Oklahoma judge will not hear cases after allegedly shooting at parked cars in Texas
ENID — A longtime judge has agreed to stay away from the courthouse after being accused of recklessly shooting at parked vehicles in Austin, Texas, Sept. 11.
Brian N. Lovell, a Garfield County associate district judge, also is accused of intentionally striking another vehicle at a red light and nearly pushing it into cross traffic.
"He's not going to hear cases until further discussion," said Paul Woodward, the presiding administrative judge for the area. "He's been a good friend and colleague for years. It's hard for me to believe any of this."
Lovell, 58, could not be reached Thursday for comment. He declined to speak to a KFOR reporter who went to his home in Waukomis on Wednesday.
He was jailed after the road rage and shooting incidents. He was released after being ordered to undergo a mental evaluation.
Videos showed vehicle, recorded sounds of gunfire, according to affidavit
Police officers responded to a shots fired call at 4:09 p.m. Sept. 11 at an intersection in Austin, according to court affidavits.
"Officers who responded to this incident observed various video recordings of a white SUV driving down the street as shots were heard in the videos," an Austin police detective wrote in the affidavits.
An investigation determined as many as six parked vehicles had been hit.
Police next responded to a crash call at 5:27 p.m. 1.7 miles away, according to the affidavits. Jennifer Costilla said Lovell struck her vehicle twice, the second time after she had come to a stop at an intersection.
"She had to keep her foot on her brake in order to not be pushed forward by Lovell's SUV," according to the affidavits.
Lovell told a 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 the affidavits. He admitted he had two guns in his SUV.
He advised the other driver cut him off in traffic and he rear-ended her vehicle, according to the affidavits. "He ... recalled rear-ending Costilla's vehicle a second time, but did not admit the collisions were intentional."
Lovell became an associate district judge in January after running for the position unopposed. He had been a special judge in Garfield County before that since 2011.
He faces a misdemeanor reckless driving charge and could face a felony indictment over the shooting incident once a grand jury hears evidence.
"He is respected," said Stephen Jones, a well-known defense attorney who has appeared before him many times. "He is always congenial, reasonable. He is not a stuffed shirt."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma judge involved in shooting, road rage, Texas police say
