Former Chesapeake CEO Dies In Car Crash

Former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon died in a car crash Wednesday morning. He was 56.

McClendon, who was indicted in federal court on a conspiracy charge Tuesday, was the only person in the SUV when it hit a concrete pillar around 9am.

Investigators say too early to determine if the collision was intentional.

Police said McClendon was he was driving faster than the 50 mph speed limit and was not wearing a seat belt.

McClendon founded Chesapeake in 1989 and under his leadership it became the second-biggest producer of natural gas in the USA. He left the company in January 2013 and started American Energy Partners, where he was chairman and CEO.

He had been accused by the Justice Department of conspiracy and collusion relating to the purchase of numerous oil and gas leases between 2007 and early 2012. The indictment followed a four year JOD investigation. The maximum penalty was a 10 year prison sentence and a one million dollar fine.

McClendon is survived by his wife, Kathleen, two sons, a daughter and a grandchild.