On Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, the Payne County District Attorney’s Office filed two counts of Second Degree Murder on Luke Christopher House. This stems from the car crash from Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 at 4:15 a.m. that resulted in the deaths of Ryan Begnaud, 18 years of age, of Austin, TX and Jeremi Smith, 40 years of age, of Oklahoma City, OK.
House was the driver of a white Ford Mustang and was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of State Highway 51 (6th Avenue) towards Country Club Road. Ryan Begnaud was the passenger in the Ford Mustang. The driver of a red Chevy Impala, Virginia Louise Winston was traveling westbound in the outside westbound lane of SH 51 (6th Avenue). Jeremi Smith was the passenger in the Chevy Impala. The Ford Mustang struck the Chevy Impala head on and the Ford Mustang continued traveling eastbound and debris from the Mustang struck an occupied parked vehicle in the parking lot at OnCue and several unoccupied vehicles in an adjacent dealership parking lot.
House was flown from the scene to Saint Francis and was released on Sunday, Oct. 16. Virginia Winston was transported to Stillwater Medical Center by LifeNet and then flown to OU Medical Center. Virginia Winston sustained injuries and remains hospitalized.
Vehicle data was obtained and examined from both vehicles. The data showed House was driving in excess of 150 MPH.
On Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) responded House’s residence and arrested him without incident. House was transported to their jail and will later be transported to the Payne County Jail.
On behalf of the Stillwater Police Department, we want to thank the RCSO and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for their assistance in this case.
The investigative process in these cases take time as there are multiple items of evidence to collect, many of which required separate warrants. This case remains under investigation by Stillwater Police Department.
If you have any information about this crash please contact the Stillwater Police Department at 405-372-4171.
This is an arrest, not a conviction.
