NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – A person accused of hitting a gaggle of highschool runners final yr, killing three of them has been discovered responsible of the crime.
On Feb. 3, 2023, 57-year-old Max Townsend allegedly drove his truck into a gaggle of cross nation runners from Moore Excessive Faculty.
Investigators say Yuridia Martinez, Joseph White, Kolby Crum, Shiloh Hutchison, Ashton Baza, and Rachel Freeman had simply began on their common route once they had been hit by Townsend’s pickup truck.
Officers say Moore Excessive Faculty senior Rachel Freeman died simply ft away from the varsity after being hit.
“She was somebody who strived to be her greatest, however then she was somebody who supported her teammates, and he or she was additionally engaged in her group,” Rob Morris, who produced an athlete of the week piece on Freeman for Moore Month-to-month, mentioned.
Officers say Yuridia Martinez, a sophomore, additionally died from accidents she sustained within the crash.
Nearly two weeks after the crash, Kolby Crum succumbed to his accidents.
The three different victims spent months recovering from their accidents.
Officers arrested Townsend after he crashed right into a Volkswagen Beetle earlier than finally stopping at a avenue over from the highschool.
He was charged with three counts of second-degree homicide, three counts of leaving the scene of a fatality accident, and three counts of leaving the scene of an harm accident.
The state has maintained that Townsend was below affect of alcohol and THC on the time of the crash, with a blood alcohol stage of .068, which is just below the authorized restrict.
The protection maintains that Townsend choked on a Purple Bull he was consuming on the time of the crash, leaving him unconscious.
Either side offered closing arguments on Friday morning earlier than handing the case to the jury.
It took the jury about 5 hours to achieve a verdict.
