String Of Hit And Run Accidents Ends With Arrest

Monday, February 5th 2007, 10:33 am

By: News On 6

A one-man string of hit-and-run collisions had Tulsa police scrambling all over midtown Monday. News on 6 anchor Tami Marler reports on the manâ€™s collision course that damaged a Tulsa landmark.

"Uh we bought the car in the mid-70s. So it's been here about 30 years," said Paul Clayton with Ranch Acres Car Care.

Paul Clayton's little Model-A was a landmark at 30th & Harvard, folks in the area used it to give directions.

About two blocks south of Claytonâ€™s business, police say 28-year-old David Mizelle was in a hurry.

"And went off the roadway and hit the Model-T behind us and spun around and hit this fire hydrant. He continued northbound and hit Kerry's Cakes," said Tulsa Police Officer Doug Chism. "Ran into Kerry Cakes building, stopped there. A truck tried to pull in and stop him right there. He backed into that truck and then took off."

As Clayton watched the truck chase Mizelle one thought went through his mind.

"Does he have insurance? That's what you were thinking? That's what I'm thinking," said Clayton.

Officers say Mizelle lost control coming around a curve on the Broken Arrow Expressway near Atlanta. He lost a wheel and rolled down an embankment and took off on foot into a neighborhood, said police.

"We actually found him in a backyard, captured him pretty quickly," Tulsa Police Sergeant Rick Bondy said.

Sgt. Bondy says Mizelle had an excuse for arresting officers.

"He told us he was late for court,â€ said Bondy.

Mizelle was due to face felony stalking charges, after a prior conviction for misdemeanor stalking. He was released from prison for a weapons conviction a few months ago, and court records show a host of other offenses, and the charges are adding-up.

"What we have here is him hitting one, two, three, four, five, six, about six items. Now he has a totaled Pontiac Firebird," Officer Chism said.

Police found no proof of insurance in Mizelle's car, but Paul Clayton won't let that keep him from putting his little Model-A back where it's been for 30-years.

"I'll get it fixed. One way or two we'll get it fixed and get it back up there," he said.

Mizelle is in jail on $10,000 bond for the stalking charge. Tulsa Police have added complaints of reckless driving, driving under suspension, with no proof of insurance and leaving the scene of an accident.