An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was notified of a vehicle traveling at high speeds near Jet driven by someone without permission to do so. According to court documents, Trooper Robert Cottrill was told Nov. 19 that the vehicle was an older Jeep with wood panel siding and was traveling south out of Jet.
When Cottrill was just south of Jet, he was told the Jeep was now traveling west on f US-64 out of Jet. The trooper located the Jeep on the side of the highway by County Road 690. He saw a man and a dog walking west about 200 yards from the vehicle. Cottrill called Alfalfa County Sheriff’s Office and told them the vehicle was parked. He asked if it was reported stolen and did not hear a reply.
He turned around to go back to the vehicle and secure it until he received an answer on whether or not it was stolen. Heading back toward the Jeep, Cottrill approached the man and dog. The man ran out into the road to the center line. Cottrill swerved to the right fearing the man was trying to commit suicide by being run over. He spun around and pulled over to the shoulder. He ordered the man to the ground at gunpoint. Cottrill states the man could not be reasoned with and did not want to listen. He finally complied. Cottrill approached and asked if he had any weapons. He said he had a knife in his pocket that Cottrill secured. He got his Mississippi identification card out of his wallet which identified him as Shawn Dale Sauls.
Sauls said he thought Cottrill was his wife (Lisa Severe), and he was only flagging her down. Cottrill asked if his wife drove a black Charger with a light bar, push bar and OHP on the side. Sauls said no but he didn’t see all that.
While Cottrill was running Sauls’ ID and checking for warrants, an Alfalfa County deputy arrived. Sauls kept asking questions and waving his hands. Sauls said he doesn’t have any warrants because he pays his fines. No warrants were found, but Cottrill handcuffed Sauls because he was in the Jeep without permission.
Cottrill asked the deputy to take Sauls to the jail while he took care of the Jeep. As they were putting Sauls in the back of the Jeep, Sauls looked at Cottrill and said, “I will see you when I get out.” Cottrill explained the threat would be noted in the report. Sauls said it wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. While face to face with him, Cottrill noted an odor of alcoholic beverage from Sauls.
Cottrill states Sauls would not put his feet in the patrol vehicle. He asked what they were going to do with his dog. Cottrill asked who could come get it, and Sauls said to just shoot it. Cottrill said they wouldn’t shoot the dog, and it was put in the front seat of the deputy’s vehicle. Cottrill asked the deputy, who was on the driver’s side, if he was going to use his tazer. Sauls started yelling at him, giving Cottrill the opportunity to seatbelt him in and put his feet in the vehicle.
When Cottrill checked the Jeep, he found the windshield had been kicked in over the driver’s side. He saw footprints on the hood and window that matched the shoes Sauls was wearing. The Jeep had left approximately 300 feet of skid marks (with one wheel). The driver’s door had been bent where someone had kicked it from the inside, and the keys were missing. Cottrill found the keys approximately 50 feet north and realized the ignition key had been broken off in the ignition.
Rusty Dunavent said he would pick up the Jeep which was his dad’s. He said he didn’t give anyone permission to drive it. The vehicle started but would not come out of park and would freely roll. It was later explained that Sauls had slammed it into park while it was moving down the road.
Cottrill spoke to a witness who wrote a statement saying he watched Sauls slap Lisa Severe, hit her in the stomach with a closed fist, wrestle her to the ground and choke her. Another witness reported seeing Sauls kicking the Jeep. Another woman wrote a statement that Sauls was acting strange and argumentative, punching a hole in a cabinet and breaking some pictures.
Shawn Dale Sauls, 39, of Jet has been charged with domestic abuse after prior pattern of physical abuse, a felony. This crime is punishable by one to ten years under supervision of the Department of Corrections and/or a $5,000 fine. Sauls is also charged with loitering in, injuring or molesting a motor vehicle or joy riding, a felony. This crime is punishable for up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $500. His bond has been set at $40,000, and his next court appearance is Dec. 6.
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