By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
Two Piedmont Police are fortunate that they did not lose their lives after a suspect pointed a handgun at them at stop sign during a chase.
Kyle Allen Hance, 26, of Norman, was at a party in the 3900 block of Ruby Ridge when friends said he became intoxicated and started pointing a handgun, Police Chief Scott Singer said.
“During the party he attempted to leave and had armed himself with a pistol, pointed the gun at several people at the party and then robbed his girlfriend at gunpoint,” Singer said. “He forced her to turn over the keys by handgun and as he was trying to leave our officers confronted him.”
Hance told the two officers he was not going to stop, Singer said, and that’s when he took off leading police on a chase.
“They pursued him to Chuckwagon Street and Sara Road,” Singer said. “He came to a stop. Both officers stopped behind his vehicle and as one officer attempted to exit his vehicle, Mr. Hance opened his car door, leaned around the door post and pointed a handgun at him. The officer opened fire through his front windshield with his AR-15. And also going on at that time, the other officer exited her vehicle, went around the other patrol vehicle and engaged Mr. Hance with her side arm. Mr. Hance left and began driving on Sara Road.”
From there the chase continued, having drawn in officers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City police and finally New Castle police. After officers used a tactical move to stop the vehicle, it rollled into a ditch near State Highway 37 and Country Club Drive. Hance was taken to a nearby hospital. He was not seriously injured, Singer said. Hance declined to take the state sobriety test.
Police arrested Hance and transported him to the Canadian County Jail where his bail has been set at $508,000 on several felony complaints. Piedmont investigators continue to interview others who attended the party and more charges are likely to follow, Singer said.
At the scene in New Castle officers recovered the weapon and learned Hance was a convicted felon and in possession of the weapon illegally.
Hance pleaded guilty to stalking his girlfriend in July 2018 and his second DUI in August 2018. An emergency protective order was granted on June 3, 2019 against Hance on behalf of Tayler Page Weedon, of Edmond.
Both officers, who Singer did not name Thursday, are on paid administrative leave. Singer said it’s strictly routine.
“Anytime an officer discharges a weapon, it’s a use of force issue and shootings are, in fact traumatic whether somebody dies or not,” Singer said. “I’ve been through these events several times. I can tell you no it’s nothing like TV. It’s a traumatizing not only emotionally and sometimes physically. Sometimes the officers recover and come back to work and sometimes they don’t. As a result of that the intensity of the situation can have negative affects on officers so we certainly consider counseling, a number of support functions for them. They’re allowed to be on administrative leave with pay for their benefit and to give them a little time (to recover) and as we do our follow up investigation.”
Thankfully no one was hurt.
“It was the best outcome we could have hoped for under the circumstances,” Singer said. “We’re glad we didn’t have to take someone’s life.”
