Tahlequah Man Arrested After Tulsa Police Chase

Police arrested a 26-year-old Tahlequah man late Monday after chasing him on the ground and by helicopter.

Police Captain Eric Nelson says it began just before 10:45 p.m. near Admiral and Delaware when officers tried to stop the driver of a Ford Fusion when the car's license tag didn't match the car it was on and the front windshield appeared to be smashed in.

The driver, later identified as Dustin Gifford didn't stopped so police chased him for about three miles until their helicopter began following the car from overhead.  

Captain Nelson says the car eventually hit a curb, flattened a rear tire and caused it come to a stop behind a restaurant in the 500 block of South 129th East Avenue.

Gifford and a female passenger got out and ran off.  Police found Dustin Gifford who told them the car belonged to his grandmother in Tahlequah.  Gifford also admitted he had been on drugs and was dehydrated.

The passenger was not located.

Police said after Dustin Gifford was checked out at the hospital, he was booked into the Tulsa County jail on complaints including eluding, resisting arrest and having an improper tag.