Elk City Man Accused of Pepper Spraying Teen – Taking Skateboard

June 12, 2023

By News Director Jared Atha

An Elk City man accused of stealing a teen’s skateboard was arrested and charged last week in Beckham County District Court.

Court records show that 32-year-old Derek Murphy was arrested on June 4 after Elk City Police, while serving a search warrant, found the skateboard inside the man’s room inside a home that he shared with his mother.

A probable cause affidavit showed that the incident took place on the evening of June 1 when police were dispatched to a home in reference to a report of a juvenile having been pepper sprayed, and the skateboard he was riding was stolen.

When police arrived they found the teen in obvious distress after being pepper sprayed, and were told that while riding the skateboard through the neighborhood, a man approached him claiming the board was his son’s.

The man, later confirmed in the affidavit as being Murphy, would spray the teen with pepper spray before taking the board away from the teen and leaving the scene.

An investigation by Elk City P.D. would turn up home security footage of the incident, that would turn Murphy into a suspect.

While serving the search warrant, Murphy would return home and was arrested without incident.

While being booked into the Elk City Jail, the affidavit stated that a can of mace was found on Murphy.

While speaking with police, Murphy claimed that he and his son had left a skateboard at a nearby park a year and a half ago, and said the skateboard that the victim was riding was his. He said he did approach the teen and asked him to give the board to him but refused. He also claimed that the teen pulled a knife on him, and that’s when he sprayed him with the pepper spray.

Murphy was later charged with one felony count of robbery with a dangerous weapon. His first court date is scheduled for June 26.