Suspect runs from, possibly shoots at officer

CHASE THROUGH TOWN, BACKROADS REACHES 130 MPH

A Boswell, Okla. man is suspected of eluding an Elk City police officer and during their car chase, the officer reported that he was possibly fired upon.

A warrant has been requested for Robert Joseph Carr, 36.

According to a preliminary report, Carr was pulled over for an improper lane change near 20th Street and south Washington Avenue in Elk City Wednesday afternoon at 2:14 p.m.

When the officer ran Carr's information, he discovered a warrant out of Custer County. According to court records, Carr has a bench warrant from November 2011 for failing to appear in small claims court to answer to a contempt charge.

The officer wrote in his report that when he told Carr that he had a warrant, the suspect replied that he didn't know about it. He then put his car into drive and drove away from the officer, according to the report.

The chase went north along Falcon Road, reaching speeds of 120 mph, and the suspect allegedly blew through the stop signs at Third Street and Falcon Road. On a country road, the suspect reached speeds of around 130 mph in a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria.

Carr's tire then began to blow out, the report states. Shortly thereafter, the officer reported that he saw Carr lean out of the vehicle and his hand recoiled. Because he heard what sounded like gunfire, he radioed that he had possibly been fired upon.

The suspect's car eventually lost control on a dirt road and the officer had to swerved to avoid hitting it. He then jumped out of his cruiser and crouched in the grass, waiting for the dust to settle. When he thought he saw a dust plume heading away from him, he jumped back in his cruiser and pulled up to the suspect vehicle, approaching at gunpoint, and found Carr still sitting in the driver's seat still immobile. Carr then allegedly began driving again, and the officer wrote that he had to move out of the way for fear of being hit.

The report states that Carr finally stopped near an oilfield site, northwest of Elk City where he ran into a wooded area. The pursuing officer did not follow Carr because he was possibly armed, and instead waited for other officers to arrive.

They searched for about half an hour before police K-9 units arrived to help. An airplane circled the area several times, but none could locate Carr. A warrant has been requested for his arrest, but no charges have yet been filed.