Ponca City Police Officers Respond to Shots Fired, 8 People Arrested

Wednesday morning, Ponca City Police Officers responded to the 300 Block of West Highland where a citizen reported someone firing shots into the air from a dark colored car and then fleeing the area. The citizen was able to provide responding officers with a detailed description of the vehicle and the occupants.

Multiple officers converged on the area and another officer located the suspect’s vehicle at 408 S. Palm. When the officer located the suspect’s vehicle, multiple people were standing near the car and they immediately fled into the residence at 408 S. Palm.

A short time later, officers were able to establish control of the scene and they safely got multiple occupants out of the home. PCPD Detectives arrived on scene and executed a search warrant on both the residence and the suspect vehicle. During the search, officers located two firearms and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. One of those firearms was of the same caliber as shell casings recovered from the 300 Block of West Highland Avenue.

As a result of the investigation and search warrants, officers made the following arrests:

19-year-old Clarkson Jess Howe: Reckless Conduct with a Firearm, Using a Vehicle to Discharge a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony

21-year-old Kennis Spotted Thunder Rhodd: Reckless Conduct with a Firearm, Using a Vehicle to Discharge a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony

44-year-old Michael Yahola Jr.: Reckless Conduct with a Firearm, Using a Vehicle to Discharge a Firearm, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony

38-year-old Curtis Grant Rhodd: Using a Vehicle to Discharge a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, Kay County Warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

62-year-old Elizabeth Yahola: Kay County Warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Larceny of Merchandise from a Retailer

50-year-old Alvina Byrd: Kay County Warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance

39-year-old Patricia Vargas: Chambers County, TX Warrants for Parole Violations

25-year-old Karissa Marie Byrd: Ponca City Warrants

PCPD would like to thank the public for being vigilant and reporting this activity to them and k the Kay County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance on this call. At this time, there are no known injuries that occurred as a result of the shots that were fired.

This is an active and ongoing investigation and we expect more charges in the coming days.

These arrests are charges, not convictions.

Alvina Byrd Clarkson Howe