Oklahoma judge Brian Lovell is arrested in Texas after ‘he opened fire at parked cars and intentionally crashed into woman’s vehicle because she cut him off in traffic’

An Oklahoma judge was arrested in Austin, Texas, after authorities said he opened fire on parked vehicles while driving, crashing into at least one of them.

Judge Brian Lovell, 58, is said to have deliberately crashed into a woman’s vehicle, later telling officers she had ‘cut him off’ in traffic.

Lovell, a district judge in Garfield County, Oklahoma, was arrested and jailed last week after the September 11 road rage and shooting incidents.

He was released after being ordered to undergo a mental evaluation for a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.

A felony count of deadly conduct with a firearm was forwarded to a grand jury for consideration.

Lovell, who lives in Waukomi, Oklahoma, was released on a $10,000 bond and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

“We have no comment,” said a woman who answered a call Friday to a number listed as Lovell’s.

The woman identified herself as Lovell’s wife but declined to give her name.

Lovell did not immediately respond to a phone message left at another number listed as his, and he declined to comment on a KFOR reporter who went to his home in Waukomis, about 60 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. It is not known why the judge was in Austin.

According to an Austin police statement, officers were called just after 4 p.m. on September 11 by a witness who reported that a man “shot approximately five times while driving down the street,” hitting at least one of the parked vehicles.

“Officers responding to this incident observed several video recordings of a white SUV driving down the street as gunshots could be heard in the videos,” an Austin police detective wrote in the affidavits.

About 90 minutes later, police responded to a call about a crash less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the shooting scene, in which a woman said a man had deliberately crashed into the back of her vehicle twice.

On that occasion, Lovell rammed his car into the back of the woman’s car, causing the two to argue.

Lovell then allegedly ‘intentionally’ hit the woman’s car a second time and tried to push her vehicle into oncoming traffic.

“She had to keep her foot on the brake to avoid being pushed forward by Lovell’s SUV,” the affidavits said.

“He…remembered Costilla’s vehicle reversing for a second time, but did not admit that the collisions were intentional.”

Witnesses at the scene told police that a man in a white SUV was leaving the area.

Lovell and his SUV matched the shooter’s description, according to the affidavit. Police found a gun and magazine in Lovell’s SUV.

He told police he believed the woman had cut him off in traffic and while he acknowledged their vehicles collided, “he did not admit the collisions were intentional,” the document said.

Lovell told police there were two handguns in his vehicle, but he said “he did not know why he would have fired his weapon and could not remember any part of the shooting incident,” according to the affidavit.

Garfield County Presiding Judge Paul Woodward said Lovell agreed not to preside over any case until his own case is resolved.

‘He has been a good friend and colleague for years. I find this hard to believe,” Woodward said. ‘We are waiting for more information and are not jumping to conclusions. I wish I knew what happened, but I don’t.’

“He’s respected,” Stephen Jones said The Oklahoman, a well-known lawyer who has appeared before him many times. ‘He is always sympathetic and reasonable. He’s not a stuffed shirt.”

Lovell was sworn in as a special district judge in Garfield County in January 2011. He was promoted earlier this year to associate district judge in January 2023.

It is now up to the Oklahoma Supreme Court to impose any disciplinary action against Lovell.