By Staff
A single vehicle crash on October 30th has resulted in the death of 27 year old Casper,
Wyoming resident Katie M. Graveman. The crash is believed to have occurred around 8:30 p.m.
on Wyoming State Highway 134 near mile post eight approximately 18 miles northwest of
Riverton, Wyoming.
Graveman was driving a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix westbound on WY 134 at an excessive
speed and failed to negotiate a right hand corner in the highway. The Pontiac left the highway,
crashed through the right-of-way fence and entered a slide. As the vehicle slid, it tripped and
rolled.
Graveman was not using her seat belt and sustained fatal injuries on scene. Graveman’s
six and a half month old daughter, Journie Stone, was properly placed in a child restraint in the
back seat of the Pontiac during the crash. The infant was transported by ground ambulance to
Riverton Memorial Hospital and has been treated and released.
Alcohol use, drug use and excessive speed are all being investigated as contributing
factors in this crash. Katie Graveman marked the 122nd highway fatality in Wyoming for 2015.
There were 129 fatalities in this same time period in 2014.
As this crash was not discovered until 7:30 a.m. on October 31st, the infant was unfound
for almost 11 hours after surviving a violent crash and cold nighttime temperatures. As a
testament to the importance of a properly used occupant restraint, it was reported that “the child
in a car seat is smiling back at those on scene” once first responders arrived at the crash.
Occupant restraints work in saving lives.