Trooper responsive but critical

Friday, January 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A veteran highway patrol trooper remains in critical condition but showing some response after being run over by a man allegedly fleeing authorities. Trooper Tom Downs is in University Hospital in Oklahoma City in a coma.

Authorities say Downs allegedly was run over intentionally by Kelly Ledford during a high-speed chase near Chickasha. Grady County District Attorney Gene Christian says Ledford has been charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon, and attempting to elude.

Christian says his drug task force was monitoring a house in Chickasha. Ledford arrived and after leaving, authorities followed. That's when the chase ensued through Chickasha and on the H-E Bailey Turnpike. Downs was laying down spikes on the Highway 92 overpass when he was struck. Ledford was caught after a brief foot chase and is now in jail.