Official: 2nd student dies after truck hits Oklahoma runners

Feb 4, 2020 | 9:19 AM

MOORE, Okla. — A second suburban Oklahoma City high school student has died after a group of cross-country runners was struck by a pickup truck, a school official said Tuesday.

Dustin Horstkoetter, director of safety at Moore Public Schools, said Yuridia Martinez, who had been hospitalized in critical condition since the Monday crash, has since died.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. THE AP’S EARLIER STORY IS BELOW:

Two Oklahoma high school students remained in critical condition Tuesday after being struck by a pickup truck that killed one girl and injured three other students, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Officials at Moore High School in suburban Oklahoma City say senior Rachel Freeman was killed Monday when the driver of the truck slammed into members of the school’s cross country team as they ran along a street outside the school.

Students Yuridia Martinez and Kolby Crum were in critical condition at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, according to spokeswoman April Sandefer. Students Joseph White and Shiloh Hutchison were in fair condition, Sandefer said, and student Ashton Baza was released Monday night.

The ages of the students have not been released.

Police arrested Max Leroy Townsend, 57, who was booked into the Cleveland County jail on charges of first-degree manslaughter and six counts of failure to stop and render aid. Townsend was initially reported to be 56.

Police suspect alcohol was a factor, according to Sgt. Jeremy Lewis, who said results from toxicology tests are pending.

“That won’t be for quite a while, that’s a blood test that requires being sent to a lab,” Lewis said.

Lewis said Townsend’s son, Cody Townsend, was killed Sunday in a multi-vehicle crash in Moore.

The Associated Press