3 teens accused of drive-by shootings arrested following 100+ mph chase, wreck

Nov. 30—Three teenagers suspected of drive-by shootings in Lawrence County were arrested Thursday evening after allegedly stealing a car in Decatur and leading authorities in a high-speed pursuit that ended in a wreck with another vehicle.

“They’re well over 100 (mph),” a pursuing unit radioed to dispatch as the reportedly stolen 2011 Cadillac SRX crossover drove east on Alabama 24 just before 11 p.m., according to radio traffic that captured some of the chase.

Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the Cadillac at around 10:35 p.m. on Alabama 24, near Lawrence County Road 319, shortly after Decatur police issued a lookout for the vehicle believed to be heading toward Moulton, according to Chief Deputy Brian Covington.

The occupants of the Cadillac, who ranged in age between 13 and 17 years old, were involved in a Nov. 17 drive-by shooting that struck another vehicle in the 24,000-block of Lawrence County Road 460 at around 9 p.m., Covington said.

Covington said the teens also shot at a house in the same area two days later at around 8:30 p.m. The teens then shot at a witness who followed their vehicle to Trinity, according to Covington, before the witness abandoned the tail.

Decatur police said they responded to a reported vehicle theft at a business in the 600-block of Fifth Avenue at around 10:05 p.m. on Thursday.

The owner of the Cadillac, Stephen Hampton, said he drove to Fifth Avenue Food Mart with his cousin and left his car running.

“I went in to go and get some snacks,” he said. “We came back out and it was gone.”

Hampton said he brought his key fob with him into the store. The vehicle has a keyless access system, and the push-to-start engine will turn on when the vehicle recognizes the presence of the key fob, according to the manufacturer. If the engine is already on, the vehicle can be operated until the engine is turned off, whether or not the fob is present.

Hampton said he saw two teens as he parked and assumed they were leaving the store. After discovering his vehicle was gone, he went back into the store to ask to see security video and then reported the apparent theft to Decatur police.

At around 10:45 p.m., a Decatur police officer said to dispatch: “According to one of my buddies in Lawrence County — he just sent me a text — that 10-40 (code for stolen vehicle) is eastbound on 24 in East Lawrence, coming back.”

At least two other Decatur units also responded to the chase, according to scanner traffic, and discussed deploying spike strips.

One unit, according to scanner traffic, reported he was driving 120 mph on Gordon Terry Parkway.

“It’s going to take me a second to catch up,” he said.

Hampton’s girlfriend, Travia Garth, said she was home in the 200-block of Sixth Avenue Northwest — a narrow, residential street — when the Cadillac flew by her house with 4 to 6 police cruisers in pursuit. Scanner traffic corroborated the chase route.

“We’re going to be northbound on Sixth Avenue from West Moulton,” an officer radioed. “There’s no traffic. Lawrence County is still primary. Blew the stop sign at Second Street, speeds are about 60 northbound.”

The chase eventually returned to West Moulton heading east, according to scanner traffic.

“We are eastbound, ran the light at West Moulton and 12th,” a unit radioed. “There’s light-to-no traffic; continuing east on West Moulton.

“We’re crossing the tracks. Speeds are about 65. No traffic. Lawrence County still has the lead.”

Shortly later, as the chase approached Sixth Avenue Northeast, an officer reported “10-50, 10-50 rollover!” to dispatch. The code means “accident.”

The Cadillac struck a Dodge Journey, according to scanner traffic. An image of the crash scene shared to social media showed one of the two white crossovers resting on its roof in the street.

A Decatur police spokeswoman said the stolen vehicle struck another vehicle at Sixth Avenue and East Moulton Street. She said three occupants from the struck vehicle were transported to Decatur Morgan Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The teens in the stolen vehicle fled the scene on foot before they were quickly apprehended, police said. Investigators determined two of the teens had stolen the Cadillac and charged them with first-degree theft of property.

The third teen and driver of the Cadillac during the pursuit, according to police, was charged with first-degree receiving stolen property and attempting to elude.

“The Morgan County Juvenile Probation Office was contacted about the arrests and the juveniles were released to their parents/guardians,” Decatur police said.

Covington said the teens were “taken into custody for their involvement in the drive-by shootings, stolen vehicle, and leaving the scene of an accident causing physical injuries.”

Hampton, who had already examined the damage to his vehicle by late Friday morning, said it appeared the Cadillac had “T-boned” the Dodge. He said he purchased the vehicle two months ago.

“It’s totaled,” he said. “It’s tore up, man.”

— david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.

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