Driver in fatal Cleveland Co. crash charged with murder

The driver accused of running from police in a stolen vehicle and causing a crash that claimed the life of a passenger was taken into custody on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) - The driver accused of running from police in a stolen vehicle and causing a crash that claimed the life of a passenger was taken into custody on Wednesday.

According to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy pulled over a white Ford F-250 with obscured plates and a malfunctioning brake light on State Highway 9 around 2:15 a.m. on January 3.

After relaying the vehicle’s plate number to dispatch, the deputy approached the driver, who was later identified as 28-year-old Trenton Davis.

When the deputy asked for identification, Davis provided a false name and claimed his license had been stolen. Officials say the female passenger in the vehicle also presented false identification.

Once back in the patrol car, dispatch informed the deputy the vehicle information matched a stolen vehicle report from Pontotoc County. The deputy then requested backup.

While waiting for a second officer, the deputy said the driver became agitated and fled the stop, speeding through nearby neighborhoods.

The sheriff’s office says the deputy continued the pursuit until the suspect vehicle was obscured by dust kicked up on the road. The deputy then ended the chase around 2:30 a.m.

At approximately 2:35 a.m., a crash was reported east of 192nd Avenue near Alameda Street. Two deputies and a supervisor responded and discovered the stolen vehicle in a creek bed on the south side of the road in three pieces.

Davis was found lying in a field, conscious and breathing, with swelling on his
forehead and complaints of pain in his right hip and leg. The female passenger was found lying
in the creek bed with a significant head wound.

Deputies administered on-site medical aid until the Norman Fire Department arrived and pronounced the female passenger, later identified as Taylor Bowden, dead at the scene.

On Wednesday, March 20, detectives with CCSO worked alongside the U.S. Marshal Service to take Davis into custody on a felony warrant regarding the incident on Jan. 3.

According to CCSO, Davis was found in Ada, Oklahoma, shortly after the warrant was issued. He is facing charges of Murder in the First Degree, Eluding a Peace Officer, Defective Equipment, False Personations, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Operating a Motor Vehicle with the License Plate Covered. He was taken to the Pontotoc County Jail.

“The location of the incident presented some jurisdictional challenges to determine if it occurred on tribal land,” explained lead Detective Ray Kimbrough. “We worked closely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and local tribes to clarify jurisdiction. I am appreciative of the support from all involved agencies. Ultimately, our collective aim was to ensure justice, particularly for the victim who lost her life in this incident.”