Russell K. Wright
(Cushing PD file photo)
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Drumright man accused of drunk driving and attempting to elude law enforcement from 2300 E. Main in Cushing to his residence in Creek County has been ordered to appear in Payne County District Court on Sept. 19.
Russell Kevin Wright, 55, who remains free on $6,000 bail, could be incarcerated for up to six years and fined $7,000 if convicted of his two-count Payne County charge.
At the time of his arrest in his Payne County case at 1:42 am on Aug. 21, Wright was free on $7,000 bail pending his trial court arraignment on Sept. 18 on a two-count Creek County charge accusing him of assault and battery with a knife on one man and threatening to harm or kill another man in Drumright, both on June 18, 2023, court records show.
Cushing Police Officer Jonathan Walker alleged in an affidavit that at 1:10 am on Aug. 21, he was in the 2300 block of E. Main in Cushing when he “observed a white Nissan Rogue traveling eastbound with no lights on.”
During a traffic stop, “I was able to detect the odor of an intoxicating beverage emanating from the vehicle. I observed that Wright had bloodshot watery eyes and slow speech.
“Wright advised that he was heading to his house in Drumright. Wright stated that he was coming from his house when asked where he was coming from.
“Wright then informed me that he had drunk approximately half a bottle of wine at approximately 10 pm the previous evening. Wright stated that he had just picked up another bottle of wine from a store in Cushing,” the officer alleged in his affidavit.
The officer wrote in his affidavit that after three attempts to reach a relative of Wright to get him a ride home, he returned to his patrol car and received permission from Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Diego Gutierrez to continue the traffic stop. Cushing Police Sgt. Carson Watts arrived as a cover officer at about this time, the affidavit said.
“I returned to Wright and requested him to exit the vehicle to perform Standard Field Sobriety Testing. Wright put the vehicle into drive and stated that he was heading home and that officers could arrest him later. I commanded Wright to stop the vehicle to no avail,” and then advised a dispatcher he was in pursuit, Officer Walker alleged in his affidavit.
“Wright then continued eastbound on Hwy. 33 at speeds less than the posted speed limit. Upon reaching Drumright city limits, Sgt. Lytle with the Creek County Sheriff’s Office utilized stop sticks, causing the front driver side tire of Wright’s vehicle to go flat,” but Wright continuing driving until he pulled into his Drumright residence’s driveway, the affidavit alleged.
“I observed Wright open the driver door and immediately put his hands up. At approximately 1:42 am, I placed Wright under arrest for driving under the influence and eluding. After placing Wright into handcuffs, I stated to Wright that I wish he didn’t take off, to which he stated that he was going to be arrested anyway,”
the Cushing officer alleged in his affidavit.
Wright refused to take the state’s test for the presence of alcohol, the affidavit alleged.
According to Payne County court records, Wright had been placed on one year’s probation under a deferred sentence in 2019 for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor in 2018.
