Cushing man accused of illegally using vehicle

  STILLWATER — A 59-year-old ex-convict from Cushing has been jailed on $7,500 bond pending an Aug. 3 court appearance on charges of illegally using his former employer’s vehicle and being intoxicated in public.

   Michael Lee Hastings could be given a two-year prison term plus 30 days in jail if convicted of unauthorized use of a red Kawasaki Mule 550 and public intoxication, according to the two-count charge filed last week.

   In his latest case, Hastings, who had been released from prison in 2018 after serving two concurrent marijuana possession sentences from Payne County, was arrested at 2:36 pm on July 12 by Cushing Police Officer Jonathan Walker, court records show.

   The Cushing officer alleged in an affidavit that at 2:10 pm “I was dispatched to the area of Michigan and Greenlee in reference to Michael Hastings (known to me from previous contacts) operating a side by side while intoxicated. I arrived and observed a red side by side in the south alley of the 1100 block of E. Greenlee.

   “I informed Hastings my reason for contacting him and advised the side by side (a red Kawasaki Mule 550) was not street legal and could not be operated on the roadway. Hastings advised he would keep it parked. I observed that he had red bloodshot watery eyes, slurred speech and was wobbling side to side and forward and back.

   “I spoke with (the owner) who stated that Hastings took the side by side after being told not to. (He) advised that he wished to pursue charges against Hastings for taking the side by side without permission.”

   In a written statement, the owner alleged, “I have repeatedly told Michael Hastings, a former employee, not to use my equipment without my permission. He refuses to do that. Friday evening, he took my Case 480 tractor and was seen at Braums. I got a call from a friend asking me what it was doing there.

   “About 30 or 40 minutes later, a family member called and said he was running up and down Greenlee Street with the box blade dragging and making sparks. Today (Sunday) he was seen driving my Kawasaki Mule around. Again, he is not supposed to drive any of my equipment…period.

   “I have told him and texted him, but he ignores me. I have no choice but to prosecute him for theft,” the affidavit said.

   According to the state Department of Corrections, Hastings had previously been incarcerated for drunk driving on four occasions in Lincoln County between 1998 and 2007. Hastings also had been imprisoned for drunk driving in Payne County in 2001, DOC records show.