Mustang youth organize to make skate park dream a reality

By Jon Watje
Staff Writer

In an effort to bring a skate park to Mustang, a group of skaters met at the Mustang Community Center to gather ideas and information on what it would take. Mustang resident Chris Parker organized the meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29. The group discussed fundraising options, possible locations and what people in Mustang can do to make it happen.

“The cost for a new skate park in Mustang would cost around $200,000,” Parker said. “The city said it might be able to flip half of the bill and they are doing their best to cover 50 percent of the costs, but we aren’t sure right now. Basically, we need to focus on raising $100,000.”

Mustang Parks and Recreation Director Justin Battles said he couldn’t say how much the city would be spending on their behalf right now.

“We are looking at securing funds so we don’t know how much we will pay for, but the city will definitely help with this financially,” Battles said. “We have a couple different designs for the skate park and we will forward those designs to our Leisure Services Board in January. I think it is great that they are getting the Skate Park Association back together and doing this.”

Parker said that he was in contact with several fundraising organizations and they city was looking into different grants.

“We are looking at two different locations for the skate park,” he said. “We are looking at Curtis Park by the First Baptist Church and we are also looking at maybe doing renovations to Meadows Park, which would include the planned skate park, restrooms, pavilion and lights.”

Those in attendance at the meeting were given flyers to hand out to homes near Meadows Park, informing homeowners that the park was a place of interest for the park.

Mustang resident and skater, Koby Jacob, said he hopes to see a skate park in Mustang soon.

“If I want to go to a skate park, I have to go to Yukon, Norman or Edmond,” Jacob said.

Parker said a skate park would provide a safe, centralized location for Mustang children.

“Some people say that skating can be dangerous and that there would be a liability factor involved,” he said. “However, it’s just like any contact sport. This would give kids around here something fun to do for free almost anytime of the day. Hopefully we will have the money we need this time next year.”

For those who are interested in helping with fundraising for the skate park or in other ways, log onto www.myspace.com/mustangskatepark for more information on fundraising events.


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HIgh-speed pursuit ends in arrest

By Jon Watje
Staff Writer

Mustang Police assisted the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office in a high speed pursuit that started in El Reno, weaved through parts of Mustang and ended in Oklahoma City limits on Monday, Nov. 2.

“At 2:53 p.m. one of our deputies saw a red Chevrolet pickup in El Reno that matched the description of a vehicle used in several trailer thefts in Canadian County,” Canadian County Sheriff Randall Edwards said. “The deputy conducted a traffic stop and the pickup accelerated and drove off from the stop.”

The pursuit went east on Interstate 40 reaching speeds of 90 m.p.h. The pickup exited at Mustang Road and continued south to State Highway 152, where Mustang Police units were waiting.

“Our goal in this pursuit was to protect the people of Mustang,” Mustang Police Captain Willard James said. “We blocked the intersection of State Highway 152 and Mustang Road and our goal was to turn the pursuit from continuing on Mustang Road where several schools were letting out.”

Mustang Public Schools Communication Officer Shannon Rigsby said bus drivers took every precaution during the chase.

“Our drivers did a great job,” Rigsby said. “They are trained to look for issues that can affect the safety of the students on board. One particular driver pulled over when she noticed the chase from behind.”

The pickup turned west on S.H. 152 and then turned south on Czech Hall Road to a dead end street at 119th Street. The pickup turned around back north to 89th Street where Mustang units were again set up to block the intersection.

“We wanted to keep the pursuit away from the heavily populated areas,” James said.

The pickup turned east on 89th Street until it was stopped at Council Road.

“It was reported by one of the passengers that the driver had a pistol in his lap during the traffic stop and threw it out the window during the pursuit,” Edwards said. “A search for the pistol was conducted later on but it was not found.”

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Aaron Matthew Martin, 30, was taken into custody and booked into the Canadian County Jail and charged with Speeding, Operating a Motor Vehicle without having a Driver’s License, (Felony) Eluding a Police Officer and Kidnapping.

The two other occupants in the vehicle were brought to the Sheriff’s Office and questioned, photographed, fingerprinted and released.

The agencies involved in the pursuit included the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Mustang Police Department.

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