Edmond Teacher 1 Of 2 People Killed In Payne County High-Speed Crash

Oklahoma Highway Patrol released the names of two people killed when authorities said a man in a stolen truck tried to elude police in Payne County just after 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 27.

One was Edmond Public Schools teacher Shelayna Knott, the other a 77-year-old Stillwater resident named Floyd Margason Jr.

Tommy Leroy McClendon Jr., 24, was driving erratically at speeds over 100 mph when he crashed into a vehicle at State Highway 51 west of Yale in Payne County, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported. He passed a Yale police officer on duty.

Before the officer could turn around, OHP said the crash already occurred.

McClendon was northbound on Norfolk Road when he hit a Honda Passport driven by Michelle Renea Clary, 55, of Stillwater. Clary was westbound on the highway when troopers said McClendon ran a stop sign and hit her vehicle in the driver's side.

Clary was taken by medical helicopter to a Tulsa hospital where she was admitted in critical condition with numerous injuries, a collision report said. Two of her passengers - 77-year-old Floyd Margason Jr. of Stillwater and 28-year-old Shelayna Renea Knott of Orlando, Oklahoma - were both killed. 

A 4-year-old Orlando, Oklahoma boy in the Passport was treated and released from the Cushing hospital. OHP didn't release his name because of his age.

Related Story: Suspect In Custody After Deadly Crash, Manhunt In Payne County 

McClendon ran off, leaving 18-year-old Elexis Taber of Drumright, OHP said. She was air lifted to an area hospital in critical condition after being thrown from the truck.

McClendon was taken into custody around 7 p.m. after a manhunt by OHP, Payne County Sheriff's Office and Yale police. He was booked on complaints of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of causing bodily injury with no valid ID.

The collision report states neither Taber nor Margason were wearing seat belts. Troopers said McClendon was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

A GoFundMe has been set up. You can find it by clicking here. 

Edmond Public Schools released the following statement Thursday:

“Shelayna Knott was a dedicated and respected teacher who was elected by her peers as the Ida Freeman 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year. She poured her heart into her profession and spent long hours at school willingly taking on extra duties and responsibilities in service to others. She adored her students and cherished her colleagues. Her unexpected death is deeply felt by all who knew and loved her.”