OKLAHOMA CITY — Chesapeake Energy founder Aubrey McClendon had the gas pedal floored in his SUV moments before it slammed into a bridge support at 78 mph earlier this month, police said Monday.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Chesapeake Energy founder Aubrey McClendon had the gas pedal floored in his SUV moments before it slammed into a bridge support at 78 mph earlier this month, police said Monday.
McClendon tapped his brakes multiple times before impact, but not enough to slow his vehicle significantly, Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty said at a news conference. There was no evidence McClendon tried to veer away or brake completely before impact.
Citty wouldn’t say whether he thinks the former Chesapeake CEO intended to crash or had full control of his Chevrolet Tahoe.
“We’re not going to speculate. We don’t know what was going through his mind at the time. We don’t know what was going on in the cab of that vehicle,” Citty said.
McClendon died March 2, a day after a federal grand jury indicted him on a bid-rigging charge. The part-owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder had vowed to fight the accusation.
The vehicle’s data recorder showed McClendon was driving 88 mph and then tapped his brakes, but not enough to significantly reduce speed.
As far as police could tell, the brakes were fully operative, Citty said.
Police have said previously the speed limit on the isolated road in northeast Oklahoma City was 50 mph.
McClendon had his gas pedal floored until 1 1/2 seconds before impact, when he reduced it from 99 percent to 25 percent depressed, the police chief said.
McClendon was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, although at that speed it wouldn’t have mattered if he had, Citty said.
Investigators found tire tracks but no skid marks.
Police are checking McClendon’s cellphone records to determine if he was on the phone.