A 17-year-old driving a stolen vehicle led authorities on a cross-country pursuit, ultimately colliding with a mother and her 23-year-old daughter on the highway, according to Oklahoma police.
A teenager reportedly stole three vehicles within a single day, as stated by the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and KOTV, and allegedly expressed a willingness to “take a life” for the sake of stealing a car.
A high-speed pursuit began in Craig County on October 20 and extended into Roger’s County, according to deputies. Officials reported that the vehicle was ultimately discovered wrecked in a ditch.
Dispatchers were alerted via a 911 call from an individual reporting that their truck, containing a firearm, had just been taken, according to deputies. The teenager was ultimately located driving recklessly along a rural road in the taken vehicle.
The young driver first managed to evade the stop sticks deployed by law enforcement, but ultimately ended up puncturing three tires when the sticks were used again later.
A 17-year-old, despite having punctured tires, drove over railroad tracks and collided with a vehicle occupied by a mother and her daughter, according to deputies.
A 23-year-old military veteran, Logan Harrell, tragically passed away at the scene, as stated in a news release and her obituary. Authorities reported that her mother sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital.
Harrell, as noted in her obituary, completed a six-month deployment in Kuwait during her time in the army from 2019 to 2023. She pursued a degree in elementary education and was a cheerleader at Rogers State College.
A teenager has been charged with murder, along with several other offenses including endangering others while trying to evade law enforcement and stealing a vehicle, as per court documents dated October 25.
Authorities informed KOTV that the teenager was chased through three states while making their way from Missouri to California during a series of criminal activities.
The young individual is set to make a court appearance on October 31.