Dangerous demolition derby chase puts 67-year-old man in jail

ANADARKO — A high-speed chase complete with law enforcement in pursuit took a turn toward becoming a demolition derby.

When all was said and done, a 67-year-old Caddo County man was behind bars.

Steven Eads, of Carnegie, made his initial appearance Monday in Caddo County District Court where he received five felony counts of assault, battery, or assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as well as another felony count of endangering others while eluding police, records indicate. Each assault count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Caddo County Sheriff’s Deputy Taylor Martin stated shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday he was traveling northbound on Oklahoma 58 in Carnegie when a red Dodge truck speeded southbound across the bridge at 95 mph in a 45 mph zone before turning eastbound onto Cedar Street. The deputy dropped into pursuit and called dispatch for assistance from Carnegie police.

The pickup stopped in the middle of East Cedar, just west of Oklahoma 9, Taylor stated. Next, the reverse lights caught the deputy’s attention before the truck backed into the deputy’s patrol unit, the probable cause affidavit. The truck then took off and drove at speeds over 100 mph, Taylor stated.

As the deputy approached a bridge south of a gravel county street, Taylor stated he saw the truck’s reverse lights again through the dust moments before being struck, the affidavit states. The truck took off southbound and Carnegie Police Officer Logan Davis took lead of the pursuit soon after.

The pickup struck Davis’ patrol vehicle, causing significant damage and making it inoperable, Taylor stated. The deputy returned to lead the pursuit.

Taylor stated he found the truck stopped in the middle of a county road and he kept a distance. When the reverse lights turned on, Taylor, too reversed and avoided being struck again, according to the affidavit. The pursuit continued.

While traveling westbound on the county road, Taylor saw the pickup reversing on a bridge, the affidavit states. “… before I was able to react, the vehicle struck my patrol vehicle, causing me to hit my head on the roof of my patrol vehicle and then go forward and reverse, striking me again causing damage to my driver’s side,” Taylor stated.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol then took lead of the pursuit and were able to stop the truck after using a stop stick that punctured the tires. The driver lost control and drove through a field before becoming disabled east of Oklahoma 54 after striking a fence, according to the affidavit.

Eads refused commands to exit the truck and the highway patrol deployed gas into the truck to get him out and “it was not effective,” Taylor stated. He was eventually subdued and taken into custody.

Eads is being held on $50,000 bond.