Polk County, Arkansas, man formally sentenced Aug. 4, 2026, to 149 years imprisonment following a jury trial earlier this month on multiple charges resulting from a high-speed pursuit on July 16, 2023.
The pursuit began when a Polk County, Arkansas, deputy sheriff attempted to perform a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle driven by Steven Alexander Weinert.
Rather than pulling over and stopping after the deputy activated his emergency equipment, Weinert began running from officers at speeds of up to 115 mph, often driving entirely in the lane of oncoming traffic, forcing innocent motorists completely off of the roadway.
The pursuit began in Polk County, Arkansas, and went through parts of McCurtain County, LeFlore County, Latimer County and ultimately terminated in Pushmataha County, a distance of approximately fifty-five miles.
The pursuit only ended when troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol performed multiple tactical vehicle interventions, or TVIs, on Weinert’s vehicle, rendering the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle, a white 2005 Ford F-150 truck, had been reported stolen by its registered owner.
Weinert was charged with nine felony counts stemming from his conduct in LeFlore County. A jury deliberated for nearly two hours before convicting Weinert of six of the charges alleged, and recommended that he be sentenced to a total of 149 years in prison.
Specifically, the jury recommended a term of 20 years incarceration for endangering others while eluding/attempting to elude an officer; 20 years for assault with a dangerous weapon; four years for possession of a stolen vehicle; 35 years for two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; and 35 years for running a roadblock.
After the jury trial concluded, Weinert filed a pro se motion for new trial.
Last Tuesday, Weinert stood before Associate District Judge Marion D. Fry in an orange jumpsuit on the second floor of the LeFlore County Courthouse. Within minutes, he learned his fate when Fry overruled his motion for new trial and sentenced him in accordance with the jury’s recommendation.
Fry ordered that each of his sentences run consecutively with the other, resulting in the 149-year sentence.
LeFlore County Assistant District Attorney Doug Schmuck presented and argued the case on behalf of the State of Oklahoma. Schmuck praised the assistance of the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, Latimer County Sheriff’s Department, Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Department, Talihina Police Department, Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
“The conviction in this case was the result of multiple agencies coming together to make sure the jury heard sufficient facts and enough information to put Weinert behind bars for the rest of his life,” he said. “Mr. Weinert not only endangered the lives of the law enforcement officers involved in this pursuit, but his actions endangered the lives of numerous citizens in LeFlore, Latimer, McCurtain and Pushmataha counties. His sentence ensures that he cannot harm anyone else in our district.”
Following sentencing, District 16 District Attorney Kevin Merritt gave his thoughts on the investigation and trial.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome in this case,” Merritt said. “Doug is an outstanding prosecutor, and worked extremely hard to get justice for the victims. Doug was fully committed to this case and spent countless hours meeting with victims and witnesses, and preparing for trial. I couldn’t be more proud of him, and am happy to have him in our office.”
Weinert has cases pending in Latimer County and Pushmataha County, and in Polk County, Arkansas, stemming from this pursuit.
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