Nearly Struck A Police Unit
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
Thursday, October 8, 2020, Stringtown Police Officer Samuel Shelton was finishing a traffic stop, his emergency lights still activated, when a tan colored vehicle failed to move over for his stopped emergency vehicle.
As the vehicle passed the officer it nearly struck with the parked patrol unit. Officer Shelton left the stationary position to conduct a traffic stop on the tan Lincoln Town Car.
The vehicle came to a stop as the Officer made contact with the driver, identified as William Eugene Freeman, 24, of Atoka.
Freeman appeared very nervous, and did not want to make eye contact; there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle and from his person. The Officer asked him if he had consumed any alcohol.
“Two beers.” Freeman stated. “I went to my buddies house around seven and kicked it there for awhile.” His speech was slow and lethargic.
Freeman was asked to exit the vehicle. Officer Shelton performed the Standard Field Sobriety Test which Freeman failed.
Atoka Police Officer Jedediah Griffith arrived on scene to administer a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT). The PBT result was 0.12; legally intoxicated in Oklahoma is 0.08.
Freeman was placed under arrest and read the Implied Consent Test Request, and he agreed to take the State’s breath test.
During an inventory of the vehicle, a baggy of marijuana weighing 11.7 grams, a marijuana grinder, and an opened and empty bottle of liquor was found.
Freeman was transported to the Atoka County Jail where Officer Griffith administered the State’s Breath Test. The result was 0.14 Breath Alcohol Content.
He is charged with driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (misdemeanor), possession of a controlled dangerous substance (misdemeanor), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor).