Oklahoma City Thunder rumors 2016: Police reveal former Thunder part-owner hit support at 78 mph
The Oklahoma City Thunder's remarkable season has so far been marred by tragic deaths in the organization. After the death of assistant coach Monty William's wife in a car crash last month, the team had to face another tragedy when part-owner Aubrey McClendon died in a single-vehicle crash on March 2, a day after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy.
A news conference organized by the Oklahoma City Police Department last Monday paved the way for more details to be revealed, at a time when everyone couldn't help but speculate that McClendon may have actually committed suicide. According to the result of the investigation released by the police, the 56-year old American businessman was traveling at 88 mph in about five seconds right before the crash. With that kind of speed, he hit the concrete barrier at 78 mph.
The authorities, via The Associated Press, added that McClendon appeared to have hit the brakes before the impact, but it certainly wasn't enough to put a stop to his vehicle. But perhaps the most compelling finding that would fuel rumors of suicide is the fact that he didn't attempt in any way to veer away from the barrier before the impact – a kind of natural response any driver will do in that kind of scenario.
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Driving a Chevrolet Tahoe, McClendon appeared to have been stepping on the gas pedal seconds before the impact. The medical examiner's office earlier released the result of the autopsy, revealing that the cause of death is multiple blunt force trauma, but toxicology results are only expected to be revealed in at least four weeks. Also, the police said that there seems to be no indication that he was on the phone during the accident and he also wasn't suffering from some kind of medical episode like a stroke or heart attack.
And while the Oklahoma City Thunder and McClendon's family are still in mourning, one can't help but think about the link between his death and the fact that he learned about the indictment a day before. The federal grand jury accused him of conspiring to rig and manipulate the bidding process for natural gas leases in the city of Oklahoma for five years during his days with Chesapeake Energy from 2007-2012. In line with this, authorities aren't closing their doors on the possibility that McClendon may have committed suicide to escape the indictment.
