Sallisaw Man Committed After 2002 Shooting Rampage Back In Court

A Sallisaw man committed to a psychiatric hospital for a 2002 shooting rampage that left two dead and eight others wounded was scheduled for a hearing in Sequoyah County District Court Thursday afternoon, according to court records.

A jury convicted 29-year-old Daniel Hawke Fears in 2004 of two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of drive-by shooting and eight counts of shooting with intent to kill. The Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals later overturned those convictions, finding that Fears was not guilty by reason of insanity. He was then transferred to the state psychiatric facility in 2006.

Earlier this month, according to court records, the state Forensic Review Board recommended Fears be released from the state psychiatric hospital for outpatient therapeutic visits. Fears' attorney, Rob Nigh, told News On 6 Fears would go for regular visits, but would remain in the custody of the state.

The District Attorney's Office objected to the review board's recommendation.

At a hearing in 2007, Judge Jeff Payton ruled Fears was too much of a danger to the community to be released.

Fears was 18 years old and a senior at Sallisaw High School when prosecutors say he broke into his father's house to steal a shotgun and then re-emerged to shoot at neighbors and bystanders. According to trial testimony, it started with a neighbor confronting Fears for driving recklessly through the neighborhood. The shooting spree extended from the neighborhood onto U.S. 64 from Sallisaw to Roland, where law enforcement finally stopped his pickup truck.

Patsy Sue Wells, 61, and Reba Spangler, 68, died.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

3/19/2007 Related Story: Fears Deemed Too Dangerous To Be Released