Oklahoma judge now faces two indictments over drive-by shootings
An Oklahoma judge was indicted Thursday over a drive-by shooting at his brother-in-law's ranch last year.
The state's multicounty grand jury accused Brian Lovell of shooting up a house on the ranch near Bison in northern Oklahoma on Feb. 12, 2023. No one was injured.
He faces a felony count of use of a vehicle to facilitate the discharge of a firearm. The maximum punishment is life in prison.
"We intend to defend the case vigorously," his defense attorney, Stephen Jones, said.
It is the second time the judge has been indicted over a shooting. A grand jury in Texas in February charged him with eight felony counts of deadly conduct.
He was accused in the first indictment of recklessly shooting at eight parked vehicles from his SUV while driving in Austin Sept. 11.
Lovell, 59, is an associate district judge in Garfield County. He has declined to talk to the media since the incident. He is not presiding over any cases.
He was arrested in Austin on Sept. 11 after a traffic collision about 1.7 miles from the shooting site. He was charged last year with a misdemeanor, reckless driving, over the collision.
After the incident in Texas, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation began looking into whether he could have been involved in the shooting at his brother-in-law's ranch.
The OSBI has reported spent casings from the ranch matched a spent casing recovered in Austin. The judge lives in Waukomis, which is just over 7 miles by car from the ranch.
Lovell and the brother-in-law, Kenneth Markes, are estranged. Lovell is married to one of Markes' six sisters.
Markes, 68, was not home at the time but his son was. He told The Oklahoman in November the shooter fired at least five times.
"Why would he be mad at me? That's a really good question. I haven't had contact with him for 15 years or more," Markes said Thursday.
He said he worries Lovell "might try to finish the job."
"I'll be taking precautions," he said.
The son, Jacob Joseph Markes, said a male inside a white car started shooting from the road while driving by, the OSBI reported. The son said he was almost struck when the first bullet hit the window where he was standing.
The incident occurred on a Sunday afternoon, according to a Garfield County sheriff's report. A window, wall and oven were damaged. The judge had gone to church in Enid earlier that day, the investigation found.
Lovell became an associate district judge in January 2023 after running for the position unopposed. He had been a special judge in Garfield County before that since 2011 and was well liked.
Lovell will plead not guilty to the new indictment, his attorney said.
"From our own investigation the evidence is insufficient to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the standard, that he has committed any offense," Jones said.
The accusations against the judge in Texas received national attention.
Lovell told an Austin police detective he "did not know why he would have shot his gun and he could not recall any part of the shooting incident," according to court affidavits.
About the collision, he said another driver cut him off in traffic, according to the affidavits. He said he rear-ended her vehicle twice.
More: Oklahoma judge who sent more than 500 texts during murder trial resigns
Lovell also could face disciplinary proceedings before the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary. The investigation of the Oklahoma shooting turned up evidence the married judge sent sexual texts to a female bailiff.
The bailiff, who worked for another judge, has resigned.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma judge indicted over second drive-by shooting
