WISTER, Okla. — An Oklahoma police chief has resigned after he was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence and endangering a child.
Kurt Dewayne Morsund, 45, who served as the Wister Police Chief, was booked on April 28 for aggravated DUI and child endangerment after being arrested by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP).
During his arrest, Morsund told police troopers that he started drinking alcohol after he crashed. Witnesses told police that they saw him hitting guardrails before the crash.
A probable cause affidavit says that troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash and came in contact with Morsund, whose 10-year-old daughter was in the backseat.
Morsund left the roadway and struck a tree. He had slurred speech, was unsteady on his feet, and alcohol could be smelled on his breath, according to the affidavit.
Morsund told police that he drank vodka after the crash. When asked where the bottle was, he replied "what vodka."
The affidavit says that no alcohol was located at the crash site and that no one witnessed Morsund drink alcohol after the crash. A Wister firefighter witnessed Morsund hit and bump the guard rail at Wister Dam prior to the crash.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, aggravated driving under the influence is a charge against someone who is believed to have been driving under the influence with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .15 or higher.
The affidavit said that a field sobriety and breath test were conducted at some point. Morsund's breath alcohol content was .21. He then admitted to having shots of alcohol before the crash.
In dashcam footage obtained by 5NEWS, Morsund can be heard saying "My life is over," later telling a trooper "I want y’all to be cool about this… it was a one-car crash.”
Wister City Attorney Sean McKelvey confirmed to 5NEWS that Morsund submitted his resignation and that the City Board of Trustees will have a vote next week to formally accept his resignation.
Morsund was booked in Latimer County, Oklahoma, but his charges are out of LeFlore County. His bond has been set at $10,000.
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