OSBI Investigating Death Of Jail Inmate

Saturday, February 24th 2007, 8:24 pm

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has been asked to look into the death of a Payne County jail inmate, who was arrested after he allegedly tried to run down an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper more than a week ago.

Another prisoner found Christopher Alexander Tarbox hanging inside his cell about 9 p.m. last Sunday. Investigators think the hanging was a suicide, OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.

Undersheriff Noel Bagwell said the patrol spotted Tarbox on Feb. 15 driving what appeared to be a stolen pickup truck. When troopers tried to pull him over, he sped up and headed toward a trooper who had gotten out of his patrol car, Bagwell said.

The trooper fired several shots at the vehicle, apparently hitting Tarbox in the leg.

He was arrested and booked a day later on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle, running a roadblock and assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the police pursuit. Tarbox was treated at a local hospital and released.

Brown said investigators are awaiting a formal report from the medical examiner.