Local Author Arrested

Saturday, February 24th 2007, 2:41 pm

By: News On 6

A local author and model citizen spends a night behind bars in Tulsa. William Bernhardt, who has written dozens of novels about crime and punishment, was booked into jail on Friday on misdemeanor complaints of driving under the influence and resisting arrest.

A Tulsa police officer says Bernhardtâ€™s green Land Rover pulled out in front of him on 61st Street around lunchtime on Friday. The officer tried to stop Bernhardt after he hit two curbs, said police. According to the police report, he did not pull over and hit two more curbs. Documents say the author finally pulled over when his SUV began to smoke.

The officer says Bernhardt refused to get out of the vehicle, and appeared to reach for something between the seats. That's when police say they pulled him out of the SUV, threw him to the ground and took him to jail. Bernhardt spent the night in jail and was released on bond early Saturday morning.

Bernhardt was supposed to be the keynote speaker at this week's Citizens Crime Commission Police Awards Banquet. The Crime Commission's executive director tells the News on 6 she was surprised by his arrest, and that several people are scrambling to find another speaker.