A person commits a criminal offense (crime) if they intentionally flee from a person they know or should know is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or detain them. A person will be subject to higher penalties if they use a motor vehicle or watercraft while evading arrest or detention, or cause injury to another person. This criminal offense is also known as “fleeing and eluding.”
In Oklahoma, the act of intentionally fleeing from a person whom one knows, or should know, is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or detain them constitutes the criminal offense of 'fleeing and eluding.' Oklahoma state statutes specifically address this behavior under various provisions related to obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties. The penalties for this offense can be enhanced if the individual uses a motor vehicle or watercraft to evade arrest or detention, or if their actions result in injury to another person. Enhanced penalties may include higher fines, longer jail sentences, and the potential for felony charges depending on the circumstances of the evasion and the degree of harm caused.