Dotyan, Ala (WDNews) – A high-speed pursuit that began late Friday night ended in a serious crash in downtown Dothan, leaving two people injured and a suspect facing numerous charges.
According to Chief Mock with the Kinsey Police Department at around 11:50 p.m., Kinsey police attempted to make a traffic stop on U.S. 431 North on a vehicle heading into Dothan. As Kinsey officers attempted the stop, the driver accelerated, leading to a high-speed chase.
Chief Mock said the fleeing vehicle reached speeds of up to 124 mph. The pursuit crossed over Ross Clark Circle, where the suspect ran the red light and continued to Montgomery Highway from Reeves Street, where the suspect turned onto North Oates Street traveling southbound toward downtown Dothan.
During the chase, Chief Mock said the suspect vehicle nearly struck a Dothan Police cruiser head-on. The driver reportedly ran multiple red lights and forced other vehicles off the road as the pursuit continued down North Oates, eventually crossing over Main Street.
The vehicle then hit the downtown hump at triple-digit speeds, went airborne, and crashed into an unsuspecting vehicle stopped at a red light at the intersection of Crawford Street and South Oates Street.
Chief Mock said both vehicles sustained severe damage. The victim vehicle had three occupants inside. The backseat passenger suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Flowers Hospital. The suspect, traveling alone, also sustained severe injuries and was taken to Southeast Health.
Police identified the suspect as Ahmad Stephens out of Georgia. He will be taken into custody once medically cleared and is expected to face numerous charges.
Chief Mock said he wanted to “Thank Dothan Police Department, Houston County Sherrifs Office and Alabama Law enforcement Agency for their crucial assistance, and a special thank you to Corporal Morgan and Officer Ball with Kinsey Police for a great job and their efforts in trying to keep the public safe.”
The crash and circumstances surrounding the pursuit remain under investigation. More information is expected to be released at a later time.
