By: Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — An ex-convict with a history of attacking police officers has been ordered to appear in court on Nov. 4 on charges of hitting a Stillwater police officer with a leather bag in his chest while intoxicated and threatening to kill the officer.
Gary Duane Mebane, 58, who was staying in a Stillwater hotel at the time of his arrest, remains free on $15,000 bail, court records show.
Mebane was “highly agitated and was unsteady on his feet,” in the 5100 block of W. 6th at 8:37 pm on Sept. 11 after a 911 caller said “they attacked him again,” before disconnecting, Stillwater Police Officer Tanner Galbiso wrote in an affidavit.
When the officer contacted him, Mebane said that at about 8:30 p.m. “he was walking to America’s Best Value Inn to retrieve his personal belongings when he was run over by someone in a truck. He stated that after he was attacked this morning, he purchased a room at the La Quinta Inn,” a block away, the affidavit said.
“Gary stated that he was attacked tonight by the same individuals that attacked him earlier in the day,” the affidavit said.
“Gary showed Officer Rudluff and I the small scrape on his left knee that he sustained while falling,” according to Galbiso, who alleged in his affidavit he could smell a strong odor of alcohol on Mebane.
“For his safety, Officer Rudluff and I advised Gary that it would be in his best interest to stay at his new hotel room and not to come back tonight. We also advised him that in the morning, he can contact the police department to escort him back to his room to finish gathering his belongings,” Galbiso wrote in his affidavit.
“Gary wanted to show us the damage done to his room as he gathered his belongings. As we walked closer to his room, Gary observed an unidentified male and notified us that he was one of the six that attacked him tonight,” but then said that the male did not assault him, Galbiso wrote in his affidavit.
“Gary then showed us that the window to his room was shattered and that someone made a large hole into the metal door,” to his room that had a large amount of glass on the floor as well as puddles of what was later found to be whiskey, Galbiso wrote in his affidavit.
“I again notified him that if he wanted to gather the rest of his belongings, he needed to come in the morning with police while sober to ensure his safety. He was adamant that he was a ‘tough dude’ and could handle his own. He then notified me that he only had one beer and began raising his voice to me,” Galbiso wrote in his affidavit.
“While walking down from his room, he stated that he needed to be seen by an ambulance for a possible broken wrist…Once LifeNet arrived and checked him for his injuries, I spoke to the property’s management. They notified me that Gary was the individual that destroyed the room and were asking me what they needed to do to have him pay for the damages,” Galbiso wrote in his affidavit.
“While speaking with them, one of the LifeNet workers ran into the office stating that Gary was on a rampage and had run from the ambulance,” Galibiso wrote in his affidavit.
Outside, “I yelled at Gary several times to stop which at one point he turned around, disregarded my commands and continued walking. I then ran towards him and stopped approximately 20 feet away once he turned towards me,” Galbiso alleged in his affidavit.
“He grabbed his black leather bag by the handles and threw the bag at me aggressively,” which hit the officer’s hand and chest, Galbiso alleged in his affidavit.
“He then turned around and began running westbound. Due to being older and already complaining about his health, I decided not to physically stop him and run with him,” but follow him, Galbiso alleged in his affidavit.
“During this time, Gary stopped and turned to me with a bladed stance and clinched fists as if to physically fight me. To minimize injury, I notified Gary to stop or I’ll taze him. He continued to walk towards me aggressively, so I deployed my CEW and struck Gary in the chest and abdomen. Gary reacted by seizing up and falling to the ground,” Galbiso alleged in his affidavit.
“Once he was secure, I motioned for LifeNet to come and assess him for any new injuries. During this time, Gary began stating that he was going to kill me and cut my head off,” Galbiso alleged in his affidavit.
“Shortly after Gary was secured, Officer Cluck, Sgt. Wilson, Officer Bruce and Lt. Bell arrived to assist. Lt. Bell notified me that the responding officers were gong to handle it from there,” Gailbiso alleged in his affidavit.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and court records, Mebane had previously been convicted of:
* drunk driving in Payne County in 1986 for which he was placed on five years’ probation in 1988;
* second-degree burglary in Payne County in 1988 for which he was given a two-year prison term and served 22 months;
* assault and battery on a police officer in Kansas for which he was paroled in 2005;
* drunk driving and attempting to elude police in Payne County in 2009 for which he was given a five-year suspended sentence except 30 days in jail in 2010;
* two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, one count of mistreating a police dog, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, all in Tulsa County in 2016, for which he was given six concurrent 10-year prison terms and served about two years and seven months prior to his release in August of this year.
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