By Chad Fell
Courtesy of the
Northwest Alabamian
BEAR CREEK — A Haleyville man faces numerous charges including assault on a police officer, after using his car as a weapon during a high-speed chase to repeatedly strike a police unit and try to run down an officer Friday afternoon, April 12.
Jeremiah Steven Straub, 37, has been charged with attempting to elude law enforcement with vehicle collision enhancement, as well as assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Bear Creek Police Chief Eddie Collins.
Straub’s black Ford Focus he was driving during the pursuit contained 71 grams of the rock form of meth in a bag under the driver’s seat as well as 95 grams of marijuana in the vehicle’s glove compartment, Collins noted.
Officer Skylar Handley was attempting to make a traffic stop on County Highway 62 around 10:30 a.m., for driver’s failure to wear seat belt, when the Focus driven by Straub failed to stop, resulting in Handley pursuing the vehicle in a high-speed chase about a total of eight miles to the area of Dime Road, Collins stated.
However, during the chase, Straub was reaching across seats while driving across private properties, stopping multiple times and eluding law enforcement, according to Collins.
“He appeared to be either trying to find something or hide something,” Collins stated.
At one point, the Focus stopped, but as Handley was getting out of his vehicle around County Highway 369, Straub’s vehicle backed up then struck Handley’s patrol vehicle, police said.
By this time, Officer Handley had called for back-up, with Collins, Investigator Jason Williams, as well as the Haleyville Police Department, Marion County Drug Task Force and Marion County Sheriff’s Office responding to assist, said Collins.
The Focus was then pursued around Bear Creek Lake Road, with Officer Handley still in pursuit, but Williams got his vehicle in front of the pursuit, according to police.
At this point, Straub allegedly tried to run down Williams, who was standing outside his vehicle, Collins stated.
As the Focus turned onto Dime Road, Handley’s patrol vehicle got in front of the suspect’s vehicle, which then struck Handley’s vehicle again, according to Collins.
By now, law enforcement were able to take Straub out of his vehicle by force, according to Collins.
Inside the Focus were found meth and marijuana, along with scales, ledgers and other items, showing law enforcement that Straub had been allegedly selling or distributing drugs from his vehicle, Collins stated.
“We don’t have trafficking (drugs) a lot in cars,” he pointed out.
Straub was taken into custody on his charges and transported to the Marion County Jail, Hamilton, police said…
See complete story in the Journal Record.
Subscribe now!