Citizen Report No. 1651252545 - 1639278254

Timothy Bryan Steely
167 Franklin Street
Healdton, Oklahoma 73438

Date of Offense

May 18, 2015

 

Statement

On May 18, 2015 Healdton Police Officer Timothy Bryan Steely stalked James Pender. Pender had legally drove a golf cart down the city street abiding by all traffic laws. Mr. Steely saw him in the local parts store and followed him 7 blocks only stopping him in front of his mothers home. Steely made the stop in retaliation to Pender's older brother Rick Pender (a town council member) confronting Steely on receiving multiple complaints of Steely driving his personal car with an expired paper tag that was 6 months out of date.

The attached video shows Steely stopping Pender in front of his mothers home.  Mrs. Pender age 79 yrs old, approached to inquire as to what was happening, and was visibly upset.  Steely grabbed her by the arm and slammed her head into the golf cart. He then attempted to cuff her while she was unconscious. She sustained injuries to her arms. Panicked  called his Chief Shannon Davis. At this point councilman Pender and Gus Handke arrived on scene. An ambulance arrived and Mrs. Pender received treatment on scene. Steely then left the scene leaving after declining to issue a citation. Mrs. Pender was taken to a local hospital where her lacerations were stitched up.

Days later Mrs. Pender received a plea agreement offer by mail from District attorney Stephen ( Craig) Ladd citing a charge of Obstruction of a officer.  No charges were ever filed in court and Mrs. Pender was never brought before a judge to answer for any charges stemming from the incident.  The plea agreement offer bore the incorrect date of incident as well as an incorrect date of birth for Ms. Pender. Ladd had her born in 1989 when in fact was born in 1936. Mrs. Pender never entered into any plea agreement after her son confronted Mr. Ladd on about the plea offer. 

Attached is also a video (Video 2) filmed prior to the incident where Steely informs the subject of a traffic stop that he is trying to catch council man Rick Pender for the "trouble" he is causing him. To the public's knowledge, Steely was never formally disciplined for his excessive use of force on Mrs. Pender.

https://www.ardmoreite.com/story/news/local/2015/05/21/healdton-cop-mayor-8217-s/34513044007/

The above link is to the news story covering the incident.  It has since been removed.  Attached is a screenshot of the google description for the link.


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Definition of Offense(s)

Police brutality is the use of excessive and unnecessary force on the part of a police officer when he is interacting with a civilian, resulting in a violation of the civilian’s civil rights.


Police corruption is the abuse of police authority for personal gain. Corruption may involve profit or another type of material benefit gained illegally as a consequence of the officer's authority.