Updated on Friday, November 1, 2019 — Simmons taken into custody; attorney says suspect was not aware of anyone being injured
A formal charge was handed down today from the Logan County District Attorney’s Office in last weekend’s hit and run accident.
33-year-old Mandy Gorsuch was struck by a vehicle late Saturday evening (October 26) while in downtown Guthrie. Gorsuch died due to internal injuries while being transported to the hospital by Guthrie EMS.
Witnesses at the scene stated they saw a pickup strike the victim and fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival.
On Thursday, Zachary James Simmons, 28, was charged with leaving the scene of a fatality accident. A warrant has been issued for his arrest with a $50,000 bond, according to online records.
Guthrie News Page has learned Gorsuch and friends had been inside a bar in the 300 block of Oklahoma Ave. Upon leaving the bar, a female passenger in Simmons’ 2015 F-250 truck began yelling at Gorsuch, according to a witness.
Gorsuch reportedly walked towards Simmons’ truck, which was stopped at the exit of the parking lot across from the bar. The witness says the female occupant continued to yell obscenities toward Gorsuch and at some point opened the passenger door and got back in as Gorsuch approached the passenger side.
At the same time, another person with Gorsuch went to the driver’s side of the truck where Simmons allegedly produced a badge told the person to back away. After complying, the witness says Simmons gunned the truck and turned east onto Oklahoma Ave.
A second witness observed a truck “peel out” and running somebody over. The witness said they believed it was on purpose based on the recklessness of the driver’s actions.
The witness went on to say that a block later, Simmons opened his door and looked back.
A witness was able to capture the license plate on the white truck that came back to Simmons’ address in Mulhall. Police were unable to make contact with Simmons – for nearly 24 hours – until the following afternoon.
Simmons told Lt. Mark Bruning “I didn’t run her over” in an interview.
One of the passengers in the truck says they felt the truck hit something but believed it was a curb.
Bruning says Simmons admitted to drinking for several hours and says Simmons had plenty of time to drive away without incident.
“He could have driven slowly out of the parking lot instead of driving in a fast, reckless manner,” Bruning said in a police report. “I believe that Simmons left the scene because he didn’t want to get caught for driving under the influence.”
Simmons quit his position at the Sooner Fire Department two years ago after learning he was going to be demoted in rank after receiving several reprimands for driving the department’s vehicles in a dangerous manner, according to the report.
Guthrie News Page has also learned Simmons once worked inside the Logan County Jail.
Records show Simmons pleaded guilty in 2015 to leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, according to police officials.
What is a “$50,000 warrant?” You mean the bond, right?
Why isn’t he charged with murder
RiP MANDY …SHE DIDNT DESERVE THIS SHIT. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE DRINKING AND DRIVING. I DNT SEE HOW THY BOTH DIDNT KNOW THEY RAN HER OVER. THEY WERE IN A F250 SHE WAS OUT IN FRONT WHILE PASSENGER WAS YELLING AT HER, THEY SEEN HER. THTs WHY HE OPENED HIS DOOR TO CHECK. IM GLAD THEY FOUND THESE TWO. HE OBVIOUSLY HAS ALWAYS DROVE SPERATIC,IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE HURT SOMEONE. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED. ITLL NEVER MAKE IT HURT ANY LESS FOR MANDYS FAMILY && FRIENDS. SHE WAS A GOOD PERSON
WE LOVE YOU MANDY.
Surely if it happened a block from the police department there is video. She did NOT deserve this. What was being yelled at her? Is this a HATE crime? What badge did he show?
I never knew it worked where a person got a bond before they were even taken to jail something isn’t right about that Mandy was killed in a hate crime by this man and his girlfriend should be charged as well
When in the world did the okla justice system become so messed up that a woman I know got caught with drugs on her and had a 100,000 dollar bond but you can run someone that’s innocent over & KILL THEM and get a 50,000 dollar bond and only charged with LEAVING THE SCENE OF A FATALITY ACCIDENT WTF!!!! FOR REAL?? This was clearly a hate crime. I thought that was a big deal here OH WAIT I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with him working inside the county jail in the past or that he was a volunteer fire fighter hmmm right is right and wrong is wrong & if it had been me or you we wouldve been charged with 2nd degree murder or at the least vehicular manslaughter I guarantee that
Our justice system here in this state is so messed up that it’s not even funny. I had a $60,000 bond for cashing a check for someone and the same time there was a Dr. charged with murder for multiple people and he had a $5,000 bond. This was clearly a hate crime and need to be treated that way. Prays for this woman’s family.
If all “wonderful” people coould be gathered in the nice place on earth ,let say holywood , where presently probably most of them are , without ability to leave the place , to spread their “wonderfullness” , amount normal people , than in 10-15 years we would get rid of all diseases like HIV …
He’s left both positions he held due to driving incidents, admits to drinking, hits someone ( that he had an alter cat with), leaves the scene & so far has basically had a slap on the wrist??? Meanwhile his victim is dead & family, friends, & the community are left with grief & no justice??? We can do better. We should do better. We HAVE to do better. #justiceformandy Prayers & ❤️ for her family/friends. Shame on Logan County.
What’s happening with this case? A drunk man deliberately runs over a gay woman and gets to stay with his family until when, a year later? In the meantime family and friends grieve. And you know what? Whether or not she was “wonderful,” this was a human life. He was judge, jury, and executioner. If all lives matter, where is justice for Mandy?