Trooper remains in critical condition

Friday, January 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A veteran highway patrol trooper remains in critical condition this morning after being run over yesterday. Trooper Tom Downs is in University Hospital in Oklahoma City. 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.