(Stillwater, Okla.) – A pickup truck driver, who allegedly told a police officer he was texting on the phone while driving before skidding, has been ordered to stand trial on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident in Stillwater.
Zachary Jon Harbin, 27, of Arlington, Texas, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday and was allowed to remain free on $5,000 bail pending his arraignment in trial court on Jan. 2, 2015, on the Payne County charge.
Harbin had been arrested on July 22 at 9:35 p.m., less than an hour after Stillwater Police Officer Daryle Gee was sent to an injury accident at Sixth and Western Streets in Stillwater, court records show.
“A witness had observed a small red pickup with a Texas tag travel westbound and pulled into the parking lot of the Days Inn Hotel located at 5010 W. 6th Avenue,” the officer wrote in an affidavit.
“Dispatch advised there was damage to the pickup and the pickup had a flat tire. Dispatch advised witness stated it appears the pickup was trying to hide behind a building,” the affidavit said.
“I saw a large amount of damage to the driver’s side of the pickup and the left rear tire was shredded on the rim. I could smell a strong odor of burning rubber from the shredded tire,” the officer wrote in an affidavit.
“I asked Harbin why he left the scene of the accident, and he looked at me with a blank stare. I informed Harbin that I know he was involved in an accident because of the damage to his vehicle, and a witness followed him to this parking lot,” the officer alleged in his affidavit.
“Harbin said he was westbound on 6th in the inside lane and was hit. I noticed Harbin had slurred broken speech and I asked him how much he had to drink.
“Harbin said he had been drinking at the hotel prior to going to his girlfriend’s house and drank some at his girlfriend’s house prior to going back to the hotel,” the affidavit alleged.
“When emergency personnel started arriving at the scene, Harbin started to complain of a neck injury,” and was transported by ambulance to the Stillwater Medical Center,” the affidavit said.
At the hospital, police were advised that the other party involved in the collision had arrived there for treatment, the affidavit said.
“Harbin was seen and treated by hospital personnel and released from the ER.
“At the jail, Harbin stated he was concerned about the other people involved in the accident and wanted to apologize to them,” the affidavit alleged.
“Harbin stated he was texting his girlfriend on the phone when he was driving and the next thing he remembered was skidding in his pickup and then looking for his hotel while in a daze,” the affidavit alleged.
“He said he remembered me contacting him in the parking lot and again at the hospital,” the officer wrote in his affidavit.
Harbin was charged only with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident by the District Attorney’s Office, court records show.
If convicted of that felony, Harbin could be sentenced to two years in prison and fined $1,000.
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