Oklahoma Senator Bryce Marlatt 'Shocked' By Sex Misconduct Allegation: Lawyer

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Republican state Sen. Bryce Marlatt was "shocked" by allegations that he forcefully grabbed an Uber driver in Oklahoma City and kissed her neck as she drove him to a hotel, his attorney said Thursday.

The incident was reported to Oklahoma City police on June 28, two days after she says it happened. She flagged down a police officer at a convenience store near the state Capitol.

Attorney Robert Don Gifford confirmed to The Associated Press that his client Marlatt, of Woodward, is the person named in a redacted police report that details the allegations. Gifford said Marlatt became aware of the complaint after being contacted by Uber. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

"The senator was shocked by the allegations," Gifford said. "He wants to get to the bottom of this, and that's why he's gotten us involved, to contact Uber and figured out what happened."

Marlatt, 40, did not immediately return telephone messages from the AP. He told The Woodward News that he retained an attorney to "get to the bottom of these allegations."

Marlatt, a married father of four, has not been arrested or charged, and police spokesman Sgt. Gary Knight said detectives are still investigating the incident. Woodward is about 125 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

21 amazing years with this beautiful lady! Best wife in the history of the world. Tatum, thanks for choosing me! pic.twitter.com/hK6h5goXBu
— Bryce Marlatt (@brycemarlatt) June 16, 2017

Marlatt was relieved on Thursday of his role as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee and vice-chairman of two other Senate panels by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz.

"Allegations like those contained in the police report concerning Senate Marlatt are very serious in nature and are not tolerated," Schulz wrote in a letter to Senate members. "Further action may be taken as deemed necessary."

Uber says it is cooperating with police.

Marlatt was arrested in 2014 and charged with a misdemeanor count of being in control of his vehicle while intoxicated after a Woodward County sheriff's deputy reported finding him asleep in his running pickup truck on a country road. The Oklahoman newspaper said Marlatt received a deferred sentence after pleading no contest, and the case against him was later dismissed. His attorney in that case said Marlatt had taken a prescription sleep aid and had an alcoholic drink, but stopped driving when he became concerned about the effects.

Marlatt is the third Republican Oklahoma legislator to face allegations of sexual misconduct this year. State Rep. Dan Kirby of Tulsa resigned in February after being accused of sexually harassing two former legislative assistants, and Sen. Ralph Shortey of Oklahoma City stepped down in March after being charged with child prostitution after prosecutors say he solicited sex from a 17-year-old boy.

Marlatt was first elected in 2008 and easily won re-election in 2016 to a third term in office with more than 70 percent of the vote in the GOP primary.

This is the section of the police report where an Uber driver claims State Sen. Bryce Marlatt was inappropriate with her. pic.twitter.com/aKbWDxao7L
— Phil Cross (@philsnews) July 5, 2017

By Sean Murphy, Associated Press

Photos credit: Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press