OSBI looking into deputy's shooting of man near Pryor

<br>PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the fatal shooting of a Locust Grove man by a Mayes County sheriff's deputy. <br><br>Deputy Jeffrey Yarbrough is on

Tuesday, July 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the fatal shooting of a Locust Grove man by a Mayes County sheriff's deputy.

Deputy Jeffrey Yarbrough is on paid suspension after he shot Jeremy Pickup around 11:30 p.m. Saturday near Pryor.

Yarbrough, 31, was called to an industrial park by a woman worker who reported that two intoxicated men refused to get out of her car, OSBI investigators said. When Yarbrough arrived, Pickup, 22, was outside the car walking.

Pickup ignored repeated orders to get on the ground, officials said. The deputy chased him around two buildings before cornering him, Sheriff Frank Cantey said.

Yarbrough had drawn his weapon and radioed for backup when he fired at Pickup as the man allegedly charged the deputy, OSBI spokeswoman Kym Koch said. A Chouteau police officer who had arrived to assist Yarbrough saw the shooting.

Pickup was hit once in the chest at close range, investigators said.

Cantey said Monday that Pickup did not have a weapon but had threatened to kill the deputy.

Pickup was serving a five-year deferred sentence in Mayes County after pleading guilty in 1999 to charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

He previously had been arrested for public intoxication and driving under the influence, according to court records.

Cantey said it was unclear why Pickup and a relative were at the industrial park.

The dead man's uncle, Scott Pickup, was arrested and booked on a public intoxication complaint. There were outstanding warrants against the second man, Cantey said.

Results of the investigation will be turned over to the district attorney's office.