June 11, 2020
By News Director Jared Atha
Beckham County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded to a pursuit Wednesday afternoon that resulted when a Department of Corrections investigator attempted to stop two men that appeared to be trying to get packages over the fence at Northfork Correctional Center near Sayre.
The DOC investigator chased the vehicle at speeds of up to 100 mph, eventually losing sight of the vehicle on a county road northwest of Elk City.
Sheriff Derek Manning says his personnel located the vehicle a few moments later just about a mile from where the investigator lost sight of it, and continued the pursuit.
Manning said the car pulled over to the shoulder about a half mile away when it saw a Sheriff’s Office patrol truck.
Manning said the driver was arrested a few minutes later by a deputy who had driven to the other side of the field to head him off.
Manning said deputies impounded the vehicle, which had packages inside that are commonly used to throw contraband over the fence at the prison. He said detectives and deputies will be working with the Office of the Inspector General at DOC to try and determine who the bundles were intended for.
Manning said the pursuit itself reached felony levels when the fleeing vehicle almost struck at least two other motorists at intersections during the pursuit.
Sheriff Manning said OHP and Elk City PD also responded to the pursuit.
Manning said the two men arrested are being held on several complaints. Their names are withheld pending formal charges.
