High-speed pursuit puts wanted Cache man back behind bars

A Dec. 6 high-speed pursuit that included a crash through a Faxon home’s fence and yard and ended in Cotton County has a Cache man in jail on $500,000 bond.

That he had failed to appear to hearing for five other cases means another $200,000 bond each was placed on top of that.

Clint Ray Cardenaz, 41, made his initial appearance Friday in Comanche County District Court where he received felony charges of endangering others while eluding/attempting to elude police and possession of a firearm after former felony convictions as well as misdemeanor counts of destroying evidence, driving without a valid license and unsafe lane use, records indicate.

Lawton Police Officer Hunter Phillips stated shortly before 7 a.m. Dec. 6 he attempted to make a traffic stop on a red Chevrolet Camaro that failed to maintain its proper lane. When the officer kicked on his lights and siren, the Camaro took off at a high rate of speed southbound on Interstate 44, the probable cause affidavit states. The driver, identified as Cardenaz, was seen throwing something out of the window that sparked as it hit the pavement, according to the officer.

The pursuit, which reached over 120 mph, turned west on Oklahoma 36 and, Phillips stated, a black bag was thrown out the passenger window near Southwest 82nd Street. The Camaro went into oncoming lanes of traffic in a construction zone near Faxon. Cardenaz lost control at one point and drove through a fence and yard before continuing at a high rate of speed before finally ending in Cotton County, the affidavit states. Cardenaz was taken into custody after Cotton County Sheriff’s deputies used a pitting maneuver to stop the car. It was learned Cardenaz had five failure to appear warrants in Comanche County.

Police were able to recover the item thrown from the driver’s side window early in the pursuit. A black firearm, heavily damaged from the impact, was found, according to the affidavit.

The passenger told police that during the pursuit, Cardenaz told her he had a gun in the car and threw it out, Phillips stated.

Cardenaz has three prior felony convictions in Comanche County: May 2012, aggravated assault and battery; September 2012, larceny of automobile; and January 2017, possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, records indicate.

Cardenaz had outstanding arrest warrants after failing to appear for cases filed in: September 2022, felony charges of possession of a firearm after former felony conviction and unauthorized use of a vehicle, as well as misdemeanor counts of possession of meth and improper stopping; Jan. 24 for felony charges of trafficking in methamphetamine and endangering others while eluding/attempting to elude police, and misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, attempted destroying of evidence, driving without a valid license and driving left of center; Jan. 27 for felony charges of second-degree burglary and possession of a firearm after former felony conviction; July 6 for felony counts of unlawful use of a phone in the commission of a felony and conspiracy to bring contraband into jail; and Aug. 21 for a felony count of possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, records indicate. He is slated to appear in the upcoming February 2024 jury trial docket.

For the latest charges, Cardenaz is slated to appear in court at 3 p.m. Jan. 8, 2024, for his preliminary hearing conference.