Andrew Ethan Traw
(PCSD file photo)
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater man has been charged with possessing a 2021 Jeep stolen from a nearby storage facility, crashing into a house, and obstructing an officer by giving a false name during an investigation of a hit and run accident.
The suspect, Andrew Ethan Traw, 32, who was already on probation for drunk driving in 2019, has been jailed on $25,000 bail pending a Sept. 12 court appearance at which he can seek a preliminary hearing on the three-count charge.
Stillwater Police Officers Bryan Luginbill and Aaron Lowe were responding at 1:46 am on Aug. 5 to a report about a vehicle hitting a house in the 2400 block of E. 7th that was trying to leave — when another call came in about gunshots in the area, an affidavit said.
When officers arrived, dirt and debris were in the road in front of the house, and a Jeep was stopped in the grass next to another house across the street, the affidavit said.
“The left front fender was broken off of the Jeep and the fender was lying in the yard of the trailer house;” the corner of the house was damaged where the Jeep had hit it, the affidavit said.
“A piece of the vinyl trim from the house was in the street and appeared to have been pulled off when the Jeep backed away from the house,” but no one was inside the Jeep, Luginbill wrote in his affidavit.
The residents said that “the Jeep had hit their house and then backed up to where it is currently stopped. They said another male was yelling at the driver, and they thought they heard gunshots before the guy chased after the driver as he ran away from the vehicle,” the affidavit said.
A short time later, a man appearing to be armed approached the officers, the affidavit said. HIs weapon was temporarily taken from him and later returned to him, the affidavit said. The man, who had been armed, was not charged in the incident, court records show.
The man and his wife said they had just arrived at their home located a block from the damaged house, and “were in the front yard and porch area when they heard a vehicle and tires skidding,” the affidavit said.
The couple said that “the Jeep came around the corner and slid into their yard and was almost going to hit them before the driver stopped. (The man) yelled at the driver — asking what he was doing. They said that he looked at them and then just backed up and drove down the street and began hitting the houses.
“(The man) said that he went inside and got his pistol and ran to the Jeep as it backed away from the house it hit and then stopped. He was banging on the driver’s door window with his gun trying to get the driver to stop and get out. (The man) said that the male driver finally got out and then started to charge after him.
“(The man) said the guy was acting strange and had a weird smile on his face. (The man) said the guy was coming at him with his arms stretched out. (The man) said that he never fired his weapon but told the man that he would shoot him if he had to.
“(The man) said the man then took off running, and he chased after him until the man climbed over a chain link fence on the west of the trailer park,” the affidavit said. Officers were unable to locate the suspect at the time of the accident, the affidavit said.
When the Jeep owner arrived, she said “the contents of the glove compartment had been removed and scattered inside the vehicle, and she said items inside the vehicle including a duffle bag, hat and small bottle of vodka did not belong to her,” the affidavit said.
During an inventory of the Jeep, police found in a backpack a black wallet containing Traw’s driver’s license, social security card and other identification, the affidavit alleged.
About an hour and half later, at 3:14 am “Officers Behne and Gomez located a suspicious male in the area of 500 S. Jardot,” the affidavit said.
“As Officers Behne and Gomez attempted to make contact with the subject, he fled, and a foot pursuit ensued. Several officers joined in the foot pursuit and set a perimeter as the suspect had run into some wooded area. At approximately 3:35 am, Officer Lowe contacted and detained the suspect,” who provided a false name, the affidavit alleged.
The suspect “was identified by the photo on the driver’s license as Andrew Traw,” the affidavit alleged.
