A man once set on running for Sapulpa City Council has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence, as well as carrying a weapon while doing so.
Kaleb Hoosier, 32, was arrested early in the morning on Friday, March 2nd after police spotted him driving westbound down Taft Ave with his hazard lights on, according to the arrest affidavit. Sapulpa Police Officer Hayden Vernon made contact with Hoosier, who said he had broken his glasses and couldn’t see to drive. Vernon said he could smell the odor of alcohol, and noticed Hoosier was slurring his speech.
Upon being asked to step out of the vehicle, police say that Hoosier picked up a 9mm pistol and began to exit his car with the pistol in hand. Vernon and Captain J. Madden both drew their weapons and ordered Hoosier to drop his gun and get down on the ground. He did so without resisting, according to the affidavit.
Once on the ground, police say that Hoosier claimed he had a right to carry the gun under “constitutional carry,” and that he hadn’t thought about telling the police about it before he picked it up. Police found the gun to contain seven rounds in the magazine, plus one in the chamber. In the glove box of Hoosier’s vehicle, police say they found an additional magazine with another ten rounds, according to the affidavit.
Vernon says while they were locating the extra gun magazine, they spotted a half-empty tall can of beer in the passenger floorboard. Hoosier was also found to be unsteady on his feet, all of which led police to believe that he was under the influence of alcohol.
During the arrest, police noticed Hoosier had a small cut and some swelling to the right side of his face and eye. According to the report, Hoosier stated he’d been at a concert in Tulsa and that he’d been assaulted by security at the concert. He uttered a few spontaneous statements, saying he “already gave all his meth away,” and that he’d been “shooting his pistol in the air all over downtown Tulsa.” Vernon says they notified Tulsa Police of Hoosier’s statements. Hoosier initially agreed to take a blood test, but then refused at the hospital. He was placed under arrest on charges of driving under the influence, carrying a weapon under the influence, and transporting an open container. Vernon noted that Hoosier had previous drug-related charges in Tulsa County in 2007 and 2009.
In June of 2021, Hoosier attended the Creek County Democratic party and announced his candidacy for Sapulpa City Council, Ward Three. However, when he filed that December, he has changed his candidacy to Ward One. This prompted an investigation by Ward One City Councilor John Suggs into Hoosier’s eligibility. Later that month, Suggs filed a formal petition with the County Election Board, alleging that Hoosier didn’t meet the 6-month residency requirement to run for election in that Ward. Hoosier was not in attendance at that meeting and a motion was carried to strike his name from the upcoming election ballot.
