A Tulsa neighborhood full of trick-or-treaters turned into a DUI arrest scene Saturday night after witnesses said a driver swerved toward children in costumes near East 96th Place and South Knoxville Avenue. Police identified the driver as 49-year-old Bradley Williams, who officers said was sitting on a curb, unable to stand on his own, by the time they arrived.
Officers responded around 7:27 p.m. to reports of a driver swerving toward pedestrians in the area, according to News On 6. When they got there, they found several witnesses and children in Halloween costumes, along with a tan Chevrolet Cruze parked in the street. Witnesses told officers they were trick-or-treating with their children when the driver began swerving toward them, the outlet reported.
Open Container and Slurred Speech
Other witnesses reported that two children were inside the vehicle at the time, per the same account. A bystander pulled the driver out of the car after it stopped, police said, and officers noted an open bottle of alcohol visible inside the Cruze once they reached the scene.
Officers said Williams had severely slurred speech and could not stand up on his own when they found him sitting on a curb. Tulsa police arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence, with the report listing complaints of driving under the influence as a third offense, transporting an open container of alcohol, and child endangerment.
What Comes Next Is Unclear
The available reporting does not say whether anyone was hurt during the encounter or whether the near-collision caused any damage. It also does not indicate whether prosecutors have filed formal charges, whether Williams has entered a plea, or how the case will ultimately be resolved.
Oklahoma law does carry an added penalty for DUI cases involving minors in the vehicle: under state statute reviewed via the Oklahoma State Courts Network, a driver 18 or older convicted of violating the state's DUI provision while transporting a child under 18 faces a doubled fine upon conviction. That provision describes a consequence that follows a conviction; it does not establish that Williams has been convicted of anything in this case.
Halloween night carries its own well-documented risks on Oklahoma roads. A report from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office found that of 363 total crashes in the period it examined, 33 were alcohol- and/or drug-related, meaning more than 9% of Halloween crashes on the state's roads involved impairment.
