CJ-2026-00033 - Caleb Kelton v. Davonta Sanchez Harring

What's This Case About?

Let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t just another fender-bender between two people who maybe shouldn’t have been on the road. This is a full-on vehicular horror show — a car rolling multiple times, a roof collapsing like a soda can, bones shattering like popcorn, and a driver so far over the speed limit that the state actually handed him a ticket for it. And all of this allegedly went down while the plaintiff, Caleb Kelton, was just sitting in the back seat, minding his own business, probably wondering if he should’ve called an Uber instead.

So who are these guys? Well, we’ve got Caleb Kelton — a resident of Mounds, Oklahoma, which, for the uninitiated, is a small town where everyone knows your business and your grandma probably waves at you from the porch. Then there’s Davonta Sanchez Harring, the defendant, who lives in Broken Arrow — a slightly bigger town with more stoplights and, apparently, a slightly looser relationship with the speed limit. The two men don’t appear to be strangers — at least not in the legal sense — because Caleb was a passenger in Davonta’s car on February 14, 2024. That means at some point, Caleb made the fateful decision to trust Davonta with his life and get into his vehicle. We don’t know if they’re friends, coworkers, or just two guys trying to get from Point A to Point B on a random Tuesday, but we do know that by the end of the ride, Caleb was trapped under a crushed roof, and Davonta was getting a citation from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. So… maybe not the most successful joyride.

Here’s how it went down, according to the court filing: Davonta was driving — fast, real fast — on a county road in Okmulgee County. Not a highway. Not an interstate. A county road. You know, the kind with potholes, gravel, and the occasional goat wandering into traffic. And for some reason, Davonta decided this was the perfect place to test how many G-forces a sedan can handle. At some point, he attempted a right turn — but not the smooth, gradual kind your driver’s ed teacher taught you. No, this was a negligently attempted right turn, which is lawyer-speak for “he yanked the wheel like he was in a Fast & Furious movie and immediately regretted it.” The car left the road, flipped over multiple times — emphasis on multiple — and the roof caved in directly onto Caleb, who was chilling in the back seat like a normal human being. The result? “Numerous breaks to his bones,” life-altering injuries, and a pain level that probably maxed out every medical scale known to man. Also worth noting: Davonta wasn’t just accused of speeding — he was cited and convicted for it under Oklahoma law. So this isn’t speculation. The state of Oklahoma officially said, “Yeah, you were going way too fast.”

Now, why are we in court? Because Caleb isn’t just mad — he’s legally mad. And his attorney, Jared A. DeSilvey of the Green Country Law Group (yes, that’s a real name, and yes, it sounds like a folk band), is throwing the full legal playbook at Davonta. First up: negligence per se. Fancy term, simple idea. It means: “You broke the law, and because you broke the law, you’re automatically considered negligent.” In this case, Davonta was cited under Oklahoma law for speeding — specifically, for going faster than “reasonable and proper.” That law exists to protect people like Caleb — passengers, pedestrians, other drivers — from exactly this kind of disaster. So by breaking it, Davonta didn’t just get a ticket; he opened the door to a lawsuit where Caleb doesn’t have to prove Davonta was careless — the law assumes he was.

But wait, there’s more. Caleb’s also suing for plain old negligence — meaning, even if the speeding ticket didn’t exist, Davonta still had a duty to drive safely and failed spectacularly. As a driver, you’re supposed to protect your passengers. That’s kind of the deal when someone trusts you with their life by getting in your car. Davonta allegedly failed that basic responsibility by driving like he was being chased by the cops (ironically, he wasn’t — until after the crash). And then, to really turn up the heat, Caleb is alleging gross negligence. This is the legal equivalent of saying, “You weren’t just careless — you were dangerously careless. Like, ‘zero regard for human life’ levels of careless.” The filing says Davonta’s actions showed “a want of the slightest care and diligence,” which sounds like a polite way of calling him a menace on wheels.

