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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 5 February 2020

Official: 2nd student dies after

truck hits Oklahoma runners

By KEN MILLER son were in fair condition. "I know the big question a
Associated Press Student Ashton Baza was lot of people have is, 'Why?
MOORE, Okla. (AP) — A released Monday night. What happened? Why did
second suburban Okla- The ages of the students this happen?'" Lewis said.
homa City high school have not been released. "I assure you we will find
student has died after a School Superintendent out why and know exactly
group of cross-country run- Robert Romines praised the what happened, and how
ners was struck by a pickup reaction of students at the it happened, and then
truck that authorities say scene of the crash. deal with the individual
was driven by man whose "Without hesitation or sec- that caused this after that This Feb. 3, 2020 photo from the Cleveland County Sheriff's Of-
son was killed in a traffic ond thought, our students investigation is complete," fice shows Max Leroy Townsen.
crash over the weekend, were there with their friends he added. q Associated Press
a school official said Tues- and began life-saving tac-
day. tics including CPR," Ro-
Sophomore Yuridia Marti- mines said.
nez, who had been hospi- Freeman was set set to sign
talized in critical condition a track and field scholar-
since the Monday crash, ship this week with Oua-
has since died, Dustin Horst- chita Baptist University in
koetter, director of safety Arkadelphia, Arkansas,
and security at Moore Pub- Horstkoetter said.
lic Schools, said. Officials Max Leroy Townsend, 57,
had previously said that was being held in the Cleve-
senior Rachel Freeman land County jail on charges
was killed when the truck of first-degree manslaugh-
slammed into members of ter and six counts of failure
the school's cross-country to stop and render aid.
team. Police suspect alcohol was
Moore police Sgt. Jeremy a factor, according to Lew-
Lewis said authorities be- is, who said results from toxi-
lieve the students were cology tests were pending.
running on the sidewalk "That won't be for quite a
when they were struck. Au- while," Lewis told The Asso-
thorities had previously said ciated Press. "That's a blood
they were running along a test that requires being sent
street outside Moore High to a lab."
School. Lewis said Townsend's son,
Three other students re- Cody Townsend, was killed
mained hospitalized with Sunday in a multi-vehicle
injuries. Student Kolby Crum crash in Moore. But inves-
was in critical condition tigators have not yet de-
at Oklahoma Children's termined why the pickup
Hospital, according to crashed into the students
spokeswoman April Sand- on Monday or whether that
efer, while students Joseph crash was intentional, Lewis
White and Shiloh Hutchin- said.