Three members of a Catoosa family were charged in connection with a fatal DUI accident when two brothers were accused of striking two pedestrians,then conspiring with their mother to cover up the accident.
Gage Christopher Shriver, 19, is accused of driving drunk and arguing with his brother, Dakota Alleyn Shriver, 21, of Tahlequah, in the early morninghours of June 5. As they argued over the volume of music in the truck, the vehicle veered off the side of the road, striking two pedestrians, 18and 19-year-old women who were walking to a convenience store. The truck then crashed into a fence.
The brothers allegedly got out of the truck, continued fighting for a time, and then drove to their mother's house. They denied seeing the injuredwomen until after the men and their mother, Dorothea Butanda, drove past the accident scene, and saw Maranda Talley, 19, lying injured on the sideof the road. Her friend, 18-year-old Noelle New, died of her injuries.
The trio called 9-1-1, saying they happened upon the accident scene, but denying any involvement in the accident. However, investigators quickly founda wallet belonging to one of the brothers in the field. They also discovered that the truck involved, which was hidden behind Butanda's home, hadsignificant damage, and they determined that Dakota Shriver had picked up broken pieces of the truck from the field and hidden him in his mother'svehicle.
As a result of the investigation, all three have been criminally charged in connection with the hit and run death.
Gage Shriver, the alleged driver in the hit and run accident, is charged with second degree murder, leaving the scene of a fatality accident, leavingthe scene of an accident involving injury, DUI involving great bodily injury, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, failure to reporta personal injury accident, and obstructing an officer. This week, Rogers County prosecutors added an alternative charge of first degree manslaughter.
Dakota Shriver is charged with second degree murder, accessory to leaving the scene of a fatality accident, accessory to leaving the scene of an injuryaccident, and obstructing an officer. Prosecutors also added first degree manslaughter as an alternative count to his charges.
Dorothea Butanda is charged with accessory to second degree murder after the fact, and, in the alternative, accessory to first degree manslaughterafter the fact; accessory to leaving the scene of a fatality accident; accessory to leaving the scene of an injury accident; and obstructing anofficer.
Second degree murder is a felony punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison. First degree manslaughter is punishable by a minimum of 4 years.