So what does Caleb want? A cool $250,000 — at minimum. And no, that’s not a typo. He’s not asking for $50,000 for a few medical bills and a rental car. We’re talking about permanent injuries, ongoing medical treatment, pain and suffering that will last the rest of his life, lost income, lost earning capacity, and a drastically reduced quality of life. In legal terms, that’s called “significant damages.” In real human terms, it means Caleb might never walk the same, work the same, or live the same again. So while $250,000 might sound like a lot to some — especially in Okmulgee County — when you’re talking about a lifetime of medical care and disability, it’s not exactly an outrageous ask. And remember: this is just the minimum. The filing says “in excess of $250,000,” which means the final number could be much higher. Also worth noting: Caleb wants a jury trial. So this isn’t some quiet settlement behind closed doors. He wants twelve of his peers to look Davonta in the eye and say, “Yeah, you messed up.”

Now, here’s our take: the most absurd part of this whole thing isn’t even the crash — it’s the sheer audacity of speeding on a county road like it’s the Nürburgring. Who does that? Who looks at a rural Oklahoma backroad, sees a “Right Turn Ahead” sign, and thinks, “Perfect — time to go full NASCAR”? And then to have your passenger — a human being with a family, a job, a future — get crushed under a collapsing roof? It’s not just reckless. It’s stupid. And while we’re not here to convict anyone — that’s for the jury — we will say this: if the facts are even half of what’s alleged, Davonta doesn’t just owe Caleb money. He owes him an apology. A lifetime supply of Tylenol. And maybe a new car — one with a stronger roof.

But let’s be real — this case isn’t just about speed or turns or even broken bones. It’s about trust. Caleb trusted Davonta to drive safely. Davonta broke that trust in the most violent way possible. And now, the courts get to decide what that’s worth. We’re not lawyers. We’re not judges. But we are rooting for accountability. Because if you’re going to drive like a maniac, at least have the decency to do it alone — not with someone else’s life in the back seat.

Case Overview

$250,000 Demand Jury Trial Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Jared A. DeSilvey

Green Country Law Group, PLLLP

Relief Sought

$250,000 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Caleb Kelton individual
Rep: Jared A. DeSilvey

Defendants

Davonta Sanchez Harring individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	negligence per se	Plaintiff was passenger in Defendant's vehicle that crashed, causing Plaintiff's injuries
2	negligence	Plaintiff alleges Defendant was negligent in operating vehicle
3	gross negligence	Plaintiff alleges Defendant's operation of vehicle was grossly negligent

