Hodges mounted police unit makes first arrest

The Hodges Police Department’s mounted patrol assisted in their first arrest this week and helped to recover stolen property and drug paraphernalia in the process.

According to Hodges Police Chief Mike Franklin, mounted patrol officers Lt. Bradley Long and Sgt. Kyle Palmer assisted in the arrests of Thomas Lee “T.J.” Rogers, Jr., 30 7631 Franklin 187, Hodges for first-degree receiving stolen property and John Anthony Watts, 43, 1648 Foster Rd., Haleyville, for first-degree receiving stolen property and four counts of attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.

According to Franklin, the Hodges PD received a call at 10 a.m. Monday that a four-wheeler had been stolen from a residence in Hodges and the person who stole it had driven it away from the residence and into a wooded area.

“We had one officer who had been looking for the suspects for a good portion of the day when we received information that they were in the woods on our equestrian trail in Hodges,” Franklin said. “I sent Lt. Bradley Long into the woods on horseback where he was able to locate the stolen vehicle, apprehend the suspect and bring him out of the woods on the horse.”

Officers with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene and took the suspects into custody about 5 p.m.

“Without our mounted patrol, we probably wouldn’t have been able to get deep into the woods to recover the four-wheeler and apprehend the suspects,” Franklin said. “It just shows what an asset this division of the police department will be for the area.”

Both Rogers and Watts were still in custody as of press time.