3rd Student Dies from Oklahoma High School Hit-and-Run Tragedy
The track and cross-country students were struck by a vehicle as they were on a regular run near Moore High School.
February 19,2020 UPDATE: Another member of the Moore High School track and cross-country team has died from his injuries when he and five other teammates were struck by a pickup truck during a practice run earlier this month. The death toll is now three.
The school’s Facebook page announced that senior Kolby Crum passed away on Saturday, reports Fox8. Senior Rachel Freeman was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, reports, and sophomore Yuridia Martinez died the following day from her injuries.
KFOR is reporting that senior Joseph White suffered several broken bones, a bruised lung, a concussion and a brain bleed. He was released from the hospital February 6. Junior Shiloh Hutchinson was also released on February 6 and suffered a broken arm, leg and ankle. Sophomore Ashton Baza suffered a broken leg and ankle and was released from the hospital on Feb. 3.
Original article:
Two Oklahoma high school track and cross country athletes died and four others were injured on February 3 when a vehicle hit them while they were on a regular practice run.
Moore High School senior Rachel Freeman was pronounced dead at the scene, reports KOCO. Sophomore Yuridia Martinez died on Tuesday from her injuries, reports News 9.
The suspect has been identified as Max Leroy Townsend, 57. He was apprehended by police a few blocks away from the pedestrian crash site. Before and after allegedly striking the students, he hit other vehicles.
Authorities say Townsend’s 29-year-old son was killed in a crash on Sunday. The scene of his son’s crash is close to Monday’s scene.
Townsend was arrested for first-degree manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident that involves injuries. Authorities say he drove his pickup truck onto the sidewalk and hit the six students who were running on the sidewalk.
Senior Kolby Crum, junior Shiloh Hutchinson and senior Joseph White all remain hospitalized. Crum is in critical condition.
Sophomore Ashton Baza suffered a broken leg and ankle, and was released from the hospital on Monday, reports ABC News.
Before first responders arrived at the scene, students rushed to help their classmates, providing CPR. Martinez, who was thrown from the sidewalk into a pond was retrieved by other students.
Townsend has a lengthy criminal record involving several arrests for drunk driving, child abuse, drug possession and leaving the scene of an accident, reports News 9.
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About the Author
Robin Hattersley, Editor-in-Chief
Robin has been covering the security and campus law enforcement industries since 1998 and is a specialist in school, university and hospital security, public safety and emergency management, as well as emerging technologies and systems integration. She joined CS in 2005 and has authored award-winning editorial on campus law enforcement and security funding, officer recruitment and retention, access control, IP video, network integration, event management, crime trends, the Clery Act, Title IX compliance, sexual assault, dating abuse, emergency communications, incident management software and more. Robin has been featured on national and local media outlets and was formerly associate editor for the trade publication Security Sales & Integration. She obtained her undergraduate degree in history from California State University, Long Beach.
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