Cortiana Recovering from Wreck

Oklahoma pro’s rig struck by out-of-control vehicle on the way home from Tour event

Oklahoma pro Kyle Cortiana was involved in a traffic accident near Indianapolis on his way home from the FLW Tour event at Lake Champlain on Saturday. He has since been released from a local hospital and is now in a hotel room recovering and waiting for a ride home to the Sooner State. 

Cortiana says the details of the accident are still hazy, but according to law enforcement and witnesses, a man driving another vehicle was merging on the highway when he lost control and crossed traffic, slamming into the side of Cortiana’s truck. The impact sent Cortiana’s boat, which was in tow, hurtling through the air over a concrete barrier wall into a traffic lane that was closed for construction. Cortiana’s truck collided with the wall on the opposite side of the road, which actually prevented him from careening down a steep embankment. 

“I didn’t see any of it,” Cortiana says. “All of a sudden I felt this massive jerk. And it spun me out of control.”

The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene on foot. Authorities were still searching for him late on Saturday evening.

Cortiana is nursing a number of injuries, including whiplash and extensive bruising to his arms and legs from the airbags deploying. He’s dealing with a lot of pain in his chest and neck. Doctors told him to expect the pain to increase in the next couple of days. 

“I feel like an elephant jumped on me,” he says.

At this point, Cortiana has barely begun dealing with the insurance company, but he says the boat (which actually “took it pretty well”), truck and trailer are most certainly totaled. The crash scattered tackle all over the interior of his truck. Plus, he’s yet to claim any of the equipment from his boat, which he figures is sitting in a tow yard somewhere.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Cortiana says of the necessary proceedings ahead of him. 

For now, he’s just thankful that his injuries weren’t more serious.

FLW will update readers when more information becomes available.