Obit of Jeffries, Jerry Dwayne News Article & Obit - Grady County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Sandi Carter 19 Mar 2006 Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== ::Amber Cemetery--Amber OK The Chickasha Express-Star Friday, 2 December 2005 JERRY DWAYNE JEFFRIES CHASE SUSPECT FATALLY SHOT Frantic voices were broadcast across the police scanner as a glossy red truck led law enforcement officials on a high-speed pursuit yesterday afternoon, Dec. 1. The chase ended in the fatal shooting of the driver. Jerry Jeffries, 54, was reportedly driving in the wrong lane of State Highway 92 about one mile south of Amber, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokeswoman Trooper Kera Philippi. "He was driving head-on into the game warden (later identified as game warden Gene Pester)," said Philippi. The warden, who is a 32-year veteran with the department, attempted to initiate a traffic stop and a pursuit began with speeds in excess of 100 mph, said Philippi. "At one point the game warden lost the suspect on a country road," said Philippi. "One of our troopers located the suspect." According to First Assistant District Attorney Bret Burns, the pursuit was taken over by the highway patrol. "They ran him off the road. They thought the chase was over," said Burns. "Jeffries then drove off and ran into Gene Pester's vehicle." Philippi said the trooper (later identified as Cheyenne Cotner) and the game warden got out of their vehicles. "The suspect took off again and started circling around the game warden's vehicle," said Philippi. "The suspect attempted to run him over. He aimed straight toward the game warden." Both officers reportedly drew their weapons and fired, killing Jeffries with "one fatal shot to the head," according to Philippi. It is unclear which officer fired the fatal shot. "They said it looked like a deliberate attempt to run the warden over," said Philippi. "They did what they had to do to stop the threat." Jeffries had a prior felony conviction out of Grady County for running road blocks. "This wasn't the first time he ran from police and endangered lives," said Burns. "I think we're all fortunate he didn't hurt somebody." After Jeffries was shot, officers on scene requested that EMS be dispatched. "He was in cardiac arrest when our units arrives," said Chickasha Fire Chief Ronnie Kessler. "That means he didn't have a pulse and wasn't breathing," he later explained. EMS removed the victim from the vehicle and began life support measures. Resuscitation efforts were ceased shortly after medical helicopters arrived. The victim was pronounced dead at about 1 p.m. Both of the officers involved, Pester and Cotner, were placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete. "Anythime we're involved in a fatal shooting, (troopers) are automatically put on paid administrative leave. It doesn't mean they did anything wrong," said Philippi. The incident will be investigated by three agencies: Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Grady County District Attorney's Office and the Oklahoma State Wildlife Conservation Department. "We took at all the statements from the officers and from the witnesses, and then we'll determine if it was a justifiable shooting," said First Assistant District Attorney Bret Burns. He said that if the shooting was justifiable, the officers will not face criminal charges. "From all early indications, it appears the officers were justified in their actions but we'll have to wait until the complete investigation comes through," said Burns. Nels Rodefeld, assistant chief of information and education for the Oklahoma State Wildlife Conservation Department, said they have a very specific policy relating to the use of deadly force. "In layman's terms, deadly force is authorized when an officer feels the need to protect himself and others from what is an immediate threat to their lives or the lives of other officers or citizens," said Rodefeld. "We believe this is the first incidence one of our officers has been involved in the use of deadly force." Rodefeld said department game wardens have full police powers. "They are required by law to intervene where public safety is jeopardized," said Rodefeld. "In other words, if a warden saw a vehicle operating in a manner they thought was endangering other lives, they would be compelled to intervene in that situation." None of the agencies gave any indication of how long the investigation might take. ========== Chickasha Express-Star Monday, 5 December 2005 JERRY DWAYNE JEFFRIES Funeral services for Jerry Dwayne Jeffries, 54, of Amber, Oklahoma will be Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Sevier Funeral Home. Jerry Dwayne Jeffries was born to Everett and Elsie (Martin) Jeffries, June 18, 1951 in Chickasha, OK and passed away on Thursday afternoon, December 1, 2005 at the age of 54. He had lived in the Amber community all of his life and had farmed for the past several years. Jerry graduated from Am-Po High School in 1969 and attended college at Weatherford, OK the following year. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Everett and Elsie Jeffries, Sr., a baby brother, James Glenn and an older brother, Berney Jeffries. Survivors include: one brother, Everett Jeffries, Jr. and his wife, Maxine, of Amber, OK; two sisters: Melba Hambleton and her husband, Bill, of Fresno, CA; Barbara Mosier and her husband, Roy, of Blanchard, OK, a sister-in-law: Jean Jeffries of Amber, OK. Also several nieces, nnephews and cousins. Interment will be in the Amber Cemetery, Amber, OK under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home, Chickasha, OK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html