Saturday, October 26, 2002

(10-26) 22:42 PDT OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) --

A teenager apparently angered by a neighbor went on a shooting spree Saturday in eastern Oklahoma that left two people dead and at least seven injured, authorities said.

The rampage took place over a 30-mile area in a string of small communities, authorities said. They said Daniel H. Fears was taken into custody after crashing his pickup truck near a police road block.

Fears, 18, was being held late Saturday at the Sequoyah County jail.

The violence erupted about 5 p.m. in Sallisaw after Fears was confronted by a neighbor for reckless driving, said Kym Koch, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation.

"A man got onto him for driving erratically because he said he almost hit some kids," Koch said.

Sequoyah County authorities say Fears broke into the nearby home of his grandfather where he allegedly obtained the gun used in the shooting. Assistant District Attorney Lynne Anderson said Patsy and Elvie Wells lived across the street from Fears' grandfather, and went to the house because they also wanted to discuss Fears' driving.

Patsy Wells apparently knocked on the door then turned to walk away when no one answered. Anderson said the woman was shot to death and her husband critically wounded.

"He was conscious at the scene, but in critical condition as he begged 'Please, help my wife,"' Anderson said of Elvie Wells. "He was shot pretty bad."

Koch said Fears also shot the first man who had scolded him and Anderson said he shot two people who were leaving a house around the corner. Anderson identified the victims as Greg Caughman and his 2-year-old daughter. Both are in good condition at a Sallisaw hospital.

Fears then got into his pickup and headed east on U.S. 64, Koch said. He next stopped at a car dealership on the highway.

Ronnie Boswell of Muskogee, owner of Sallisaw Pontiac Buick and GMC, said a Fort Smith, Ark., woman was killed as she shopped for a new truck for her son. Boswell said salesman Jim Nunn of Muskogee was also injured.

Boswell said Nunn told him the gunman drove up between two rows of cars, got out of a pickup and shot the woman in the head.

"My salesman went into the front of the vehicle, trying to get away," Boswell said. "He (the gunman) shot him in the chest and knocked him off the curb into the street and then shot him in the back."

Nunn was listed in fair condition at a Muskogee hospital.

Fears then continued driving east on U.S. 64, shooting randomly at passing vehicles, Koch said. He made another stop at a statuary store on the highway and shot two more people who were looking at lawn statues, Koch said.

The man was seen next in Gans, where he shot another man. He also shot at but did not hit a police officer from nearby Muldrow, Koch said.

District Attorney Dianne Barker-Harrold said a man drove up to Sallisaw police and told officers his son had been shot while they were driving near Muldrow. The man's son was bleeding from his shoulder and chest.

Fears continued east where he met a road block set up by Roland police officers, Sequoyah County sheriff's deputies and Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers.

"He crashed near the roadblock and was taken into custody," Koch said.

-- Anonymous, October 27, 2002