STILLWATER — A Cushing man has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident that killed a pedestrian on Oklahoma 18 north of Cushing more than six months ago.
Bryan Ray Odle, 24, was arraigned Thursday on one felony count of failure to stop in a fatal accident and one misdemeanor count of negligent homicide in the May 18 traffic death of Robert Jason Burt, 33, of Cushing.
The victim’s body was found at 6:30 a.m. May 19 in the right-of-way area on the west side of the highway, about five and one-half miles north of Cushing, Payne County Sheriff Noel Bagwell said.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the highway fatality, which occurred two and one-half miles south of Oklahoma 51, as a homicide.
Charges were filed against Odle this week by Payne County First Assistant District Attorney Tom Lee, court records show.
Odle was traveling southbound on Oklahoma 18 when he ran off the highway, struck Burt and left the scene — failing to immediately report the accident, the charges allege.
Odle appeared in court Thursday with Cushing attorney Bill Ahrberg before Special District Judge Phillip Corley, records show.
Odle was released on $5,000 bond and ordered to return to court on Jan. 7 when he can ask for a preliminary hearing.
If convicted of both counts, Odle could receive as much as 11 years’ incarceration and an $11,000 fine.
