Who is Brian Lovell? Oklahoma judge faces criminal charges for firing at cars and 'intentionally' crashing into vehicle
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Brian Lovell, an Oklahoma judge is facing criminal charges after he allegedly shot at several parked cars and intentionally rammed into a woman’s vehicle in Austin, Texas.
Lovell, an associate district judge from Waukomisat, who works at Garfield County Courthouse in Enid, Oklahoma, was arrested on September 11, according to KOFR.
What are the charges against Oklahoma judge Brian Lovell?
Bria Lovell faces a misdemeanour count of reckless driving and a felony count of engaging in deadly conduct with a firearm.
The case has been forwarded to a grand jury for consideration, according Associated Press.
Lovell was reportedly released on a $10,000 bond and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
He declined to comment to Oklahoma News 4 when they knocked on his door and his wife said they had “zero comment” when contacted by phone, according to NBC.
Brian Lovell fired his gun multiple times before 'intentionally' crashing his vehicle into a woman's car
A witness alerted the Austin police on September 11, just after 4 pm, about a man who fired his gun “around five times while driving down the street,” hitting at least one of the vehicles parked on the side.
Police received another call about an accident less than two miles away from where the shooting took place, about an hour-and-a-half later.
A woman told them that a man had intentionally rammed into the back of her car twice, according to the report.
The man, identified as Lovell, and his SUV matched the description given by the witness of the shooter, the affidavit stated.
What did Brian Lovell tell the police?
He claimed that he thought the woman had cut him off on the road and even though he agreed that their cars had hit each other. He, however, did not concede the crashes were "intentional."
Lovell told the police that he had two handguns in his car, but he said “he had no idea why he would have fired his gun and could not remember any part of the shooting incident,” the affidavit stated per the report.
Lovell, was nearly 500 miles from his home when the incident occurred. It is unclear why Lovell was in Austin.
Is Brian Lovell returning to the courthouse?
The main judge for the Garfield County area said Lovell will not judge any other cases until his own case is over.
“He’s been a good friend and colleague for years. It’s hard for me to believe any of this,” Woodward said.
Lovell was appointed to the bench by the district judges of the Oklahoma Fourth Judicial District in 2010, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Woodward.
He is a special judge who handles civil cases, such as divorces and probate matters, according to one report.