Bradley Winans Killed in Tulsa Motorcycle Accident
District Attorney re-evaluating charges against hit-and-run driver
Bradley Winans, 21, died Monday from injuries he suffered in a hit-and-run motorcycle crash on March 19 near South Jamestown Avenue and East 31st Street in Tulsa, police said.
Winans was riding a 2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R motorcycle eastbound on East 31st Street, police said. A silver 2021 Chevy Malibu, traveling southbound on Jamestown Avenue, pulled into the motorcycle's path. The Malibu driver failed to stop at a stop sign, according to police.
The motorcycle hit the side of the Malibu. The Malibu driver then fled the scene. A witness followed the Malibu and took photos of the car and its license plate.
Authorities tracked the Malibu to a nearby home and identified N.Er Uwei as the driver. Uwei told police he "didn't know what to do, so he went home," according to police.
Paramedics rushed Winans to a hospital in critical condition after the crash. He died Monday from his injuries, police said.
Uwei was booked into the Tulsa County Jail. He faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of an injury accident. The District Attorney's Office is re-evaluating the charges following Winans' death.
Motorcycle accidents, particularly those involving hit-and-run drivers, often leave families with unanswered questions. When an accident occurs and a driver flees, investigators turn to various methods to identify the at-fault party. Here, witness cooperation was critical in identifying the driver. The District Attorney's Office will now review the evidence to determine if additional or upgraded charges are warranted against Uwei following Winans' death. This process ensures that the legal system accounts for the full impact of the crash.
National Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal, noted that "Motorcycle riders are arguably the most vulnerable motorists on the roadways, given the fact that there are no airbags or sturdy windows to protect them from an impact, An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision."
Under Okla. Stat. tit. 12 § 1053, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. Oklahoma applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 2 years. Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and grief damages.