A Berryhill gas station clerk tried to stop a man from walking off with a stolen phone charger, and ended up getting threatened with a knife and struck by the suspect's own car, according to Tulsa County deputies. The man, identified by deputies as Colby Axsom, was taken into custody within hours after investigators pulled surveillance footage and ran license plate reader cameras to track down his vehicle.
According to NewsOn6, the clerk told deputies he went outside the EZ Mart and told Axsom he needed to pay for the phone charger he had taken. Deputies said Axsom then threatened the clerk with a knife, and when the clerk moved behind the vehicle to try to photograph the license plate, Axsom allegedly put the car in reverse and struck him. As KOKH reported, the clerk suffered only minor injuries in the collision.
Fleeing Driver Also Hit a Parked Car
Deputies said Axsom did not stop there. While trying to get away from the gas station, he ran into a parked car down the road, according to the same NewsOn6 account. The crash left a trail that, combined with gas station surveillance video, helped investigators close in on him quickly.
Deputies looked at the surveillance footage to get a description of Axsom's car, then used license plate reader cameras to track the vehicle to its owner. A Tulsa County Sheriff's Office representative said that by 4 a.m. that same morning, deputies had their suspect in custody.
Charges and Clerk's Condition
Axsom was arrested on complaints including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon after a felony conviction, and larceny from a retailer, per KOKH's report. Deputies said the gas station clerk is expected to be okay.
The same report notes that records show Axsom has previously served time in prison, with prior convictions for burglary, stealing cars and possessing stolen property. No additional court or booking records were available to independently confirm the current status of the case.
