Former Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Jarquez Evans is set to stand trial in April on counts of first-degree rape and forcible oral sodomy tied to an alleged traffic-stop assault in southeast Oklahoma City. Prosecutors say a Jan. 26, 2025 stop for an expired tag ended with the driver being coerced to a secondary location, where the assault allegedly took place. Evans was arrested in March 2025, and the case has drawn extra scrutiny because patrol-car footage includes unexplained gaps and investigators say a body microphone was shut off during part of the encounter. A judge has already ruled there is enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial.
What the dashcam and court files show
Court filings and nearly two hours of in-car video released by authorities show Evans pulling over a vehicle near Southeast 29th Street and South High Avenue and remaining at the scene for about 18 minutes, according to KOCO. The documents allege he then instructed the driver to meet him "down the street" or face arrest, and prosecutors say the sexual assault occurred after she complied with that order.
The dashcam video includes a roughly 12-minute stretch in which Evans' cruiser is parked but no audio can be heard, and investigators say he turned off both his body-worn microphone and the in-car camera during the stop, details reported by KJRH. Those gaps in the recording are expected to be a flashpoint once the case reaches a jury.
Charges, arrest and agency response
The Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office filed charges of rape in the first degree and forcible oral sodomy after reviewing evidence gathered by Oklahoma City police and the Highway Patrol, as reported by News On 6. Members of the OHP Investigations Unit arrested Evans on March 28, 2025, and he was booked on a $100,000 bond and placed on administrative leave while the case plays out.
The agency has publicly said it is "focused on pursuing justice for the victim" as the investigation and prosecutorial review proceed, a clear signal that the Highway Patrol knows this is not the kind of case it can afford to handle quietly.
What to expect at trial
Court records show a judge found sufficient evidence to bind the case over for trial, and Evans is scheduled for an April appearance, according to News 9. Both first-degree rape and forcible sodomy are felony offenses in Oklahoma that can carry decades behind bars or even life in prison in the most severe cases, per Oklahoma statute.
Local reporting indicates prosecutors are leaning heavily on the dashcam footage and the woman’s statements, while the court still has to sort out pretrial motions and scheduling before any jury is seated. Once that happens, jurors will be asked to weigh the gaps in the recordings against the rest of the evidence and testimony that unfolds in open court.
