By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 66-year-old Stillwater man, who allegedly crashed his pickup into a disabled vehicle partially in the road that struck a woman stopping to render aid, has been accused of first-degree manslaughter by driving under the influence of marijuana or in the alternative by failing to devote full-time and attention while driving.
If convicted of causing the death of 58-year-old Cindy Stemple of Stillwater, Jeffery Steven Bryant could be given a prison term ranging from four years to life. Bryant remains free on $50,000 bail pending an Aug. 1 court appearance at which he can seek a preliminary hearing.
After the collision at 6:32 pm on Feb. 16 on Fairgrounds Road, about one-half mile north of McElroy Road near Stillwater, Byrant’s blood test showed the presence of the substances Hydroxy-THC, THCA, THC, Doxylamine and Trazodone, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. Matthew Ledbetter alleged in an affidavit filed on July 1.
The OHP trooper alleged in the affidavit that another driver, Jose Armando Rodriguez-Melendez, 21, was traveling south on Fairgrounds Road in a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado pickup when he passed numerous vehicles including a Ford Excursion SUV driven by Cindy Stemple, with her daughter, Katie as a passenger.
“Moments after passing the Stemples, Rodriguez drove off the west side of Fairgrounds, overcorrected, traveled off the east side of Fairgrounds, and struck the embanked roadside,” where his vehicle came to rest facing northeast nearly perpendicular to Fairgrounds Road, the affidavit alleged.
Stopping to help, Stemple parked her Excursion on the west side of Fairgrounds in the grass facing south; another motorist, Rob Clason, also traveling south on Fairgrounds in a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV also stopped to help and parked behind the Excursion, the affidavit alleged.
While Clason called 911, the Stemples rushed to the Chevrolet where Katie Stemple “watched as Rodriguez exited through the rear glass of the pickup and made his way to the surface of the roadway. Katie assisted Rodriguez to the north side of the Chevrolet — trying to get him to sit and wait for first responders,” the affidavit alleged.
“Clason and Cynthia (Stemple) were just behind Katie (Stemple) near the bed on the driver’s side of the Chevrolet”; within three minutes, a northbound gray 2006 Toyota Tundra driven by Bryant approached from the south at dusk while the area was still lit by sunlight, the affidavit alleged.
“Initially, Bryant failed to observe the Chevrolet, the Excursion, the Santa Fe, and another Chevrolet pickup near the scene driven by witness Martha Lemusdavila. As Bryant continued north, he drove up from a sag in the roadway and approached within hundreds of feet to the collision when he finally observed and reacted to the collision scene.
“Bryant applied the brakes of the Tundra and began a left swerve. At this time, Bryant failed to avoid Rodriguez’s Chevrolet, and his Toyota struck the right passenger side rear near the corner. The impact pushed the Chevrolet northward — striking Clason, Cynthia, and Katie Stemple,” the affidavit alleged.
Clason landed in the roadway, had numerous serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Stillwater Medical Center before being transferred to OU Medical Center, the affidavit said.
Cindy Stemple was struck and came to rest under the left rear tire of the Chevrolet; she was transported by air ambulance to OU Medical Center where she died 11 days later from her injuries, the affidavit said. Her daughter, Katie Stemple, was knocked down near the roadside, the affidavit said.
The Chevrolet driver, Rodriguez-Melendez, was originally charged with first-degree manslaughter in the death of Cindy Stemple, but his case was later changed to causing an accident resulting in great bodily injury to Clason by driving without a valid license and crashing his vehicle, which was subsequently struck by another vehicle that hit Clason; he was also charged with aggravated drunk driving. Rodriguez-Melendez, whose address is unknown, remains jailed on $40,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing on July 28.
Rodriguez-Melendez, who allegedly admitted to drinking five to six beers before the collision, had a broken nose and was taken to the Stillwater Medical Center, according to another affidavit by OHP Trooper Billy Overbey. If convicted of both counts, Rodriguez-Melendez could be incarcerated for as long as six years, court records show.
