By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
EL RENO – A Pawnee man has been sentenced to serve eight years in prison after pleading guilty to causing a deadly drunk driving crash just east of Yukon.
Tristan Lee Gaskey, 25, was charged April 1, 2020, in Canadian County District Court with first-degree manslaughter. Gaskey previously waived his right to a jury trial, which had been set for Sept. 13.
Gaskey, represented by attorney Mark Henricksen, entered a blind plea of guilty to the felony charge at a Nov. 16th hearing before Canadian County District Judge Paul Hesse.
Hesse accepted that plea and found the defendant guilty of the crime.
Gaskey was sentenced to serve 20 years in Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ custody – all suspended except for the first eight years.
The judge ordered him to pay a $500 fine and $500 victims’ compensation assessment.
Gaskey will be supervised by the state Department of Corrections while on probation after his release from prison, court records show.
Gaskey, formerly of Stillwater, was found guilty of killing the operator of a street sweeper after running a red light at the intersection of State Highway 66 and the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
Oklahoma City Police investigated the fatal traffic collision that occurred about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 26, 2019.
IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL
Gaskey was driving a 2013 Chevrolet 3500 dually pickup while under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into a 2016 Isuzu street sweeper driven by Midwest City’s Craig William Caldwell, according to a probable cause affidavit signed by Sgt. Robert Atkins.
Gaskey was southbound on the Kilpatrick Turnpike exit ramp at SH-66 and Caldwell was eastbound in the left lane of SH-66 at the turnpike exit ramp.
Witnesses told police investigators that Gaskey went through the red light and collided with the street sweeper, causing it to then strike a signal light pole and catch fire.
Caldwell, 56, died from injuries sustained in the crash.
Gaskey admitted to drinking alcohol and voluntarily submitted to a blood test, according to Sgt. Atkins’ affidavit.
The defendant’s blood alcohol content was .15, an Oklahoma City Police traffic collision report shows.
Investigator Atkins determined the crash was caused by Gaskey’s failure to yield from a signal light, according to the report.
Gaskey sustained head, trunk, arm, and leg injuries and was taken by EMSA ambulance to OU Medical Center. Caldwell died at the scene from his injuries.
