Oklahoma High School Softball Coach Shot By Local Lawyer

Oklahoma High School Softball Coach Shot By Local Lawyer

Oklahoma high-school softball coach Jason Sauer was shot by Karl Jones, a local lawyer; Sauer is in critical condition.

Dec 18, 2017 by Chez Sievers
Oklahoma High School Softball Coach Shot By Local Lawyer

An Oklahoma high school softball coach is in critical condition after being shot Friday night by an area lawyer, per local reports.

Jason Sauer, who coaches softball at Vinita High School, was shot multiple times by Karl Jones, an acquaintance, inside a home after a verbal dispute, per the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). The argument began outside and escalated inside the house, according to the OSBI.

Jones, 57, was arrested by Craig County Sheriff officers and charged with shooting with intent to kill. He was booked Friday night into the Craig County jail. Jones is facing a maximum of life in prison if found guilty 

On Sunday night, the Vinita High School softball team held a prayer vigil for Sauer at the field.

“He’s a fighter and he has never given up on us and we aren’t going to give up on him,” Breana Chapman, one of Sauer’s players, told the Tulsa World

Ben Showler, Sauer’s friend and former assistant coach at Vinita, said at the vigil that he was able to speak with Sauer on the phone and that he was coherent. 

Dixie Christie, who has two daughters on Sauer’s team, told the World that Sauer has “been like a mentor to them.” 

“He took them in like they were his own and he has inspired them,” Christie said. “They have a special bond with him.”

Per the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, Vinita softball went 21-14 last season. In his first full season, Sauer, the fifth-year coach, guided the team from fewer than 10 wins to a 19-19 record. 

“He felt that if you can connect with the players, if you can make them believe in themselves and make them believe in what they’re doing, the team would ultimately be a success,” Showler told the Tulsa World.

News On 6 in Oklahoma reported over the weekend that Sauer was dating Jones’ ex-wife. 

Under Oklahoma’s “85 Percent” law, if Jones is found guilty of shooting with intent to kill, he’d have to serve at least 85 percent of the life term (calculated at 45 years) before being eligible for parole.


Written by Marc Raimondi