Frustrating Obstacles Don't Stop Muskogee Man From Pursuing Driver's License

A 20-year-old Muskogee man has been waiting four years to get his driver's license.

Different obstacles, coupled with extremely long wait times at the Muskogee DMV has him feeling defeated.

Everett Burk has been trying to get his driver's license for four years now. He's 20-years-old and he's on the Autism spectrum. But he said his disability shouldn't stop him from being an independent, successful member of society.

Burk has been working since he was 16 to get his driver's license but he's hit just about every speed bump imaginable.

"I have done that, that exact same process. Waking up in the morning at four in the morning and expecting to pass that test five times," Burk said. 

Burk, who's Autistic, said the first two times he failed the driver's test because he wasn't ready.

He said he had a mini-meltdown when he failed the second time, so the third and fourth times an employee at the Muskogee DMV said he needed a psych evaluation before he could take the test.

"Apparently, a kid who has a meltdown like any other human being, simply just cannot drive," Burk said. 

Burk's fifth time came with yet another roadblock.

"I was ready! I was ready to take that test. I was going to destroy it," Burk said. 

"They said his permit expired three days ago. And I just, I couldn't believe it," said Burk’s mom Juliet. 

So Everett had to re-take the written test but was told he couldn't read the questions out loud.

"I'm an auditory learner," Burk said. 

Everett failed the test.

He's been practicing taking the test without talking and said his scores are really good, but he said he's afraid to go back.

"It's PTSDMV," Burk said. 

He said all he wants is to be able to live his life.

"I want to be useful. I want to contribute to the world I'm in," Burk said. 

"How bad does it feel that he has to wait for his parents to take him somewhere? He's 20," Juliet said. "Experience. Independence. A sense of self-esteem. A life."

News On 6 tried to talk to multiple people with the DMV and even had a phone interview set up, but it didn't happen.