Second Oklahoma Student Dies After Man Plowed Into Cross Country Team During Practice
A second student from Moore High School has died of injuries from an incident Monday when a man drove into a cross country team during practice.
The student, Yuridia Martinez, was a sophomore. Senior Rachel Freeman was previously identified as the first person killed in the accident, while Joseph White, Kolby Crum, Shiloh Hutchinson and Ashton Baza were all injured, with 3 of them remaining in critical condition, NBC News, the New York Times and local news station KOKH reported.
The horrifying incident unfolded at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Jeremy Lewis with the Moore Police Department told PEOPLE on Tuesday.
The students were training right outside of the high school when 56-year-old Max Leroy Townsend allegedly ran them over, Lewis explained
Police allege Townsend then attempted to flee the scene and was pursued by a witness for three blocks until he rammed into another car, disabling his own vehicle. He was soon arrested by officers.
Martinez, White, Crum, Hutchinson and Baza were all transported to OU Medical Center after the incident.
Townsend was booked in jail and has been charged with manslaughter in the first degree and 6 counts of leaving the scene of an injury accident.
It is not immediately clear if Townsend has obtained legal representation.
According to NBC News, authorities said that Townsend showed “signs of impairment” and has a history of arrests for drug possession and drunken driving.
Today we mourn the loss of Rachel Freeman, a senior at Moore High. Rachel ran with the MHS cross country team. The past 3 years she crossed the finish line of our race as an elite runner. She finished as the first overall woman in 2017 & as the third overall woman in 2018 & 2019. pic.twitter.com/QEW618QwCg
— MooreWarRun (@MooreWarRun) February 4, 2020
The incident came just one day after Townsend’s son, Cody Townsend, was killed Sunday in a car accident, NBC News and the NYT reported.
Authorities have said that they are looking into a connection between the incidents on Sunday and Monday.
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Moore High School Principal Mike Coyle released a statement about the horrific event, prior to Martinez also succumbing to his injuries.
“It is with great sadness and heavy heart that I share with you, there was a tragic accident this afternoon at More High School,” Coyle said in the statement obtained by Oklahoma’s News 4. “Six of our cross-country students were running on the sidewalk and were struck by a vehicle.”
The statement continued: “One of our students, Senior — Rachel Freeman passed away. Our other five students that were injured are receiving medical attention: Yuridia Martinez, Joseph White, Kolby Crum, Shiloh Hutchinson and Ashton Baza. Please keep the students, staff, and our families in your thoughts. Our sympathies are with the Freeman family during this time.”
