Rogers Co. Sheriff’s Office Arrests Suspected Thief After Good Samaritan Drives Him To Deputies

A quick-thinking good Samaritan in Wagoner County brought a suspect straight to deputies during a manhunt Monday night.  

Deputies said Tyler Duncan is suspected of trying to steal a trailer, stealing a truck and crashing it, then breaking into two Rogers County deputy vehicles. Deputies also said Duncan stole a sheriff’s office jacket, a rifle magazine, and handcuffs.

The good Samaritan said Duncan ended up on his property, and said he was trying to get out of the area. The good Samaritan said he offered Duncan a ride on his side by side but took him straight to deputies.  

Before that happened, investigators said the suspect showed up on Leatrice Cotton's property near Inola, in a truck stolen from Claremore. Cotton said the suspect stole his trailer, but came back, and got stuck in the mud.  

"He didn't get very far,” Cotton said.  

Cotton said Duncan tried to steal his red truck next, which has damage to the steering column inside.  

"I said 'hey!' I said, 'This is my truck, you wanna get out?' He started yelling at me, just yelling at the top of his lungs, 'This is my truck! This is my truck!'" Cotton explained.  

Cotton said he was able to get Duncan out of the red truck and said Duncan went across a field, and then stole Cotton's step-son's truck. 

"And I followed him all the way around until he wrecked in my neighbor's yard,” Cotton said.  

That truck is now on Cotton's property, but he said it is totaled.  

Cotton said the suspect also tried to get away with another truck, but there was not a battery inside. He said his red truck was locked and Duncan managed to break in.  

"When we were a lot younger, we never locked our doors, you know this is the country, nobody gives you any trouble out here,” Cotton said.  

Cotton's neighbor said the suspect ended up on his property, wearing a Rogers County sheriff's office jacket, after investigators say Duncan broke into two of their vehicles.  

The neighbor brought Duncan straight to deputies, saying he drove quickly on his side-by-side, so the suspect would not try to jump out.  

"It was a great collaborative effort and it means a lot to have an individual like this off the street,” Wagoner County Deputy Jake Carey said. 

Duncan was arrested on one complaint of being in possession of a stolen vehicle, two complaints of attempted larceny of a vehicle, on complaint of second-degree burglary, one complaint of larceny of a vehicle, two complaints of third degree burglary from a vehicle, and one complaint of obstructing an officer.  He is in the Wagoner County Jail.

Cotton said the suspect also stole tools from his shed, but deputies have already been able to get those back to him. 

Cotton's property is near the Wagoner and Rogers county line, which is why deputies from both agencies were on scene. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol also responded.