By M. Scott Carter

Transcript Staff Writer

MOORE — A candidate for Cleveland County Sheriff had an outstanding arrest warrant on a traffic ticket and could have been arrested by Oklahoma County Sheriff’s officials, the Transcript has learned.

Court records show that Mark Hamm, 41, of Moore, had a two-year-old bench warrant for an unpaid traffic violation.

Hamm’s warrant stemed from a 2003 traffic accident. In that accident, records show, police officials ticketed Hamm for following too closely.

Thursday afternoon, Hamm said he paid the four-year-old citation and cleared the warrant.

“Back in 2003, I had a fender bender and got a ticket,” Hamm said. “I forgot about the ticket and wasn’t aware of the bench warrant.”

After he received a telephone call about the warrant, Hamm said he contacted the Oklahoma County Court Clerk’s office and paid the fine, releasing the warrant.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “The minute I found out about it (the fine) I went down and paid it.”

Friday, officials with the Oklahoma County Clerk’s office confirmed Hamm’s payment of $203. Hamm made the payment Thursday afternoon, around 3 p.m., they said.

Originally, Hamm’s case was set for trial in Oklahoma County in December of 2003, but court documents show Hamm failed to appear and the bench warrart for his arrest was issued on April 13, 2006.

Hamm could have been arrested in Oklahoma County if had been pulled over for any other traffic matter.

Hamm earned a spot in the Aug. 26 Republican primary election for Cleveland County Sheriff, by capturing 5,130 votes. In that election, Hamm faces fellow Republican Joe Lester, from Norman.

The winner will face Democratic Rick Adkins in the Nov. 4 general election.