Chase that started in Oklahoma City ended by CPD
A long-distance, high-speed auto chase that started in Oklahoma City ended in Clinton after a police officer here threw out stop-sticks that deflated one of the fleeing auto’s tires.
Capt. Mike Murley of the Clinton Police Department said the pursued auto approached speeds of 130 miles per hour.
The vehicle was a Honda occupied by two women. Murley identified the driver as Rayven Engle, 32, of Paoli, and her passenger as Nedra Tena, 42, of West Fork, Ark. They were taken into custody about 1 a.m. June 6.
Christian Blackstock was the Clinton policeman who threw out the stop-sticks that brought the pursuit to a close.
Murley said Blackstock and Lt. Miguel Gonzales were on duty that night and were alerted at 12:20 a.m. to be ready to assist in the pursuit. At that time the women were at mile marker 92 on Interstate 40, about three miles east of Hydro.
At 12:30 a.m. they were reported to be at mile marker 83, still westbound at the east edge of Weatherford.
“At that point our assistance was requested to be ready to apply stop sticks,” said Murley.
Oklahoma City police had initiated the pursuit with other agencies involved at various points including El Reno, Geary, Hinton and Hydro police, plus the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Custer County Sheriff’s Office.
Blackstock and Gonzales took up positions on I-40 near the Exit 65B bridge; that’s the one over Neptune Drive in Clinton.
As the Honda approached, Blackstock deployed his stop-sticks. The vehicle crossed them, then slowed and took Exit 65 into Clinton, eventually stopping near the Atwoods store on Gary Boulevard.
Murley said a records check showed Engle, the driver, was wanted on warrants out of McClain and Garvin counties. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office, where she was taken, reported that charges in both those counties were for drug possession. No charges were filed here, and Engle was released on the 8th to an officer from Garvin County.
Murley said no damage was done to the car other than deflating one tire.
Paoli, the driver’s home town, is in Garvin County north of Purcell, but not on Interstate 35. It’s on U.S. Highway 77, which used to be the main route between Oklahoma City and the Dallas area.
