By David Lazenby
Editor
An Eva man driving a stolen vehicle on Tuesday led Cullman County Sheriff’s deputies and investigators on a chase that ended when the suspect collided head-on with a Sheriff’s department vehicle.
Justin Blake Higginbotham
Justin Blake Higginbotham, 25, of Eva is charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, attempting to elude, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of third-degree receiving stolen property.
Bradley Williams, a spokesperson with the Sheriff’s office, said Higginbotham may face additional charges related to his intentional ramming of the Sheriff’s department vehicle.
Prior to Higginbotham’s arrest, Sheriff’s investigators received tips that led officers to Vinemont where they located the suspect.
Higginbotham was driving a blue Tahoe stolen from West Point when the collision occurred around 5 p.m. Williams said the wreck did extensive damage to both vehicles. He added that the suspect also struck a different Sheriff’s department vehicle during the pursuit.
Deputies and investigators attempted to stop the suspect who was driving a car reported stolen from West Point earlier in the day. However, Higginbotham refused to pull over. Authorities’ pursuit of the suspect ended near Vinemont High Schools when the second collision disabled the suspect’s vehicle. He was arrested immediately after the wreck.
One Sheriff’s investigator was taken to Cullman Regional Hospital where he was treated and released.
This suspect had no regard for his life, the deputies’ life or the public’s safety as he was driving very dangerously in this stolen vehicle,” Sheriff Matt Gentry said in a prepared statement. “I commend the deputies and the investigators on a great job on this case as they worked all afternoon following tip after tip to locate the suspect and the stolen car. Also, they did a great job in containing the suspect and to try and end the pursuit safely once he started acting so dangerously.”
Higginbotham is currently being held in the Cullman County Detention Center. His bond is set at $17,500.
He is also suspected in the theft of a red Camero stolen from Arab last week. That vehicle was recovered by Cullman County law enforcement officials on Tuesday.
One Comment
Gwen Lackey
People need to stop, glad he was caught