A Durant man was arrested after a traffic stop on October 23. Marshall County Sergeant Morris was on patrol at approximately 3:30 p.m. when he observed a 1980’s model Lincoln Town Car approach a stop sign while it was traveling northbound on Cumberland Road.
Morris then watched as the vehicle stop at the intersection, pull onto Highway 199 then make an illegal Uturn. Since Morris couldn’t safely turn around to follow the car, he turned left and then turned around when it was safe. Since the officer had to wait till it was safe to turn around, he lost sight of the vehicle.
A short time later, Morris observed the same vehicle traveling northbound on Cumberland Road. While traveling north, Morris watched the vehicle driving down the middle of the road, taking up part of both lanes. That was when Morris pulled out behind the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.
Once pulled over, Morris noticed that the vehicle had three occupants. Even though the vehicle pulled into the gravel lot near the intersection of Highway 199 on the west side of Cumberland Road, Morris noticed that driver did not put the car in park.
As Morris exited his vehicle, the driver, later identified as Joshua Keeton, put the car in drive and drove forward a little bit. Keeton then put the vehicleinreverseandaccelerated in the direction of Morris. The officer unholstered his weapon and pointed it at the vehicle and gave him commandstostopthevehicle.
Keetoneventuallystopped the vehicle, but then he hung out of the window and argued with Morris. Even though Morris ordered Keeton to exit the vehicle multiple times, the suspect failed to comply. The officer then approached the vehicle on the driver’s side, still giving Keeton orders to exit the vehicle.
Keeton was still resisting as he attempted to roll the window up. The officer opened the vehicle door, and the suspect attempted to shut it back. Morris acted quickly that that moment and finally was able to pull Keeton from the vehicle.
Keeton became even more combative with Morris tried to cuff the suspect. Morris noticed that Keeton kept trying to retrieve something out of his pocket.
Morris removed the suspect’s hand from the pocket and felt something L-shaped in Keeton’s pocket. Morris, believing the object to be a firearm, put Keeton on the ground to deter the suspect from reaching the possible weapon.
The officer was finally able to secure Keeton in handcuffs without any further issues. Morris searched the suspect’s pocket and located a chamber-loaded Springfield Xds 9MM. After placing Keeton in his patrol unit, Morris returned to the suspect’s vehicle to identify the other occupants.
A deputy who arrived on scene shortly after Morris and Keeton’s scuffle, identified the other occupants and checked the vehicle for weapons. No warrants were found on the two occupants, so, they were released.
After officers searched the vehicle and did an inventory of the vehicle for impound, two firearms and range gear were found in it. Once in jail confinement, Keeton allegedly told another officer that hewastryingtoreachthegun in his pocket to shoot Morris.
Keeton is facing charges for Endangering Others While Eluding/Attempting to Elude, Attempted Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.
No Oklahoma priors were found in an online search.