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Three defendants, all convicted felons, now face felony charges accusing them of using ropes to pull down a power pole near Macomb in an attempt to steal the wiring.
John Harlan Meek III, 27, Oklahoma City, David Neil Dunn, 30, Muskogee, and Alexander Martinez Hernandez, 25, Oklahoma City, were charged conjointly in Pottawatomie County District Court Wednesday with one count of injuring pipes or wires.
They are accused of committing that crime by pulling down and breaking an electric pole near Gaddy Road and SH 59B on Jan. 13 in an attempt to steal the wiring, charges allege.
An arrest affidavit shows Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Lee was dispatched to that area to check reports of suspects in a yellow pickup being in that area and pulling down telephone wires.
At about 5:55 p.m. Lee arrived in the area and observed a yellow GMC pickup passing him and a high rate of speed.
Sheriff’s Lt. Joe McGirt was southbound on Gaddy Road at the time and clocked the same vehicle going 65 mph in a 35 mph zone, the affidavit shows, so he initiated a traffic stop. During that stop, an OG&E employee arrived and reported power was out in the area.
The affidavit shows Lee noticed about seven feet of rope, with an end frayed, was attached to a come-along, and also saw a hatchet and other tools in the bed of the pickup, the affidavit shows.
Meek, the driver, was found to be operating the vehicle with a suspended license, deputies discovered, and Dunn and Hernandez were the passengers.
A few minutes later, the person who reported the incident to authorities arrived and positively identified the suspects, telling deputies they pulled on the pole with a rope, the warrant reads.
The OG&E employee told deputies the poles involved were electric and stood about 37 feet off the ground.
According to the arrest warrant in the case, Meek told deputies he stood in the field adjacent to the pole, then when he heard the pole snap in half, he yelled at the others to leave and were on their way to Oklahoma City when they encountered the deputies. During questioning, Hernandez and Dunn both denied being involved, according to information in the warrant.
All three were arrested that evening and booked into the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center, where all three remained jailed Wednesday night. Meek is being held on a $25,00 bond while Dunn and Hernandez are each jailed on $20,000 bail.
If convicted of the felony, they could face up to three years in prison or up to one year in the county jail and or a fine. Because of their previous felony convictions, Meeker and Hernandez could face four years to life if convicted of this felony, while Dunn could face imprisonment up to 10 years upon conviction, court documents show.
Watch for updates.
Three defendants, all convicted felons, now face felony charges accusing them of using ropes to pull down a power pole near Macomb in an attempt to steal the wiring.
John Harlan Meek III, 27, Oklahoma City, David Neil Dunn, 30, Muskogee, and Alexander Martinez Hernandez, 25, Oklahoma City, were charged conjointly in Pottawatomie County District Court Wednesday with one count of injuring pipes or wires.
They are accused of committing that crime by pulling down and breaking an electric pole near Gaddy Road and SH 59B on Jan. 13 in an attempt to steal the wiring, charges allege.
An arrest affidavit shows Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Lee was dispatched to that area to check reports of suspects in a yellow pickup being in that area and pulling down telephone wires.
At about 5:55 p.m. Lee arrived in the area and observed a yellow GMC pickup passing him and a high rate of speed.
Sheriff’s Lt. Joe McGirt was southbound on Gaddy Road at the time and clocked the same vehicle going 65 mph in a 35 mph zone, the affidavit shows, so he initiated a traffic stop. During that stop, an OG&E employee arrived and reported power was out in the area.
The affidavit shows Lee noticed about seven feet of rope, with an end frayed, was attached to a come-along, and also saw a hatchet and other tools in the bed of the pickup, the affidavit shows.
Meek, the driver, was found to be operating the vehicle with a suspended license, deputies discovered, and Dunn and Hernandez were the passengers.
A few minutes later, the person who reported the incident to authorities arrived and positively identified the suspects, telling deputies they pulled on the pole with a rope, the warrant reads.
The OG&E employee told deputies the poles involved were electric and stood about 37 feet off the ground.
According to the arrest warrant in the case, Meek told deputies he stood in the field adjacent to the pole, then when he heard the pole snap in half, he yelled at the others to leave and were on their way to Oklahoma City when they encountered the deputies. During questioning, Hernandez and Dunn both denied being involved, according to information in the warrant.
All three were arrested that evening and booked into the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center, where all three remained jailed Wednesday night. Meek is being held on a $25,00 bond while Dunn and Hernandez are each jailed on $20,000 bail.
If convicted of the felony, they could face up to three years in prison or up to one year in the county jail and or a fine. Because of their previous felony convictions, Meeker and Hernandez could face four years to life if convicted of this felony, while Dunn could face imprisonment up to 10 years upon conviction, court documents show.
Watch for updates.
