Tyler Edwards
(DOC file photo)
By Patti Weaver
STILLWATER — A 34-year-old Elk City man has been given a 30-year-prison term for beating his mother in the head with a metal framed extension cord reel while they were camping at Lake Carl Blackwell, which is part of Oklahoma State University.
Tyler James Lee Edwards was also given two concurrent 30-year prison terms for attacking two OSU police officers, who responded to the lake shortly after midnight on May 31, 2024, court records show.
Edwards pleaded guilty to a three-count charge before Payne County Associate District Judge Michael Kulling, who sentenced him earlier this month in accordance with a prosecutor’s recommendation, court records show.
Since Edwards had previously been convicted of domestic violence and car theft in Oklahoma County, he could have been given as much as three life prison terms if he hadn’t accepted a plea agreement with the prosecution, court records show.
Edwards has been in the Payne County Jail since his arrest on May 31, 2024, court records show.
A woman who called the OSU Police Department said that children at the campsite thought someone had been murdered, an affidavit said.
Edwards was about 30 yards away in the lake when OSU Police Officer William Patterson arrived on scene, according to his affidavit.
Using his patrol car’s PA system, the officer said he “advised the suspect to return to shore where the red and blue emergency lights were flashing.
“The suspect continued wading in the water and went completely under the water multiple times…The suspect continued yelling incoherently, confirming our suspicions he might be intoxicated,” the affidavit said.
After about 15 minutes, “Edwards slowly made it to the shoreline. Once on shore, approximately one yard away from myself and other officers from several other agencies, Edwards punched OSU Officer Page in the right cheek.
“Myself and several other officers immediately took Edwards to the ground…Edwards appeared in good physical health aside from the obvious signs of extreme intoxication. I asked Edwards if he was on PCP. Edwards stated he was on PCP.
“We then lifted Edwards up and began walking him further on shore where a LifeNet ambulance was waiting to treat him.
“Officer Alvarado and I continued walking Edwards towards the ambulance when Edwards began looking at me with a blank stare. As we continued walking, Edwards head-butted me in my right cheek. Officer Alvarado took Edwards to the ground.
“I took photos of the campsite/crime scene. There was a large pool of blood laying next to one of the tents with an extension cord reel laying inches from it. The extension cord reel had hair that was mangled/entangled in it. I confirmed with (a witness) that the reel was used by Tyler Edwards,” to assault his mother, Officer Patterson wrote in his affidavit.
