How Can I Fight a Wagoner Charge of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in Oklahoma?

unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Oklahoma Taking someone else’s car without their permission can land you in hot water in Wagoner, Oklahoma.

This is true even if you intended to return the car after a few hours of use.

If you’ve been charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Oklahoma, an experienced criminal defense attorney can help ensure you receive fair treatment by the court.

Defining Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in Oklahoma

State law defines the crime of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Oklahoma as occurring when:

1) a person not entitled to possession of a vehicle,
2) without the consent of the owner and,
3) with intent to deprive the owner, temporarily or otherwise, of the vehicle
4) takes, uses or drives the vehicle.

A Wagoner prosecutor will have to prove each of the four parts of the crime’s definition (called “elements”) beyond a reasonable doubt in order to successfully convict someone of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Oklahoma.

Therefore, the prosecutor must prove that the defendant was not entitled to possession of the car or did not have permission to drive the car.

This can be a difficult question in times where two people may regularly share a car but only one person is the actual owner. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 4-102