OBU recruit 1 of 2 runners fatally struck

MOORE, Okla. — Two suburban Oklahoma City high school students, including one who was expected to compete in track and field for Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, died after a pickup hit a group of runners Monday, a school official confirmed Tuesday.

Authorities say the truck was driven by a man whose son was killed in a traffic crash over the weekend.

Senior Rachel Freeman and sophomore Yuridia Martinez were killed in the crash, school officials said. Moore police Sgt. Jeremy Lewis said authorities believe the students were running on the sidewalk when they were struck by the truck.

Freeman was set to sign a track and field scholarship this week with Ouachita Baptist University, according to Dustin Horstkoetter, director of safety and security at Moore Public Schools. Martinez had been hospitalized in critical condition before dying Tuesday, Horstkoetter said.

Three other students remained hospitalized. Student Kolby Crum was in critical condition at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, according to spokeswoman April Sandefer, and students Joseph White and Shiloh Hutchinson were in fair condition. Student Ashton Baza was released Monday night.

The ages of the students had not been released Tuesday evening.

Max Leroy Townsend, 57, was being held in the Cleveland County jail on charges of first-degree manslaughter and six counts of failure to stop and render aid. Police suspect alcohol was a factor, according to Lewis, who said results from toxicology tests were pending.

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

Lewis said Townsend’s son, Cody, was killed Sunday in a multivehicle crash in Moore. But investigators have not yet determined why the pickup crashed into the students Monday or whether that crash was intentional, Lewis said.

“I know the big question a lot of people have is, ‘Why? What happened? Why did this happen?’” Lewis said. “I assure you we will find out why and know exactly what happened, and how it happened, and then deal with the individual that caused this after that investigation is complete.”

Max Townsend has a lengthy criminal history in Oklahoma that includes convictions for driving under the influence, public intoxication, possession of drugs and stolen property, stalking and child abuse, court records show. He served time in prison for child abuse, receiving stolen property and possession of drugs, but was released in 2009, records show.

Moore Police Chief Todd Strickland said teams are investigating the crash that killed Freeman and Martinez and the one that killed Townsend’s son.