High speed pursuit leaves one dead, one injured; suspect in custody

May 24—***Updated Friday afternoon to include the most recently released information.

One fatality — later identified as 77-year-old Ellarea Dickson from Crane Hill, Alabama — occurred Friday morning, when a high speed pursuit, initiated in Hartselle, Alabama, concluded with the driver striking a vehicle in front of Town Square Shopping Center.

Hartselle Police Captain Alan McDearmond said the pursuit began at approximately 7:30 a.m., when the suspect approached a HPD patrol officer at a high rate of speed on Hwy. 31 S. McDearmond said the driver hit their brakes, leaving a long trail of skid marks to avoid hitting the officer and had to exit the roadway in order to avoid hitting other motorists in the vicinity.

McDearmond said the patrol officer initiated the pursuit, but because of the wreckless speed at which the suspect was driving he quickly disengaged in hopes that the driver would slow down.

He said officers were in the process of measuring the tire tracks to determine an exact rate of speed.

Cullman City Police Chief Dave Nasetta said Falkville Police observed the driver continuing southward at speeds of roughly 100 mph with no officers in pursuit.

Nasetta said the suspect was estimated to be driving through the city of Cullman at speeds between 60 and 80 mph and at some point lost both of the vehicle's front tires. A statement released by the city of Cullman Friday morning said several officers observed taht the driver run multiple red lights in heavily trafficked areas which prompted CPD to engage in the pursuit.

"When your front tires are gone and you're driving on the rims, you have no control. He was still driving 60 and 80 mph with no front tires. At that point it's not a matter of if, but when, and you're obligated to follow them and react to whatever happens," Nasetta said.

When reached by phone Friday morning, an employee of Jack's restaurant in Vinemont said they witnessed Cullman County Sheriff's Deputies deploy spike strips across Hwy. 31 near its intersection with County Road 1223. According to the employee's statement, the suspect temporarily lost control of the vehicle after crossing over the spike strip, continuing southward. A voicemail left with Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry was not returned by deadline.

The crash in front of Town Square resulted in the death of Dickson, and a second person transported with critical injuries according to the release from Cullman City.

Nasetta said the suspect was in police custody, obtaining medical treatment for injuries they sustained in the crash. McDearmond said HPD was currently in the process of obtaining felony warrants on the suspect for attempting to elude an officer, and would be seeking grand jury indictments on other felony traffic violations including reckless endangerment.

CPD requested that an investigation into the crash be performed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Due to the ongoing investigation, Nasetta said the names of the suspect and victims of the crash would not be disclosed at this time and that more details would be provided.