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Police: Aubrey McClendon Traveling 88 MPH Moments Before Fatal Crash

Oklahoma City police released new details Monday about the fiery single-car crash that killed former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon one day after his federal indictment.

Investigators say the energy executive and part-owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder was driving 78 miles-per-hour when he struck a concrete overpass the morning of March 2.

Police say McClendon was alone in the SUV, not wearing a seatbelt, and made no effort to hit the brakes or avoid the wall. Police also said that McClendon's vehicle's data recorder shows that he had been driving 88 mph and tapped his brakes, but not in the 31 feet before impact. Investigators found tire tracks but no skid marks

Investigators are still looking into whether McClendon was using his cell phone at the time.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty wouldn’t comment when asked if police believe the crash was intentional.

“Right now we have investigators that are going to be talking to people, trying to put the pieces together from maybe the night before until time this happened to find out if there would have been any reason that he might may have decided to take his own life,” Citty said during a press conference Monday afternoon.

The crash happened a day after a federal grand jury indicted McClendon for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to rig bids for oil and gas leases in northwest Oklahoma. His biggest investor had also recently announced it was limiting its business relationship with him, Reuters reports.

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Joe was a founding reporter for StateImpact Oklahoma (2011-2019) covering the intersection of economic policy, energy and environment, and the residents of the state. He previously served as Managing Editor of Urban Tulsa Weekly, as the Arts & Entertainment Editor at Oklahoma Gazette and worked as a Staff Writer for The Oklahoman. Joe was a weekly arts and entertainment correspondent for KGOU from 2007-2010. He grew up in Bartlesville, Okla. and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.
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