By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
EL RENO – A Yukon woman caught after trying to steal a stop sign and fleeing from a pursuing police officer has pleaded guilty – but won’t have to spend time in jail.
Christina Delle Smithson, 45, received a one-year deferred sentence Aug. 7 in Canadian County District Court after Special Judge David H. Halley accepted her plea.
Smithson was charged Feb. 15 with possessing road signs and attempting to elude police officer stemming from a Nov. 30, 2022, incident in Yukon’s Parkland II Addition.
The defendant possessed a stop sign that was posted by the City of Yukon at N.W. 10th and Bryce Canyon, according to the charging document signed by Assistant District Attorney Austin T. Murrey.
She tried to elude Yukon police officer Carl Tucker when he attempted to pull over her Cadillac Escalade.
As part of a plea agreement between prosecutors and the defense, Smithson received a one-year deferred sentence on both felony counts. She was ordered to pay fines totaling $200 and victim’s compensation assessments totaling $200, along with court costs and fees.
Smithson will be supervised by the Canadian County District Attorney’s Office while on probation and must perform 25 hours of community service. Her attorney is R. Scott Adams.
A Yukon police report describes the road sign as a “portable stop sign with pole set in concrete-filled tire.”
‘FLED IN HER VEHICLE’
Officer Tucker initially tried to pull over Smithson about 9:09 p.m. Nov. 30 for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants, according to the report.
“I observed a larceny in progress of a stop sign being placed in a vehicle,” according to Tucker’s report. “(T)he suspect fled in her vehicle to her residence failing to stop for my lights and siren. On contact she was placed under arrest for DUI (driving under the influence), larceny and eluding.”
Possessing road signs is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $100 fine, up to 30 days in jail and up to 20 days of community service.
Attempting to elude police officer is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $100-$2,000 fine.
The defendant’s address was updated April 10 to Fairfax, S.C., according to a court minute.
