In Ponca City, Oklahoma, on September 23, Ruth Harper, 61, pursued her ex-boyfriend Edward Fortune in a drunken driving incident. Surveillance footage captured Harper chasing Fortune through a parking lot before another driver, Dave Williams, intervened by crashing into Harper’s car to prevent her from hitting Fortune. Harper faces charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, DUI, reckless driving, malicious injury to property, and leaving the scene of an accident. Williams’ intervention was coincidental; he was there because his planned surgery was delayed due to a spider bite.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Ruth Harper, 61, an Oklahoma woman, allegedly attempted to ram her car into Edward Fortune, her ex-boyfriend, while driving under the influence on September 23. Surveillance footage from a gas station parking lot in Ponca City showed Harper chasing Fortune as he ran away. A bystander named Dave Williams intervened by crashing his own vehicle into Harper's, preventing a collision with Fortune just moments before. Police officers then arrived and aimed their weapons at Harper’s car, ordering her to exit the vehicle. Harper was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, driving under the influence, reckless driving, malicious injury to property, and leaving the scene of an accident, with a $100,000 bond set for her release.
Written for “Car Chase Coincidence Save” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
An Oklahoma woman has been accused of attempting to ram her car into an ex-boyfriend while intoxicated before a bystander stopped her with his own vehicle.
asserted
bystander → accuse → vehicle
Ruth Harper, 61, was captured on surveillance footage chasing a man named Edward Fortune with her car in a Ponca City parking lot on September 23.
asserted
Harper → capture → September
The video shows Harper being pursued by a police cruiser as she rounds the corner of a gas station while closing in on the ex-boyfriend who was running away.
asserted
who → show → boyfriend
The footage shows her about to hit Fortune before another car intentionally crashed into the front right side of her vehicle to stop it.
asserted
car → show → it
An officer in front of Harper's car and the one in the cruiser behind her could then be seen aiming their weapons at the woman's vehicle and ordering her to get out.
uncertain
officer → see → her
Harper was arrested and charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, driving under the influence, reckless driving, malicious injury to property and leaving the scene of an accident.
asserted
Harper → arrest → accident
She is being held on a $100,000 bond.
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She → hold → bond
Dave Williams, the bystander who stopped the angry ex, told KOCO5 that he actually wasn't even supposed to be in the area at the time.
asserted
he → stop → time
Williams said that he was supposed to be undergoing knee replacement surgery that morning but the procedure was delayed because he was bitten by a spider.
asserted
he → say → spider
Ruth Harper, 61, has been accused of trying to ram her car into an ex-boyfriend while driving under the influence in Ponca City, Oklahoma, on September 23
Surveillance footage captured Ruth closing in on her ex-boyfriend, Edward Fortune, while he ran away in a gas station parking lot
A bystander named Dave Williams stopped Ruth by crashing into her with his own car moments before she struck her ex-boyfriend.
asserted
she → accuse → boyfriend
The moment Williams crashed into Ruth is pictured
The heroic bystander also said that he was only in the area because he was there to pick up a car part he had ordered that arrived days earlier than expected.
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that → crash → part
Williams said that his initial plan was to box in Harper's car and force her to stop, but he realized he would have to make contact with her vehicle when he saw she was about to hit Fortune.
He added that he realized how much of a close call the incident was after speaking to the ex-boyfriend.
'I talked to the guy that she was chasing the next day.
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she → say → that
The front bumper of her car had made contact with the rear side of his right leg at the exact instant our two vehicles collided,' Williams said.
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Williams → make → instant
According to an affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail, Fortune told police that he had dated Harper for nearly two years but they had recently separated.
uncertain
they → accord → years
Before chasing her ex-boyfriend, Harper had first rammed into Fortune's parked car multiple times while he was at work, pushing the vehicle out of its spot and down a hill into the middle of a highway, the affidavit said.
asserted
affidavit → chase → highway
She then allegedly fled the scene before doubling back while an officer was investigating.
uncertain
officer → flee → scene
By that time, Fortune had left work and was near his damaged car.
asserted
Fortune → leave → car
Harper allegedly sped toward her ex-boyfriend, forcing him to dodge out of the way.
uncertain
Harper → speed → way
Before Ruth allegedly attempted to run over her ex, she pushed his parked car into the middle of a highway, court documents said.
uncertain
documents → attempt → highway
She is pictured doing so on surveillance footage
Ruth also allegedly attempted to hit Fortune while he was standing by the car she had pushed onto the highway.
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she → picture → highway
That moment is pictured
An officer is pictured aiming his gun at Ruth's car and ordering her to get out.
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officer → picture → her
She was arrested on charges including assault with a dangerous weapon
She scraped against his car and turned into a parking lot before trying to come for Fortune again, the affidavit said.
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affidavit → arrest → Fortune
The officer at the scene told Fortune to go to a gas station across the street.
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officer → tell → street
As the man ran, Harper allegedly sped toward him, the officer and a group of people standing near the gas station, causing everyone to scatter.
uncertain
everyone → run → station
The rest of the chase and Harper being stopped by Williams was captured by the gas station's surveillance cameras.
asserted
Harper → stop → cameras
A Ponca City Police sergeant said in the affidavit that after Harper was arrested, he found a bag with multiple prescription medications on her car's passenger-side floorboard.
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he → say → floorboard
A corporal with the department who handled the DUI investigation said that the medication labels 'recommended consulting your doctor before driving a motor vehicle.'
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labels → handle → vehicle
Another sergeant testified that 'Ruth was under the influence of a drug, and could not safely operate a motor vehicle at the time of her arrest.'
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Ruth → testify → arrest
Harper's assault with a dangerous weapon charges are felonies, and each of the two counts carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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each → carry → prison
Her other charges are misdemeanors that have less severe penalties.
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that → have → penalties
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