Petition Text

1,055 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT IN AND FOR OKMULGEE COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA CALEB KELTON, Plaintiff, vs. DAVONTA SANCHEZ HARRING, Defendant. PETITION COMES NOW the Plaintiff, Caleb Kelton, by and through his attorneys of record, Jared A. DeSilvey and Green Country Law Group, and for his cause of action against the Defendant, Davonta Harring (hereinafter “Defendant”), alleges and states as follows: FACTUAL AND JURISDICTIONAL CLAIMS 1. At the time of the incident in question, the Plaintiff was a resident of Mounds, Okmulgee County, State of Oklahoma. At the time of the incident in question, the Defendant was a resident of Broken Arrow, Wagoner County, State of Oklahoma. The personal injury and property damage giving rise to this action occurred in Okmulgee County, State of Oklahoma. Jurisdiction is, therefore, just, and proper in this Court. 2. On or about February 14, 2024, Plaintiff Caleb Kelton was a passenger in a vehicle being operated by Defendant on a county road located in Okmulgee County, State of Oklahoma. As Plaintiff was a rear-seat passenger, the Defendant was operating his vehicle at an excessively high rate of speed and negligently attempted a right turn. 3. The negligently-attempted right turn caused the Defendant's vehicle to leave the road and roll multiple times. The resulting collision caused the roof of the Defendant's car to collapse and crush the Plaintiff's body. As a result, the Plaintiff suffered numerous breaks to his bones. 4. Said collision caused Plaintiff to incur life-altering, permanent personal injuries, and suffer extreme pain and suffering which will last for the remainder of his life. FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION – NEGLIGENCE PER SE 5. Plaintiff re-asserts and re-alleges all averments contained in Paragraphs 1 - 4. 6. By traveling at an excessively high rate of speed, the Defendant failed to exercise ordinary care to properly operate his vehicle, Defendant's breach of that duty caused severe and permanent injuries to Plaintiff. 7. The Defendant was cited by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle at a speed greater than reasonable and proper, Okmulgee County Case No. TR-2024-212, in violation of 47 O.S. §801(A) and was convicted of same. 8. The Plaintiff is the class of persons (passengers and other citizens utilizing the roadways of the State of Oklahoma) intended to be protected by 47 O.S. §801(A) and the Plaintiff's severe injuries were the injuries intended to be prevented by 47 O.S. §801(A). 9. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant's negligence, Plaintiff Caleb Kelton has suffered serious bodily injuries, incurred and continues to incur medical expenses, endured and continues to endure both physical and mental pain and suffering, has lost the enjoyment of life, lost income and earning capacity, and has suffered further damages, all of which will be more particularly proven at trial and which entitle Plaintiff Caleb Kelton to collect a sum in excess of $250,000.00 from the Defendant. WHEREFORE, premises considered, Plaintiff prays that the Court award him damages in excess of $250,000.00 from Defendant Davonta Sanchez Harring on his First Cause of Action, including attorney's fees, costs, interest and any such other relief as this Court may deem just and proper. SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION – NEGLIGENCE 10. Plaintiff re-asserts and re-alleges all averments contained in Paragraphs 1 - 9. 11. As the driver of his vehicle, Defendant was required to operate his vehicle to a reasonable degree of care to ensure the safety of his passengers, like Plaintiff. 12. By traveling at an excessively-high rate of speed and causing that vehicle to leave the road and roll-over multiple times, Defendant negligently breached of the duty of care owed to his passenger, Plaintiff. 13. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant’s negligence, Plaintiff Caleb Kelton has suffered serious bodily injuries, incurred and continues to incur medical expenses, endured and continues to endure both physical and mental pain and suffering, has lost the enjoyment of life, lost income and earning capacity, and has suffered further damages, all of which will be more particularly proven at trial and which entitle Plaintiff Caleb Kelton to collect a sum in excess of $250,000.00 from the Defendant. WHEREFORE, premises considered, Plaintiff prays that the Court award him damages in excess of $250,000.00 from Defendant Davonta Sanchez Harring on his Second Cause of Action, including attorney's fees, costs, interest and any such other relief as this Court may deem just and proper. THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION – GROSS NEGLIGENCE 14. Plaintiff re-asserts and re-alleges all averments contained in Paragraphs 1 - 13. 15. As the driver of his vehicle, Defendant was required to operate his vehicle to a reasonable degree of care to ensure the safety of his passengers, like Plaintiff. 16. By traveling at an excessively-high rate of speed and causing that vehicle to leave the road and roll-over multiple times, Defendant's operation of his vehicle evinces a want of the slightest care and diligence and breached of the duty of care owed to his passenger, Plaintiff. 17. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant's gross negligence, Plaintiff Caleb Kelton has suffered serious bodily injuries, incurred and continues to incur medical expenses, endured and continues to endure both physical and mental pain and suffering, has lost the enjoyment of life, lost income and earning capacity, and has suffered further damages, all of which will be more particularly proven at trial and which entitle Plaintiff Caleb Kelton to collect a sum in excess of $250,000.00 from the Defendant. WHEREFORE, premises considered, Plaintiff prays that the Court award him damages in excess of $250,000.00 from Defendant Davonta Sanchez Harring on his Third Cause of Action, including attorney’s fees, costs, interest and any such other relief as this Court may deem just and proper. Plaintiff reserves the right to amend this Petition if additional facts supporting additional claims arise during discovery. Respectfully submitted this 10th day of February, 2026. Jared A. DeSilvey, OBA #17280 GREEN COUNTRY LAW GROUP, PLLLP 321 Court Street Muskogee, Oklahoma 74401 (918) 913-0195 - Telephone (918) 456-5561 - Facsimile [email protected] Attorney for Plaintiff VERIFICATION STATE OF OKLAHOMA, COUNTY OF TULSA. ) SS. ) Caleb Kelton, Plaintiff, being of lawful age and having been first duly sworn on oath, says that he has read and knows the contents of the within and foregoing Petition and that the statements therein made are true to the best of his information, knowledge, and belief. CALEB KELTON Subscribed and sworn to before me this 6th day of February, 2026. Notary Public State of Oklahoma BEN J PILLOW TULSA COUNTY COMMISSION #18008551 Comm. Exp. 08-29-2030 Notary Public