Car stolen at gunpoint in Durant business parking lot

By Joey McWilliams

DURANT – An armed man took a car at gunpoint from a local couple on Saturday night in the Braum’s parking lot.

The suspect has not yet been apprehended.

At approximately 10:15, Durant Police officers were dispatched to 312 Westside Drive in reference to an armed ‘carjacking’, according to a release from the Durant Police Department.

The report said the victim was sitting in the passenger seat of his locked vehicle, while his wife was inside the store shopping. A currently unidentified suspect walked up to the victim’s window and pointed a handgun and demanded the victim unlock the vehicles door. The victim did as demanded and the suspect got into the driver’s seat, but was able to exit the vehicle before the suspect was able to drive off.

Within a very short time, patrol officers were able to locate the stolen vehicle at 21^st and Main, and a pursuit of the vehicle began. The pursuit went northbound on US Highway 69/75 and exited onto North First. The suspect ran off the roadway and struck a Durant Police vehicle head on, but was able to get back onto the roadway.

Speeds topped 100 miles per hour during the chase.

The pursuit continued back onto southbound 69/75, and was joined by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The pursuit exited on to westbound West Main. Due to damage of the front left tire, the vehicle stopped in the 2300 block of West Main, where the suspect was able to escape on foot. The handgun was recovered and found to be an “Airsoft” pistol.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing blue jeans, a light blue t-shirt with a light blue cloth around his head like a bandana and appeared to have an “afro” type hair style, the release said.

The couple, from Durant, posted about the experience on Facebook and told the Patriot that they were alright.

The Durant Police Department is asking for assistance from anyone who can identify the suspect or anyone who saw the suspect around the time of the crime. Anyone who has information is urged to contact the Durant Police Department Criminal Investigation Division.