma.
The People’s Convoy left Adelanto, California, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, last Wednesday with more than two dozen 18-wheeler trucks and about 50 pickups and recreational vehicles. It has since grown to include about 100 vehicles and spans a distance of eight miles, according to organizers.
The group is expected to be joined by more than 20 other truck cavalcades, including ones leaving from Texas and Pennsylvania, when it arrives in DC.
Despite the accident and previous delays – including inclement weather – that have impacted the convoy route, the People’s Convoy is still scheduled to reach the capital city by March 5
VINITA, OK – FEBRUARY 27: The People’s Convoy will be met in DC by several other trucker caravans, including the now-disbanded group, Freedom Convoy USA 2022. Freedom Convoy organizers instructed their campaign to join the People’s Convoy in Oklahoma and Missouri after only five trucks were traveling in its ranks
BIG CABIN, OK – FEBRUARY 28: The People’s Convoy left Adelanto, California, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, last Wednesday with more than two dozen 18-wheeler trucks and about 50 pickups and recreational vehicles. It has since grown to include about 100 vehicles and spans a distance of eight miles
Meantime, federal authorities are reinstalling fencing around the U.S. Capitol as Washington prepares for planned trucker protests.
Authorities have taken steps to protect Biden’s State of the Union speech scheduled for Tuesday and to ‘prevent any disruption to the important work of Congress,’ U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said Sunday.
The fencing was previously installed after supporters of former President Donald Trump rampaged through the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a failed effort to block Congress from formally certifying his 2020 election loss to Biden. It was removed last July.
The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to prepare for the convoys and assist with traffic control during any demonstrations.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: Federal authorities are reinstalling fencing around the U.S. Capitol as Washington prepares for planned trucker protests
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: Authorities have taken steps to protect Biden’s State of the Union speech scheduled for Tuesday and to ‘prevent any disruption to the important work of Congress,’ U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said Sunday
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: A U.S. Capitol Police command vehicle is seen outside of the Capitol building
Earlier in the week, DC police nixed officers’ leave this past week to prepare for the seemingly numerous caravans of protesters currently headed toward the capital, sources close to the DC police department revealed.
The department mobilized hundreds of officers to spearhead a large response plan against the convoys.
According to an insider close to the department, forces of 500 officers formed each day the past week to form civil disturbance units set to quell the planned demonstrations, which are set to continue into March.
Capitol Police have also prohibited leave and time off for all its able-bodied officers.
