Man Charged After Smashing Slot Machine at Shawnee Casino
A Shawnee, Oklahoma, man has been charged after destroying a slot machine earlier this year after what he called a jackpot malfunction. The man, George Smith, came forward in January.
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The scene of Smith destroying the machine was caught on a viral video at one of the most popular land-based casinos in the region, the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort.
Smith said he went into a rage after the machine malfunctioned, saying the prize got as high as $600k.
Smith was arrested in Oklahoma City last week and booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center. He has now been transferred to the Pottawatomie County jail.
As mentioned, Smith believed there was a jackpot malfunction, and the screen went black as he was winning it.
“I was just thinking like me, my kids, my family, we gonna be straight,” said Smith.
Smith spoke with a news outlet after the incident from a hospital bed. He injured himself after throwing himself into the machine.
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Toxicology Report and Felony Charges
At the time of the incident, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the casino's owner and operator, released a statement saying that an investigation was underway.
In the affidavit, Smith was seen destroying the machine and screaming that it would not pay out to other casino goers. It also states that Smith was taken to the ground by police and was sedated by paramedics.
A toxicology report was done and found trace amounts of PCP in his blood, which may have contributed to his violent outbursts and/or hallucinations.
Tribal police said that, after reviewing footage, Smith was seen foaming at the mouth and unaware he was talking to police.
The police said that the machine went black because Smith was hitting it.
The Pottawatomi County District Attorney has charged him with one count of felony destruction of property. Tribal police estimate the damage to be $16,959.50.
Smith was released on bond over the weekend.
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