An Oklahoma man has been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2020 hit-and-run deaths of three high school athletes.
The Oklahoman reports that Max Leroy Townsend, 58, of Tuttle, Okla., was found guilty of driving his pickup truck into a group of students from Moore High School in Moore, Okla., who were at track and cross country practice. Three were killed, and four were injured.
The jury has recommended a life sentence on each count of murder. A judge has set a sentencing date for Townsend in August.
In addition to the murder charges, Townsend was convicted of multiple counts of leaving the scene of an accident.
Prosecutors said Townsend was driving his pickup on the afternoon of Feb. 3, 2020; the truck was traveling at 77 miles an hour when it went up on a sidewalk at struck the group of students who were cooling down after track and cross country practice.
Students Rachel Freeman, Yuridia Martinez, and Kolby Crum died at the scene.
