Oklahoma House speaker pays arrest warrant fine for old traffic violations
BY BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
Friday, December 14, 2012
12/14/12 at 8:11 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY - Incoming Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon paid a fine Thursday to have a 2003 arrest warrant against him recalled.
The warrant, from in Grady County, stemmed from a case in which he was accused of driving with a suspended license. Shannon paid $290, court records show.
Shannon, R-Lawton, said he was unaware of the outstanding warrant until Thursday.
"This was news to me," he said in a news release after inquiries from reporters who had received an anonymous tip. "I've had a valid driver's license for over a decade, and I thought I had paid all fines associated with these traffic tickets."
The violations occurred in late 2002 and early 2003.
"As soon as I learned there was still an issue after all these years, I immediately paid the fine and took care of the matter," Shannon, 34, said.
On Oct. 20, 2002, Shannon was cited for speeding and didn't pay the fine on time.
As a result, his driver's license was suspended on Feb. 5, 2003. Five days later, he paid a fine, but he was not aware that his license remained suspended, he said.
In March 2003, he was cited for speeding in Grady County and driving with a suspended license.
Shannon said that was the first time he was made aware that his license was suspended. The next day, he got his license reinstated.
However, Shannon never paid the citation from March 6, 2003, for driving with a suspended license.
"I have periodically checked on my driving record with the Department of Public Safety, but this has never shown up, and in fact they still don't have a record of it today," Shannon said in the news release Thursday.
"It's certainly an unfortunate incident that happened almost ten years ago, but I have paid all the court costs and fines now and it is taken care of."
Original Print Headline: Speaker pays arrest warrant fine
Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465
barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com
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House Speaker T.W. Shannon: He paid $290 to clear up old traffic violations.
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