Conflicting Orders Result In Metro's 1st Coronavirus (COVID-19) Citation

Norman police have issued the metro’s first citation to a business for allegedly failing to comply with COVID-19 emergency orders.

“It’s very hard,” Norman Mayor Breea Clark said. “We are not doing this because we don’t support business, we are doing this because we are trying to protect our residents.”

Police records show Oklahoma Motor Cars on Main Street in Norman was cited Friday after receiving a warning for remaining open the day before. Other dealerships on Norman’s “mile of cars” were also open Tuesday, but had not been cited.

General Manager Chris Mayes said he is keeping his business open because auto dealers fall under Governor Kevin Stitt’s list of essential businesses. However, dealerships are not on the Norman list of essential businesses, landing Mayes a ticket punishable by up to a $750 fine and 60 days in jail.

“These measures are in place to protect people, without additional testing to figure out what we are dealing with and where, the only tool that cities have to protect our residents and stop the spread is to enforce social distancing,” Clark said.

In a Facebook video, the Mayor said the city’s emergency order reigns supreme in Norman city limits. Clark said police officers are taking an education first approach.

“They reach out to people first, let them know that ‘hey, this is not how we are doing things right now. This is real,’ then they are citing people afterwards that refuse to comply,” Clark said.

Clark urges anyone who sees non-essential businesses still operating to report them to Norman police.

In the meantime, Mayes said he is keeping his business open and is ready to fight future citations.

“It is frustrating. It’s hard,” Clark said. “Change is hard generally, let alone when your livelihood is at stake. I know how hard this is.”