KFOR.com Oklahoma City

68-year-old woman suffers multiple broken bones in OHP arrest

LOGAN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A great-grandmother has multiple broken bones after being arrested by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper earlier this week. 

According to OHP, Nancy Kemp, 68, was pulled over on I-35 near Seward Road. 

“The trooper had seen signs of intoxication both with the driving behavior and with the suspect,” said Trooper Eric Foster, a spokesperson for OHP. 

The trooper then began interviewing Kemp in the front seat of his cruiser, which is standard protocol for the highway patrol, saying she became “combative.”

“[She] attacked the trooper inside of the patrol car,” said Foster. “While the car was in motion, he was backing up to give some room while he was on the shoulder [of the road], she attacked him inside the car while it was in motion… Once they exited the vehicle she fought him to get her in handcuffs to get her in a safe roll.” 

Nancy Kemp, courtesy family (L) and Logan County Jail (R)

“After getting her in handcuffs, she fought and got out of the handcuffs and he had to fight her again to get her back in the handcuffs,” Foster added. 

However Kemp’s family is telling a different story. 

They did not want to talk on camera, but expressed their outrage in a social media post, calling Kemp “unrecognizable” as a result of the arrest. 

The 68-year-old’s attorney, April Coffin, sent KFOR the following statement on behalf of the Kemp family: 

“Without knowing OHP’s official position, I would note that law enforcement officers are trained in, among other things, de-escalation and proper restraint techniques. Most of Oklahoma’s law enforcement officers do these things – and their jobs – well every day. Trooper Preston Cox, however, broke ribs 2-8 on Ms. Kemp’s left side, broke her nose with repeated blows to the face, stomped on her left foot, and left significant bruising all over her face and head, upper and lower arms, and upper body – and inflicted most of these injuries while Ms. Kemp was restrained with her hands behind her back secured in handcuffs.

Any attempted justification of the brutal assault of a 68-year-old great-grandmother wearing a long skirt and strappy sandals, who has a clean record and had no weapons, simply defies explanation. To the extent that she is being accused of fighting back, any struggle was in defense of her life – and frankly, we are all grateful that she made it out alive. We await the Logan County District Attorney’s decisions as to whether to file charges against Ms. Kemp – and as to whether to file charges against Trooper Cox. In the meantime, Ms. Kemp’s medical condition is still being evaluated as the swelling subsides, and the family – and everyone who knows and loves Nancy – is looking forward to seeing justice done.” 

OHP confirmed they have body camera video of this incident, but it is not being released right now because it’s part of the ongoing investigation. 

Kemp’s arraignment in Logan County was postponed on Friday. She will be back in court June 27th.

The family is asking for donations to help with medical bills and legal fees.