Witness Films Part Of Crime Spree That Wounded Oologah Officer

A witness caught part of the crime spree that ended with three suspects in jail on cell phone video.

Friday, May 29th 2015, 7:09 pm

By: News On 6

Witness Films Part Of Crime Spree That Wounded Oologah Officer

An Oologah police officer is recovering from a gunshot wound and a car wreck after a high-speed chase that ended in Kansas. Along the way, there was a second shooting and a carjacking.

A witness caught part of the crime spree that ended with three suspects in jail on cell phone video.

The OSBI says this all started when an officer from the Talala Police Department made a traffic stop. When he decided to arrest the three people inside the car, he called for backup and the Oologah officer responded. When they told the driver to step out, they say he took off. That's when everything went crazy.

A man driving by didn't know what was happening when he saw officers with guns drawn and a man covered in blood, but he shot this cell phone footage, just in case.

The man with blood on him is David Henderson, he was shot and carjacked of his red truck. He is going to survive.

5/29/2015 Related Story: Three Suspects In Custody In Oologah Officer's Shooting

Before that though, about four miles after the Oologah and Talala officers gave chase, they say the suspects started shooting at them.

Oologah Officer Charles Neill got hit in the head and that caused him to flip his patrol car. Officer Neill recently graduated from Rogers State University with his Bachelor's degree. He's a former Navy veteran and has been on the force about a year. He has a wife and three sons. People in his small town were sad to hear the news.

"It was devastating. It's a small town. Everybody knows everybody so it's absolutely heartbreaking," said Lela, a Talala resident.

After Officer Neill's crash, police say the suspect driver ditched his vehicle and the two passengers jumped out and ran into the woods. Deputies quickly arrested them, Cesar Rios and Roxanne Mendoza.

They say the driver then carjacked Henderson of his truck and took off again until he pulled into a driveway. They say he shot at a deputy there then ran off.

A lot of officers from many different agencies searched for him all night and found him Friday morning, hiding in a closet in a nearby house.

They arrested Alejandro Garcia and say they found an AR-15 and body armor in the original vehicle.

"The little bit of information I've gotten about it, I don't know if it's a cartel - but it's kind of scary," Michael said.

The citizens I talked to don't care as much why it happened as just the fact it happened at all. They just want this officer to recover soon and be able to get back out on the streets.

Officer Neill's family is involved with the Boy Scouts, and the Scouts are hosting a prayer circle for the family Friday evening in Skiatook.