High Speed Pursuit Through Elk City Streets Leads to Felony Charges

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April 12, 2021

By News Director Jared Atha

A Sayre man received multiple felony charges in Beckham County recently after leading authorities on a high speed pursuit through Elk City streets.

According to the probable cause affidavit, 39-year-old Jessie Earl Woodall was a suspect in a domestic assault and battery case in Washita County and was spotted going westbound on Interstate 40 between Canute and Elk City on the morning of March 29. Eventually the vehicle he was traveling in was spotted by Elk City Police at an Elk City apartment building. When a Beckham County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived, the car with two subjects inside – Woodall and 41-year-old Allen Dean Shelton – was observed leaving the area. When the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on 7th Street, the car would accelerate and lead the deputy on a high speed pursuit. It was reported that when traveling east through the 7th Street and Randall intersection, speeds of 70 mph were reached, and at one point while attempted to turn south onto Washington Street, the vehicle lost control and nearly ran into a home.

The pursuit would continue south on Washington, through the 20th Street intersection, and eventually onto the should of westbound I-40. The report said that the car would run through a barbed wire fence, enter the soccer fields, and tear through another fence before coming to a stop. There the suspect would exit the vehicle and flee on foot. The deputy said that Woodall was observed holding what he believed to be an AR-15 rifle. The deputy would draw his pistol and gave verbal commands to Woodall to drop the weapon, however Woodall refused and would later enter a storage container.

After more authorities arrived, and after more verbal commands, Woodall would eventually toss out the rifle and also a pistol. Woodall was arrested without incident.

The affidavit stated that after inspecting the weapons, both guns were loaded and had a round in the chamber with the AR-15’s selector switch in the fire position. That AR-15 was confirmed to be stolen out of Custer County.

The passenger of the vehicle, Shelton, was located and arrested as well.

A search of the suspect’s vehicle would find another loaded hand gun that was confirmed stolen out of Sayre, and 30.5 grams of methamphetamine.

Woodall was charged with three counts of possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction, trafficking in illegal drugs, endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude a police officer, and knowingly concealing stolen property.

Woodall’s bond was set at $500,000. His first court appearance is scheduled for May 3.