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Shots fired during pursuit |
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Wednesday, 23 September 2009 |
By Jenny Huggins
News Reporter
A registered sex offender from LeFlore County was recently arrested and jailed on charges of assault and battery.
According to an affidavit filed Sept. 2 in the LeFlore County Court Clerk's Office, LeFlore County Undersheriff Donnie Edwards was dispatched to Fanshawe on Aug. 31 to speak with the victim of the alleged attack, Sheldon Sumpter.
Sumpter told Edwards that Jimmy Don Mattox had assaulted him with a tire iron, striking him in the head and shoulder area. Edwards saw several large knots on Sumpter's shoulders and bleeding lacerations on his head. Sumpter reportedly told the undersheriff that Mattox and Dawn Tutton had left the scene in a red flatbed truck headed toward Wister.
Edwards called for assistance from the Wister and Heavener police departments in watching for the vehicle.
Later in the evening a Heavener police officer informed the sheriff's office that he was in pursuit of the suspect on a wildlife management road near Potts Mountain Road.
Edwards and LeFlore County Sheriff Bruce Curnutt were in the Wister area and left to intercept the suspect.
A roadblock was established by Curnutt and Heavener Chief of Police Ty Armstrong in the vicinity and the report states that as the suspect approached he accelerated and drove toward the officers.
The officers gave verbal commands to stop the vehicle and Mattox allegedly continued to accelerate toward them. Edwards then shot out both tires on the left side of the vehicle to try and protect the officers from the accelerating vehicle.
The suspect reportedly turned east on Potts Mountain Road and traveled two miles, turned onto a private drive and drove approximately one-half mile with Heavener units in pursuit.
At this time both suspects reportedly jumped from the vehicle and fled into the woods.
Officers searched for the suspects for approximately one and one-half hours with no results. Heavener Police Officer Derrick Woodral and Edwards identified the driver as being Mattox. The vehicle was impounded by Heavener.
Mattox surrendered himself Sept. 2 to the LeFlore County Sheriff's Office where he was booked and taken to the LeFlore County Detention Center where he remains.
Mattox was convicted in October 1991 of first degree rape and forcible sodomy. He is a Level 3 sex offender registered with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 September 2009 )
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