Man In Stolen Jeep Leads Officers On Chase, Crashes Into Creek, Police Say

A police chase early Tuesday morning ended in a Tulsa creek with a man in custody.

Tulsa police said the chase spanned several miles, took officers through downtown Tulsa and reached speeds of more than 80 miles per hour at some points.

The arrest and booking report showed an officer spotted a stolen Jeep parked at a convenience store near 46th North and Lewis just after midnight Tuesday.

Police said Keith Holmes was in the driver's seat when an officer pulled up and asked Holmes and a passenger to get out.

The arrest report said the passenger listened, but Holmes did not. Instead, police said the suspect backed out of the parking lot and nearly hit the passenger before starting a pursuit.

The report said Holmes “ignored the rules of the road” by driving erratically. It said he ran red lights and stop signs and at one point nearly hit another car.

Tulsa Police Sergeant Ashley Loncarich said TPD’s helicopter was overhead throughout the pursuit and officers threw out stop sticks several times, but said the suspect drove around them.

Police said Holmes drove around construction zone barriers and crashed into a creek near Charles Page Blvd and 65th West Avenue.

"The driver of the SUV attempted to drive through the water and kind up over the mud, but the vehicle became lodged and he jumped out on foot and ran through mud and I think at that point he just decided to give up," Sgt. Loncarich.

Loncarich said that is where officers say they arrested Holmes.

The arrest report said Holmes has a suspended license and told officers he was supposed to return the Jeep to someone several days ago.