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One charge dropped against getaway driver in shooting of two Tulsa police officers

TULSA, OKLA. — 01/26/2023 Update: The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has approved the decision to drop one of the charges filed against Matthew Hall, the getaway driver in the 2020 shooting of Tulsa police Sergeant Craig Johnson and Officer Aurash Zarkeshan.

Court documents show Hall was charged with two counts of accessory to a felony, but was found to have been charged twice for what was argued to be the same offense.

The documents show that Hall’s act of helping David Ware get away from the original scene should have been considered one act, as opposed to two separate acts.

The documents continue on to say that the jury in Hall’s trial was not told that the acts of driving Ware away from the scene and hiding the gun should be considered separately to support the two separate charges of accessory to a felony.

Thursday morning, the state Court of Criminal Appeals formally reversed one count of accessory to a felony against Hall.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.


Originally posted 03/04/2021: A Tulsa County jury returned a verdict of guilty Thursday in the case of Matthew Hall, the man now convicted of being the getaway driver after two police officers were shot, one fatally, last June.

Prosecutors argued that Hall arrived on the scene last June 29th as shooting suspect David Ware struggled with TPD Officer Aurash Zarkeshan and Sergeant Craig Johnson.

They said that after the shootings, Hall drove Ware away and helped him get rid of the weapon.

Sgt. Johnson died of his injuries the next day; Ofcr. Zarkeshan continues to recover from several gunshot wounds.

Hall was convicted on two counts of accessory to shooting with intent to kill.

Each count carries a potential prison sentence of up to 22 and 1/2 years.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Monday, March 22nd.

Ware’s trial is scheduled to begin in June; he faces a potential death penalty.

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