Owners Close Bradley Ford Swimming Area to Public

A popular swimming area at Bradley Ford, near Nicut, has been closed temporarily after rowdy guests left the area in shambles.

Bradley Ford is owned by Bradley Ford Paradise LLC, which is comprised primarily of members of the Lattimore family, and in a statement, the group said its attorney had sent a letter to Sheriff Larry Lane instructing him to enforce trespassing laws and no-trespassing signs will be posted.

The group said it had never closed the site before, but recent incidents have changed everything. Two men were injured, one of them hospitalized, and there were parties of more than 200 people and general drunkenness left the park “trashed. It will take us two weeks to clean it up for our own use. … This is temporary but necessary right now."

The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement:

“The property owners of Bradley Ford properties at Nicut have hereby closed their property to public access. The families have always accommodated local people that just wanted to take their kids swimming and spend the day at the creek. But, due to the increasing littering, graffiti and underage drinking, which has led to fights and other criminal activities the property owners have decided that they will no longer allow anyone to be on the property. The Sheriff’s Office began enforcing this request last weekend and will continue to check the area multiple times a day, and will escort any trespassers off the property. Hopefully everyone will understand and will comply with the property owners’ wishes. If the problem persists, the Sheriff’s Office will be forced to start charging people for trespassing and/or other criminal violations."

Three Sallisaw resident were charged with aggravated assault and battery after a large altercation that occurred at Bradley Ford on May 29. 

According to a police report, Mika Collins, 19; Hunter Kent Proffitt, 20; and Tekyevius Clayton, 19, attacked a man and his girlfriend at the recreational site. Collins was also hit with an assault and battery charge, a misdemeanor. 

On May 29, a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Northeastern Health System - Sequoyah about an assault that had occurred. 

When he arrived at the hospital, the deputy was met by Jazzmine Williams, who had a cut under her chin. She said Proffitt, Collins, Clayton and another suspect had jumped them while they were at Bradley Ford. Williams said Collins ran up to her car while she was sitting inside it and started punching her. 

Williams’ boyfriend, Jadan Drake, then ran up and grabbed Collins from behind, at which point the group began attacking Drake, the report reveals. 

The deputy went back to Bradley Ford, where he interviewed the suspects. Hunter denied seeing anything and denied knowing the other couple, even though Williams had told the officer she used to date Hunter. Collins, Hunter’s current girlfriend, told officers she had nothing to say. Clayton later described what happened during the assault and the three were subsequently arrested. 

They face up to five years in the State Penitentiary on the felony charge. Collins’ misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to 90 days in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000. 

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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