Car Plows Into Crowd at Tulsa Demolition Derby, Witnesses Describe Chaos

Video shows a car leaving the main area and crashing into spectators at the Starbird car show, leaving many injured and shaken.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A chaotic scene unfolded at the Starbird car show in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday night when a car participating in a demolition derby left the main area and plowed into the crowd of spectators. Eyewitness Rachel Harshman captured video of the incident, which showed the car appearing to run over people before others rushed to help. Harshman described the scene as "traumatizing" and said she was "freaking out" seeing people trapped under the car. Details on the number of injuries and the condition of those hurt remain unclear, as local authorities have provided limited information so far.

Why it matters

This incident raises serious safety concerns about the risks involved with demolition derbies and other high-speed automotive events that take place in close proximity to spectators. It also highlights the need for better crowd control and safety protocols at such events to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

The details

According to the eyewitness account, the car left the main demolition derby area and crashed directly into the crowd of spectators who were watching from behind a fence. Harshman said it appeared the car was on top of someone and that people rushed to try and pull the car off of them. She described the scene as "pretty scary" and "traumatizing." The Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa County Sheriff's Office have provided limited information so far, with conflicting reports on which agency is handling the investigation.

  • The incident occurred on Saturday, February 22, 2026 during the Starbird car show at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  • The Starbird car show has been running since Friday, February 21, 2026 and Sunday, February 23, 2026 was the final day of the event.

The players

Rachel Harshman

An eyewitness who was at the Starbird car show and captured video of the car crashing into the crowd.

Huxley Harshman

Rachel Harshman's son, who was also at the Starbird car show when the incident occurred.

Tulsa Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that initially responded to the incident, but has provided limited information so far.

Tulsa County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency that the Tulsa Police Department referred inquiries to, but they in turn referred back to the Tulsa Police Department.

Starbird Car Show

The annual automotive event where the demolition derby and incident took place.

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What they’re saying

“It looked like the car was on top of somebody and they tried to pull it off. I think they pulled the car off of them.”

— Rachel Harshman, Eyewitness (newson6.com)

“I didn't know what to do. I was just like, I was like oh my God, there's people under there. That's why I kept saying, there's people under there, there's people under there. There's people under there.”

— Rachel Harshman, Eyewitness (newson6.com)

“I was really shocked and worried about the people that were behind the fence. I was freaking out. It was pretty scary. Traumatizing, really.”

— Rachel Harshman, Eyewitness (newson6.com)

“Then one of the cars ran into the crowd.”

— Huxley Harshman, Eyewitness (newson6.com)

What’s next

Authorities are still investigating the incident and have not provided updates on the number of injuries or the condition of those hurt. The Starbird car show continued as scheduled on Sunday, the final day of the event.

The takeaway

This tragic incident at the Starbird car show highlights the need for stricter safety protocols and crowd control measures at high-speed automotive events to protect spectators from the inherent risks involved. Event organizers and local officials must prioritize public safety and take proactive steps to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.