Tuesday, May 24, 2022 - A Poteau man was charged May 18 with endangering others while attempting to elude police, court records show.
Dalton Wayne Murchison, 27, faces up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if he is convicted on the felony count. He was also charged with driving with a suspended license, failure to maintain insurance and operating a vehicle with an expired tag, all misdemeanors.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case, on May 13, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was patrolling Interstate 40 in Sequoyah County when he saw a silver Honda Accord, driven by Murchison, traveling at 89 mph in a posted 70-mph speed limit.
When the trooper attempted to stop the Honda, the vehicle sped up to more than 100 miles an hour, the report reveals.
Murchison took Exit 311 westbound off I-40 and onto U.S. Highway 64, still speeding. The silver Honda ran a stop sign at North McGee Street, then entered the opposite lanes of traffic, passing a Sequoyah County sheriff’s deputy and three other vehicles. Murchison continued driving recklessly, nearly hitting several vehicles.
At the railroad overpass off North Jefferson Street in Sallisaw, Murchison, traveling at more than 90 mph, passed a vehicle abruptly by going into the oncoming lane and nearly hit a car head-on.
Murchison then drove his vehicle south on Highway 59, hopped over the curb and onto the grass before continuing southbound. He passed several other cars just south of the I-40 overpass in the turn lane traveling around 80 mph. That is when the car’s front passenger’s tire blew out.
The trooper decided to set up a tactical vehicle intervention, and as he maneuvered his patrol vehicle into position, he saw Murchison driving with his arm out the Honda’s window as if he was giving up.
Murchison was ordered to exit the Honda with his hands showing. After he refused to comply with the trooper’s commands, the OHP officer used his Taser on Murchison and finally arrested him.
Andrea Adams, Staff Writer
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