A Pauls Valley man accused of leading police on a high-speed pursuit near the Pauls Valley City Lake last week has been denied bond and is facing additional charges after allegedly making threats against law enforcement and court officials.
William Miles Philpott, 42, was charged Feb. 26 with one felony count of endangering others while eluding after he failed to stop for a law enforcement officer who reportedly observed him driving erratically and speeding, first on county roads near Philpott’s residence and later on State Highway 19 north of Pauls Valley.
Additional details about the circumstances surrounding last week’s pursuit were revealed Monday during a hearing on a motion filed by the state requesting Philpott be held without bail.
The court heard testimony from a local pharmacist who said she had a “disagreement” with Philpott’s mother, Mary Philpott, on Feb. 25, the day before the pursuit, because the pharmacist refused to fill a prescription for William Philpott.
The pharmacist said she refused to fill the prescription because he had picked up the last prescription only 20 days prior and because it was for a daily dosage of the drug Adderall, an amphetamine, that she felt to be excessive.
“For his safety, I was not going to fill it,” she said.
After the disagreement, the pharmacist testified she became aware of statements made by William Philpott on the pharmacy’s social media page that were not explicit threats, but she said made her afraid for her safety and the safety of her family, so she contacted Garvin County Sheriff Jim Mullett and made a report.
Mullett testified that after receiving the report, he contacted Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May to alert him of the situation. May and Mullett both testified because of their previous history with Philpott they agreed to heighten patrols over the next several days around locations both inside Pauls Valley and in areas of the county to ensure public safety.
Philpott has previous felony convictions stemming from a 2022 case in which he pled no contest to eight felony charges related to a standoff with police in which he shot multiple rounds at law enforcement officers responding to a disturbance call at his rural Garvin County residence. In that case, Philpott’s defense team presented arguments that he had been overprescribed the drug Adderall to treat ADHD, causing a mental health episode that led to the standoff.
It was Chief May who observed Philpott driving erratically on Feb. 26, and tried to initiate a traffic stop, which led to the pursuit.
Sheriff Mullett testified that as he and other Garvin County Sheriff’s Deputies were responding to the pursuit call to assist May, they encountered a black SUV on State Highway 19, and then later on county roads, that refused to yield to their emergency lights and seemed to be trying to prevent the officers from passing it.
Mullett said when he finally got around the SUV, he directed the deputies behind him to stop the vehicle. Those deputies testified the driver of the SUV was Mary Philpott and the passenger in the vehicle was her husband, Miles Philpott.
According to court records, just hours after being arrested Feb. 26 William Philpott allegedly made multiple phone calls to his parents from the jail on a recorded phone line. In those jail calls, excerpts of which were read aloud during Monday’s hearing, Philpott repeatedly made violent and profanity-ridden threats to harm others, including threatening to kill Special Judge Trisha Misak, Sheriff Jim Mullett and his family, and Assistant District Attorney Corey Miner. During those calls, Philpott also allegedly instructed his parents to call a Mexican drug cartel for him.
Those calls, and threats, continued into the day on Feb. 27, according to court documents.
Court records show Special Judge Trisha Misak recused herself from further proceedings in the case Feb. 27, after the DA’s office filed supplemental evidence that included the call transcripts. In the court minute, Misak said the recusal was because “a reasonable person may believe that this court could not be fair and impartial.”
Philpott has been charged with two additional misdemeanor counts of threatening to perform an act of violence for the statements made in those calls.
During Monday’s hearing, the state presented those statements to the court as evidence that Philpott is a “violent individual who has no qualms about threatening to kill a sitting judge, the sheriff or a prosecutor.”
Miner argued the statements clearly and convincingly show no condition of bond will reasonably assure the safety of the community.
Defense attorney Micah Ayache argued the statements were merely venting, reminding the court the defendant was there on a charge of eluding, not threatening a judge.
“These are the rantings of someone very upset with his situation,” Ayache said. “I can’t condone the comments, but they weren’t true threats. They were just venting from a cell.”
In making her ruling to deny bond, District Judge Leah Edwards said the threats made by Philpott from his cell had occurred over a two-day period, something the court found noteworthy. She went on to say no condition of bond or combination of conditions would reasonably ensure the safety of others and the community.
Tuesday afternoon, Philpott’s 81-year-old mother, Mary Philpott was charged in Garvin County District Court with a felony count of aiding, assisting or concealing a felon. She was booked into the Garvin County Jail and immediately bonded out on a $1,000 bond.
Both Philpotts are due back in court for preliminary hearing in early May. Those proceedings are expected to be heard by McClain County Special Judge Lori Puckett.