A 17-year-old Oklahoma City driver faces complaints of DUI, manslaughter and leaving the scene after allegedly striking and killing a woman on an electric scooter.
Ranesha Scyrus, 22, was riding her e-scooter home from work on Thursday, Sept. 10, when a pickup truck hit her from behind near Melrose Lane and North Rockwell Avenue, according to KFOR. Police were not notified until about two hours after the crash.
As we reported on the teen's arrest Sept. 12, the teen was taken into custody that night. Investigators have since added a manslaughter complaint to the initial DUI and hit-and-run allegations, News 9 reported.
Master Sgt. Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department told KFOR on Monday, Sept. 14, that the teen claimed he thought he had hit a deer. Knight said the teen had been driving on Rockwell Avenue and was possibly recording video on his phone at the time of the collision.
After the crash, the teen called his mother at work and asked her to come inspect the damage to his truck, KOCO reported. When the mother looked at the vehicle, she found Scyrus's body in the truck bed and called 911.
Officers were dispatched to a shopping center near Reno Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard, where the teen had stopped. First responders thought they detected a pulse but were unable to revive Scyrus.
The teen showed signs of intoxication and refused testing at the scene, according to a Sept. 11 News 9 report. Officers obtained a warrant to draw his blood. He was booked into the Oklahoma County Juvenile Justice Center.
"That's pretty unusual, to have a body end up in the bed of a truck … that's certainly not something we see every day," Knight told KFOR.
The Oklahoma County District Attorney's office will determine formal charges. Scyrus's mother told News 9 she wants the teen prosecuted as an adult.
Scyrus's family has set up a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and counseling. The investigation is ongoing.
Scyrus's death was one of two fatal e-scooter crashes in Oklahoma City within 24 hours. The Oklahoma City Police Department issued a safety advisory on Sept. 11 urging both riders and drivers to stay alert, noting the crashes happened in areas without heavy pedestrian or scooter traffic. Capt. Benjamin Weir said in the advisory that visibility is the most critical factor in preventing collisions and urged scooter riders to wear reflective clothing.






