December 21, 2016
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
A 25-year-old Pontotoc County man has died as a result of an officer-involved shooting after the man was chased along the Interstate at a high rate of speed.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting by an Elk City Police officer that occurred this morning sometime after 3:40 am in Burns Flat.
The name of the deceased man is Colton Dale Calaway from Ada, Oklahoma.
According to statements from the Elk City Police Department and the OSBI, Elk City Police were initially called to a convenience store on the east side of the city in reference to an alleged $100-dollar counterfeit bill that was submitted to a clerk. That person refused the bill as payment for merchandise and called police.
The clerk gave police the description as two adult, white males and one adult white female who exited the store and got in a 4-door, silver Nissan.
Officers en-route observed the vehicle as it was traveling west bound on old 66 toward the main part of Elk City and got behind it as it turned around to go back east on old 66.
They pulled the vehicle over near the Elk City Convention Center and made contact with the male driver. That conversation led to the officer requesting the driver to exit the vehicle for further investigation regarding the alleged passing attempt of a counterfeit bill.
At that time, the driver of the vehicle refused to exit the car, became non-compliant to all the officer’s commands, slipped the car into gear and sped off with the police behind. The car traveled east on the interstate at speeds reaching over 100 miles an hour with officers giving chase and calling pursuit.
The driver took the Burns Flat exit driving south toward Burns Flat. As the vehicle entered a residential area and an Elk City police officer performed a tactical vehicle intervention maneuver or a PIT maneuver on the suspect vehicle bringing it to a stop. The driver ran from the vehicle and the officer ran after the man into a neighborhood while the other two occupants remained in their vehicle along with another Elk City police officer.
The officer in pursuit of the man later identified as Calaway, caught up with him as he was trying to get inside a home in the 400 block of Iroquois in Burns Flat.
The officer deployed his taser without success. When Calaway turned toward the officer – allegedly – with a gun in his hand, the officer shot him. He was transported to AllianceHealth Clinton Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The officer sustained no injuries.
The Elk City Police Department is the investigating agency for the counterfeit money allegation that occurred while the OSBI is investigating the officer-involved shooting in Burns Flat.
The Elk City officer’s name is being with-held at this time and that person has been placed on routine administrative leave until the investigation is completed by all agencies involved.
Besides the Elk City Police Department, Numerous OSBI special agents are working the case, gathering information and evidence.
Elk City Police Chief Eddie Holland says as the investigations come together at a later date, he’ll hold a press conference where more information will be discusses.
The district attorney will determine if the shooting by the officer was justified.
Calaway was charged in November in Pontotoc County with Possession of Methamphetamine and was out on a $25-hundred dollar bond awaiting a February court appearance.
The other two suspects haven’t yet been identified, either.
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