Man who ran down 2 students faces manslaughter charges

MOORE, Okla. (AP) — A man has been charged with manslaughter in the deaths of two suburban Oklahoma City high school cross-country athletes whom he hit with his truck as they ran on a sidewalk.

Max Leroy Townsend is accused of running over six Moore High School runners in front of the school Monday. Senior Rachel Freeman and sophomore Yuridia Martinez were killed while four other students were injured.

Officials say the crash happened one day after Townsend’s son was killed in a traffic accident. Prosecutors allege that Townsend had stayed up drinking after his shift ended at 2 a.m. to mourn his son.