By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 20-year-old Stillwater man, who allegedly drove up to 120 mph on Highway 51, has been ordered to appear in court on March 4 on charges of attempting to elude Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Tyler Burns along with possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Payne County.
If convicted of both counts, Michael Subira Moriasi could be incarcerated for as long as six years and fined $6,000, according to the charge filed by Payne County Assistant District Attorney John Cleveland.
The trooper was conducting a follow-up at Highway 33 and Sanger Road on a fatality accident on Jan. 30 when Oklahoma City police broadcasted that a black Nissan Rogue with a Texas license tag was involved in an ATM robbery at Bank of America in Oklahoma City, an affidavit alleged.
“At approximately 4:07 pm Captain Owens broadcasted that a black Nissan Rogue bearing a Texas tag passed him on Interstate 35 northbound at the 157-mile marker traveling at approximately 120 miles per hour. OHP dispatch sent a picture of the vehicle to Trooper Burns via email,” the affidavit alleged.
“Trooper Burns was driving westbound on Highway 51 just west of Coyle Road while having his emergency equipment still activated. Trooper Burns observed the Nissan Rogue bearing a Texas tag driving in a reckless manner, traveling at an estimated speed of 100 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone. Trooper Burns turned around on the vehicle and observed the vehicle continue to speed up and drive in a reckless manner.
“The driver, later identified as Michael Moriasi, made several dangerous maneuvers to elude Trooper Burns. Moriasi was in the inside lane, passed four cars, then moved to the outside lane and passed an additional three cars.
“Moriasi failed to signal lane changes while accelerating away from Trooper Burns. Moriasi continued to fail to yield at high speeds at an estimated 120 miles per hour. Moriasi stopped at Highway 51 & Redlands Road,” the affidavit alleged.
After a Stillwater Police Department K9 conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the left rear passenger door, a white powder with a crystal-like substance was found in the vehicle, the affidavit alleged.
“Payne County Deputy D. Zanfardino tested the powder,” which was presumptively positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine, the affidavit alleged.
Moriasi was arrested at 6:04 pm on Jan. 30 and released from the Payne County Jail the next day after posting a $10,000 bond, court records show.
