By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
The State Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that a Yukon man who was found unresponsive in his jail cell died of natural causes
Wade Stanley Womack, 78, was pronounced dead July 7 at an Oklahoma City hospital.
Staff at the Canadian County Jail had found Womack in his cell at 3:30 a.m. that morning, Sheriff Chris West said.
Womack likely died from atherosclerotic hypertensive cardiovascular disease sequela, according to autopsy results released Nov. 7.
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death as “natural.”
Contacted Monday, Sheriff West did not want to comment on the autopsy findings because of pending litigation.
On July 7, Canadian County Jail personnel performed CPR and called for an ambulance after finding Womack in his cell.
“We don’t believe that anything happened in the jail or there was any foul play,” Sheriff West said shortly after Womack’s death. “He was in poor health when he came. We really didn’t want to keep him because of his health condition.
“We’ll wait and see what the ME (Medical Examiner) determines as the cause of death. But I think it’s going to be related to his health condition, before he ever came in.”
The autopsy report showed Womack suffered from other significant health conditions, including a positive COVID-19 test and multiple falls. Those contributed to his death but was not the underlying reason.
Womack’s body showed signs of trauma to his head, torso and extremities, according to the report. However, he didn’t suffer any skull fractures or significant internal bleeding.
Back in July, Sheriff West said the Canadian County Jail staff and nurse had wanted Womack transferred to a medical facility for care. But Womack was remanded to the county’s detention center.
Womack was being held at the Canadian County Jail on three counts of use of a vehicle in the discharge of a weapon and one count of planning to perform an act of violence.
The felony charges stemmed from a June 19th shooting in the 14200 block of N Frisco Road.
At a July 6th preliminary hearing, Special Judge Khristan K. Strubhar granted the District Attorney’s Office’s motion to hold Womack in the custody of the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office without bail.
The judge found “by clear and convincing evidence, that proof of guilt is evident, and the presumption thereof is great,” according to the court minute.
“The court further finds that no condition, or conditions, of release will reasonably assure the safety of any other person in the community. In addition, the court finds that no conditions of release will reasonably assure (Womack) will appear at his next court hearing.”
In granting the motion to order the defendant held without bond, Judge Strubhar cited the defendant’s “failure to follow orders from law enforcement, doctors and family members”.
Defense attorney Tankut had argued for Womack to be transferred to a medical facility for treatment. Assistant District Attorney Austin T. Murrey objected.
Womack died the next day.
ALTERCATION, SHOOTOUT
The Canadian County District Attorney’s Office on June 29 formally charged Womack for his role in the June 19 incident investigated by Oklahoma City Police.
The N Frisco Road home has a Yukon address but is in Oklahoma City limits.
A shootout followed an altercation between Womack and a victim’s son-in-law, according to a probable cause affidavit signed by an Oklahoma City officer.
Prosecutors alleged Womack had discharged “numerous rounds from a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol using a white Dodge Ram truck, all in conscious disregard for the safety” of three separate victims.
Womack devised a “course of action intended to cause great bodily harm or death to several persons,” according to the charging document signed by ADA Murrey.
Womack was accused of retrieving and gathering “multiple firearms and rounds of ammunition from another location” so he could return later to the N Frisco Road residence to “open fire on the people gathered there” with the intent to carry out this malicious violent act.
Canadian County court records identified the alleged victims as residents of Yukon, Piedmont and Edmond.
There were six people at the house when Womack fired at the property and family members inside the home started shooting back, the court affidavit shows.
Womack was hit in the ear during the shootout, but police said it was a non-life-threatening injury.
