Individual Details

Death

A California man died Saturday when he lost control of the car he was driving while fleeing from area law officers, police said. Police began chasing Gary G. Furr, 42, of Citrus Heights, Calif., about 4:30 a.m. when he refused to yield after being signaled by Fort Smith, Ark. police, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) officers said. As the man headed west on U.S, Highway 64, Roland police spotted the 1987 Nissan he was driving, OHP said. Furr continued heading west, running a roadblock set by Muldrow officers, said Muldrow Assistant Police Chief Tony Lewis. “Officers reported they saw him throwing objects out of the car like small plastic bags,” Lewis said. However, no bags were found later by police, he added. At 4:39 a.m., Sallisaw police set up a roadblock six-tenths of a mile east of Sallisaw, OHP said. Furr swerved to miss flares set in the road ahead of the roadblock and hit a 1990 mac truck parked legally about four feet off the roadway, OHP said. The truck toppled onto the Nissan, crushing Furr, the OHP said. Furr was pronounced dead at the scene, OHP trooper Russell Knoke said, The driver of the truck, Howard R. Owens, 41, Gans.
Sequoyah County Times, Sallisaw, Oklahoma, February 11, 1993