Justin Howard
(PCSD file photo)
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 20-year-old Cushing man has admitted possessing a van stolen from Grand Lakes Mental Health in Stillwater and also burglarizing a car in Cushing, court records show.
Justin Farish Howard was released from the Payne County Jail Friday after pleading guilty to both felony charges before Associate District Judge Michael Kulling, who scheduled his sentencing for July 16 under Delayed Sentencing for young offenders.
Cushing Police Officer Connor Clark had been sent at 10:30 pm on July 28, 2023, to the 1100 block of E. North about a van playing loud music, his affidavit said.
“The caller stated that there was a white van on the east side of their church playing loud music and requested us to speak with them.
“I observed a white male sitting in the driver seat of the vehicle. I recognized the individual, Justin Howard, from previous encounters with him as a law enforcement officer.
“I informed Howard of the reason I was there, and he replied that he did not know his music was that loud. Dispatch then advised that the van was registered to Grand Lakes Mental Health. However, the vehicle was not reported stolen.
“Howard also stated that he was not driving the van, and that he was waiting on (another man) to return from getting food. Due to the van not being reported stolen at the time, I advised Howard to lock the van and leave the property on foot, which he did,” the officer wrote in his affidavit.
“Upon our arrival at the police department, dispatch advised that they were able to speak with a Grand Lakes employee, who stated that they did not know the van was missing. Grand Lakes stated they would send somebody over to pick up the van and gave us consent to search the van for keys,” but police were not able to locate them, the officer wrote in his affidavit.
When staff from Grand Lakes Mental Health arrived at 12:04 am, “they stated that Howard had arrived at their facility on 7/27/2023 voluntarily after an apparent overdose. Upon Howard’s arrival, he refused treatment at the facility. The Grand Lake employees stated he then walked out the door, and that was the last they saw him,” the affidavit said.
In a separate charge of car burglary, the same Cushing officer was sent at 12:56 am on July 29, 2023, to the 1100 block of E. North regarding a theft that had occurred the previous day, an affidavit said.
A Cushing man said, “he was reviewing security footage in reference to a separate incident that occurred on the property the previous day,” in which Howard entered his vehicle and stole several items, the affidavit said.
“Among the items taken was a tool roll containing a full set of craftsman wrenches, four screwdrivers, three crescent wrenches, four pliers, one hammer, various other tools, the shifter knob to the vehicle, a double zipper pouch containing a Bible, pens and a tire gauge, a small first aid kit, a large roadside kit, two flashlights, loose change in the console, a ring in the console, two glasses cases, an audio auxiliary cord, and an iPhone charger cord,” the affidavit said.
The Cushing man provided police with security footage, which showed Howard searching through the vehicle and exiting it with what appears to be the man’s tool roll, the affidavit said.
