Trespassers’ access creates unwanted noise, harassment
Property owners in Newcastle and Oklahoma City who live beside the South Canadian River have a view of the sometimes tranquil water and the accompanying wildlife. But not of late, as many times they’ve had their senses overwhelmed.
The revelry of partiers and the revving of motors from four-wheelers, Jeeps, and side-by-sides has disrupted that tranquility as thrill seekers trespass onto the owners’ private property.
Because of the allure of driving along the river, the way trespassing laws are written, and difficult access for officers to be on the scene when trespassers are there, enforcement is difficult.
Sarah and Brad Cummings of Oklahoma City own property on the river next to Bigfoot Off-Road Trails, LLC, at the I-44 Speedway Park. They said since the park has been open, people have been leaving the park and accessing their property and other private property along the river.
Brad said, “There’s a false impression out there that the river is state-owned property. The South Canadian River property belongs to the landowners who abut the river. If you own property and your east and west property lines go down to the river, and if someone crosses that going east to west, they are trespassing.”
Sarah said they have called Oklahoma City police, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, game wardens, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the District Attorney’s office, but to no avail. The trespassers still keep coming in their Jeeps, Broncos, side-bysides, and four-wheelers.
The Cummings said they’ve been in contact with the contractors working on the turnpike bridge at the river, and the contractors have had trespassers going in at night and running their equipment.
Sarah said she and Brad have counted hundreds of people trespassing along the river, and they have drone footage of 30-40 Jeeps lining up in a row where they are about to go ride the river.
There have been reports of either shots fired or fireworks being shot off in the area at night.
The Cummings said the trespassing and river access has been going on since Bigfoot Off-Road Trails began its operations in May. Sarah said noise has been a problem, and at one point revelers put up a tent under U.S. Highway 44 where they were drinking and partying all night.
According to their website, Bigfoot Off-Road Trails “offers UTV, ATV, 4x4 truck, dirt bike, Broncho and Jeep trails with access to the Canadian River for fishing.”
City Council member Mike Fullerton told the Newcastle Pacer he has been contacted by several Newcastle property owners about the trespassing and harassment.
He said one property owner, who has land extending to the river and a view of the river, was taunted verbally by a motorcyclist who was doing circles in the sand in front of them. Fullerton said people don’t understand the lawful use of the river. He said law states that the waterway can be used for rafting (or boat- ing), but a vehicle cannot be driven on the bed of the river.
TRESPASSING: Property owners want violators cited
He said all the property abutting the river is owned by either homeowners, agricultural landowners or ranchers, and the State of Oklahoma — such as the land recently acquired by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
Fullterton said, “I feel sorry for the landowners when this stuff is going on at 3 in the morning and they can’t do anything about it.”
He suggested property owners place t-posts on their property lines so the local law enforcement can know where the private property is and who it belongs to.
“The problem is that some of this has been done in the past, and the signs and posts were ripped out by the trespassers,” Fullerton said.
At one point, Bigfoot Off-Road Trails was not only providing access to the river from their property, but also they posted a flyer on social media advertising an event they had planned.
The flyer showed the business charging money for “Searching for Bigfoot, a river ride to Wanette, Oklahoma.”
Fullerton said, “These guys were running from Minco down to Wayne. They were crossing private property all the way down.”
He added that there is no public access for these vehicle drivers.
A more recent post on Facebook from Bigfoot Off-Road Trails said, “We provide lawful access from our property. We do not conduct, guide, sell, authorize, or represent that guests have permission to enter property belonging to others. Once guests leave Bigfoot Trails, they are responsible for knowing where they may legally operate and for complying with applicable laws and property boundaries.”
It further states, “In plain language, we do not condone riding down the river.”
According to the Secretary of State, Bigfoot Off-Road Trails OKC is a registered LLC, and is owned by John Thephachanh.
The Newcastle Pacer attempted to contact Bigfoot Off-Road Trails on Thursday last week, but was hung up on.
A second call went to voice mail. We left a message with contact information but had not heard back by press time Tuesday.
Police Chief Toby Garver said his department has received complaints from a couple of Newcastle landowners about trespassers on their property along the river. He said the complaints started when the Bigfoot Off-Road Trails’ activities began at the I-44 Speedway property.
He said property owners are frustrated, and they’ve requested someone come and issue citations for trespassing. He said the law says they have to first be told they are trespassing, and then allowed to leave. He said they have to continue trespassing before they can be written a citation.
Garver said officers must be on scene when the trespassers are there. He also added that access to the river is also limited for his officers.
“It usually happens in the evening times. The problem we have is getting access to the river. In the past, we have had to walk through the woods to get there,” Garver said.
He said the access is further hampered when there are heavy rains and the river changes. It can move back and forth, from north and south, he said.
The law enforcement access problem may have been solved, however, as Fullerton said there is one Newcastle homeowner who has access to the river from their property. Fullerton said it is his understanding that the property owners have given Newcastle Police Department permission for officers to use the access when needed.
As for the other river access, the Cummings and the Newcastle property owners would like the trespassing, noise, and harassment to stop, and their solitude along the Canadian River to return.
