Aubrey McClendon, the former CEO of Chesapeake Energy who was indicted by federal authorities Tuesday, died Wednesday morning in a single vehicle accident, Oklahoma City police confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
The accident occurred just after 9 a.m. along Midwest Blvd. between Memorial Road and NE 122nd Street. A Chevy Tahoe reportedly hit a bridge, and television helicopter footage showed the charred remains of a vehicle.
Here is another angle of the crash that killed Aubrey McClendon. Just a terrible scene. @NEWS9 pic.twitter.com/V3Aj8zbKbo
— Lacie Lowry (@LacieLowry) March 2, 2016
Oklahoma City Police Capt. Paco Balderrama said the speed limit in that location was 50 miles per hour, and McClendon’s vehicle was traveling well above that. He said the initial call came in around 9:12 a.m., and crews arrived to find the vehicle engulfed in flames. Balderrama said investigators will take 1-2 weeks to finish the investigation and re-create the accident.
Capt. Paco Balderrama talks about fatal crash involving Aubrey McClendon https://t.co/5JZoSyyElb
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) March 2, 2016
"But at this point in time it looks pretty cut-and-dry as far as what exactly happened," Balderrama said.
NPR's Camila Domonoske writes in the breaking news blog The Two-Way the Justice Department indictment involves "orchestrating a conspiracy not to compete for oil and gas leases in northwest Oklahoma."
The Justice Department described the indictment as "the first case resulting from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the oil and natural gas industry." The Associated Press reports that after his indictment, McClendon had released a statement in which he said, in part, "The charge that has been filed against me today is wrong and unprecedented. ... All my life I have worked to create jobs in Oklahoma, grow its economy, and to provide abundant and affordable energy to all Americans. I am proud of my track record in this industry, and I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name."
.@JusticeATR had no comment on the next steps for the antitrust case they announced Tuesday. #McClendon
— NewsOK Energy (@NewsOKEnergy) March 2, 2016
In a press release, American Energy Partners said McClendon had "tremendous leadership, vision and passion for the energy industry."
"We are tremendously proud of his legacy and will continue to work hard to live up to the unmatched standards he set for excellence and integrity," the press release added.
McClendon released a statement yesterday responding to the charge of antitrust conspiracy.
"I am proud of my track record in this industry," McClendon said in the statement. "I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name."
The Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association called McClendon a "groundbreaking pioneer" in Oklahoma's oil and gas industry. Chesapeake was one of the early proponents of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling as the company took off during the 1990s.
Speaking to NPR's All Things ConsideredWednesday afternoon, StateImpact Oklahoma's Joe Wertz described McClendon and Chesapeake as a force in world energy markets:
"McClendon didn't invent hydraulic fracturing or fracking, but he was certainly one of the technology's biggest evangelists," Wertz said. "He was a high-profile and unapologetic oil man and, really, one of the principle architects of the recent energy boom here in the U.S. And all of that was made possible by fracking's ability to unlock oil and gas from shale rock, and McClendon was at the center of all that."
There would have been fracking without Aubrey. I'm not sure there would have been a boom.
— Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) March 2, 2016
Mayor Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett released a statement saying he appreciated McClendon's generosity and the pride he had for Oklahoma City.
"From his support of countless local charities to the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of OKC to the arts," Cornett said. "His philanthropic investments in local schools and universities, the Boathouse District and throughout our city consistently raised the standards of what Oklahoma City could be."
Aubrey McClendon's death is a tragedy and huge loss to Oklahoma. His philanthropy was remarkable. Let's all keep his family in our prayers.
— Clark Jolley (@ClarkJolley) March 2, 2016
Aubrey McClendon was a major contributor to OKC & OK, from the Thunder to the river & countless things in between. Pray for his family.
— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) March 2, 2016
The 56-year-old founded Chesapeake Energy in 1989 at the age of 29 with former Chief Operating Officer Tom Ward, who later founded Oklahoma City-based SandRidge Energy.
"I met Aubrey when he was 23 years old and had the privilege of being his partner for 23 years," Ward said in a statement. "I have never met a man who worked harder or had more love for his state than Aubrey McClendon."
McClendon was involved in numerous philanthropic efforts around the Oklahoma City area.
We are saddened to hear the news of Aubrey McClendon's death. Our prayers are with his family & friends during this difficult time.
— State Chamber of Oklahoma (@okstatechamber) March 2, 2016
He was also a co-owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and had a vast wine and antique map collection. He donated extensively to both his alma mater, Duke University, and the University of Oklahoma.
Over the last few years, controversy swirled around McClendon as he exited Chesapeake and formed his new venture, AEP. Chesapeake's board of directors cut back his responsibilities in 2012, and he eventually stepped down permanently April 1, 2013.
This 2012 investigation of Aubrey McClendon is essential reading after his indictment and death this week. https://t.co/tciqXHyCkN
— Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) March 2, 2016
He formed his new venture a day later, doing many of the same things that made Chesapeake so successful.
But a year ago, Chesapeake sued AEP, saying McClendon took trade secrets when he left. McClendon said he was entitled to the information as part of his separation agreement.
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