Okarche Community Asking For Prayers For High School Student After Crash

The Okarche community is asking for prayers after a car crash early Sunday morning landed one student in the hospital. Right now, all the Okarche community can do is hope and pray while Okarche High School senior PK Harris fights for his life.  

“The doctor said the next 48 hours are pretty critical and to get through that is gonna be a long healing process,” said Josh Sumrall, the Superintendent of Okarche Public Schools. “He was our only senior this year on the team.”

In the Okarche community, everyone is connected closer together. When a Sunday morning call came in, people in Okarche felt the pain together. 

“My heart just sank,” Sumrall said. “It takes a toll on adults too.” 

“I’ve got two boys of my own,” Sumrall said. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through.” 

Sumrall said he was at the hospital with Harris’s family on Sunday.

“It is tough when you’re around kids and students,” Sumrall said. 

According to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol crash report, Harris crossed the centerline of a Kingfisher County road and hit a semi-truck head-on. The report said Harris was pinned for 45 minutes before the Kingfisher Fire Department rescued him.

The trooper noted an odor of an alcoholic beverage from Harris. However, the facts of this crash remain under investigation. A medical helicopter flew Harris to OU medical. The driver of the semi was also taken to a hospital for a head injury.  

Sumrall said the community stands together.  

“The pastors in the churches in our town reached out to me,” Sumrall said. “They’re on standby and call if anyone needs to talk or just to take some time to understand what’s going on.” 

Even when there’s not much one can do but pray, the community will pray for Harris as one.

“We’re all pulling for him,” Sumrall said. 

Sumrall said the doctors seemed optimistic the last time he was with Harris’s family.  

News 9 asked Harris’s family if they wanted to share his story. They said they were not ready to do that at this time.