By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
EL RENO – A semi-truck driver has been accused of trying to kill two people at a Yukon-area trucking company.
Eddie Julian Walker, 35, was charged Aug. 6 in Canadian County District Court with two counts of attempting to kill another. The Sandersville, Ga., resident faces life in prison if convicted on the felony charge.
Prosecutors allege Walker attempted to kill two men “by aggressively approaching” them “while brandishing a black semi-automatic compact handgun,” according to court documents.
Oklahoma City police responded at about 11 a.m. July 26 to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at Swaggin Wagon, 9220 W Reno east of Yukon.
The alleged victims were the trucking company’s 30-year-old manager from Jenks and a 32-year-old mechanic from Midwest City, according to an Oklahoma City police report.
In the report, officer Robert Rouner describes detaining Walker after conducting a traffic stop of the speeding semi-truck he was driving on Interstate 40 near Mustang Road.
A heated argument ensued between Walker and the owner and employees of Swaggin Wagon trucking company after the driver reportedly refused to deliver a load, according to the police report.
Walker claimed the trucking company’s owner, office manager and mechanic ganged up on him.
But officer Rouner heard a much different story when speaking with the trucking company personnel.
Swaggin Wagon’s owner told the officer that Walker was contracted to haul a Halliburton trailer and Halliburton officials called asking why the trailer hadn’t been delivered, according to the police report.
The owner approached Walker, who was inside his semi parked in the Swaggin Wagon yard. Walker reportedly told him he did not want to deliver the load, so the owner told him they’d have to “part ways” and needed their license plate and DOT (Department of Transportation) numbers off the truck.
Officer Rouner’s report indicates Walker became disgruntled and pushed the trucking company’s mechanic over when he went to take the DOT numbers and tag off. Walker reportedly was seen with something in his hand, possibly a wrench, and allegedly began yelling in the face of both the owner and manager.
“While (the owner) was trying to get Walker to calm down, Walker produced a black semi-auto compact handgun from his semi,” according to the police report. “Walker fumbled with the gun and dropped it onto the ground.
“While picking it back up, he flashed (the three men), who were afraid for their lives and thought he might shoot them.”
Walker got back into his semi and left the yard with the victims following. They called Oklahoma City police to report the incident.
Officer Rouner responded to the call and spotted Walker’s semi pulling out of the Pilot gas station at Interstate 40 and Morgan Road “at a high rate of speed.” The officer reported he “had to get up to 120 mph” to catch up to the speeding semi before stopping the truck on I-40 just west of Mustang Road.
Walker was arrested for aggravated assault and cited for speeding. He was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail in Oklahoma City and later transferred to the Canadian County Jail in El Reno.
Walker appeared at an Aug. 12 arraignment before Canadian County Special Judge Khristan Strubhar, who set bond at $50,000 on the two felony counts. A preliminary hearing conference was set Aug. 23 before Strubhar.
