By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 20-year-old man has been charged with driving a truck over a 19-year-old woman, who suffered a fractured pelvis, broken tailbone and fractured spine, but not stopping at the accident scene in Stillwater and instead continuing to drive to his residence.
Nathan Bradley Stephens was arrested at his fraternity house in Stillwater at 11:15 am on Oct. 20, about 10 hours after the victim was found lying face down along the curb line at the northwest corner of the intersection of E. Eastern Ave. and S. Payne St., court records show.
Stephens, who was then living in Stillwater, listed his address in Midlothian, Texas, when he posted $25,000 bond on Oct. 21, court records show. Stephens was ordered to appear in Payne County District Court on Dec. 4 when he can seek a preliminary hearing on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
When officers found the victim at 1:29 am on Oct. 20, she “was conscious but reported severe pain in her lower body, which left her immobile,” Stillwater Detective Sgt. Sherae Lejeune wrote in an affidavit filed with the charge last week.
“She said she was run over by an acquaintance named ‘Nathan’ after he pulled her out of his truck. She said the occupants of the truck took her cell phone with them.
“(She) was wearing black leggings. There were visible tire tread marks on her leggings. They were cut off of her by LifeNet and turned over to officers.
“(She) was ultimately transported to OU Medical for treatment of a fractured pelvis, broken tailbone and fractured spine. Although (she) said she had not drunk alcohol that night, it appeared she was under the influence of intoxicants,” the sergeant alleged in her affidavit.
A witness staying at a nearby house said, “She heard a male shouting ‘get out of my truck’ multiple times, loudly. She went outside to see what was going on. She saw a white male wearing a gray shirt and a hat pull (her) out of a truck stopped in the middle of Payne St. facing south.
“He got back in the truck and drove away southbound, then turned west onto Eastern Ave. As he pulled away, the rear passenger tire drove over (the victim). The same vehicle turned around on Eastern Ave. at the dead end, then drove back eastbound, driving past (the victim) who was lying in the street. It turned northbound on Payne St.
“(The witness) hesitated to render aid to (the victim) for fear of the vehicle returning. The truck was described as very big with custom LED lights in the wheel wells that lit up the road,” the affidavit alleged.
Sgt. Greg Calloway “located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle in the Cottage Row apartment complex,” an unoccupied black 2021 King Ranch F250 backed in a parking space, the affidavit alleged. “It appeared to have a custom lift kit and other custom accessories.
“Along the passenger side of the truck, there appeared to be drag marks in the dust extending from the back passenger door to the back passenger tire. Using (the victim’s) black leggings, Calloway was able to match the tire tread of the truck to the tread left on the pants,” the affidavit alleged.
A female friend of the victim said that the defendant and another man said they pushed the victim out of the truck, the affidavit alleged. “They said she was acting belligerent because she could not find her vape,” the affidavit alleged. “They said (the victim) kept trying to get back in the truck after they opened the door and told her to get out,” the affidavit alleged. “Using social media, (the victim’s friend) provided Nathan’s last name as Stephens,” the affidavit alleged.
“After Nathan’s vehicle was towed, he borrowed (the victim’s friend’s) cell phone to text message his mother at 2:17 am. The text stated, ‘mother, it’s Nathan a girl would not get out of my truck she wouldn’t stop yelling. I pushed her out and now cops are surrounding me,"” the affidavit alleged.
After Detective Josh Carson obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s truck, officers found his identification, open bottes of alcohol, marijuana and smoking devices in it, the affidavit alleged. “I noticed the tires on the truck did not appear to be factory. They were very wide and set approximately five inches outside the body of the truck,” Sgt. Lejeune wrote in her affidavit.
When Sgt. Lejeune interviewed the defendant, “Nathan told me he did not know who (the victim) was, but they did hang out together last night. They went to Coney Island, then decided to return to the Cottage Row apartments. Nathan drove the group in his truck. He said (the victim) sat in the back passenger seat,” according to the affidavit.
The defendant said, “At some point, (the victim) began acting crazy because she was intoxicated. Nathan wanted her to get out of his truck. He said he stopped his truck in the roadway. He exited from the driver’s seat, then walked to the back passenger door. He pulled (the victim) out of the truck, then drove away. I asked Nathan if he turned around and drove past (the victim). He said he did turn around and drove past her.
“At first, he said he saw her lying on the ground in the street, but later said he did not see her. He did not stop to see if she was okay or if she needed help. He then drove to Cottage Row. I asked Nathan what he did with (the victim’s) cell phone. He said he threw (the victim’s) cell phone out of his driver’s side window somewhere,” Sgt. Lejeune alleged in her affidavit.
“I told Nathan that he did run over (the victim) with his truck, and she is currently hospitalized with serious injuries. Nathan asked me if there was any video to prove he ran over her. I told him there was video footage and an eyewitness. I asked if he remembered the witness. He said he did.
“I asked if he said anything to her. He said he told her to ‘shut the f… up.’ I asked Nathan why he did not talk to the police when he saw them towing his truck. Nathan said he did not talk to them because he was intoxicated. Nathan was placed under arrest,” Sgt. Lejeune alleged in her affidavit.
