Wild chase ends with arrest
A car chase up and down U.S. 43 in Russellville on Saturday night resulted in one man’s arrest and damage to several other cars and property.
Michael David Hallman, 34, 904 Beech Grove Rd., Haleyville, was arrested for felony attempting to elude officers, second-degree assault, menacing and three counts of second-degree criminal mischief, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said.
According to Hargett, officers received a call at 8:41 p.m. that a wreckless driver was traveling south on U.S. 43 in a maroon older model Buick.
Hargett said a short time later, another call came in that the same car had side-swiped another vehicle but had kept on driving.
Hargett said an officer who was traveling towards U.S. 43 from Courtland Road received the call and in a matter of seconds, the officer witnessed the vehicle speeding through the intersection of U.S. 43 and Franklin 48.
Lt. Scotty Lowery said the officer immediately pursued the vehicle south on U.S. 43 until they reached the intersection of U.S. 43 and Lawrence Street where the driver drove past the traffic waiting at the red light and through the turn lane, where he then made a U-turn and continued north down the highway.
“After he turned around at the intersection of Lawrence Street, two more patrol units joined the pursuit in an attempt to get the vehicle stopped before someone was injured,” Lowery said. “While they were following the driver north down U.S. 43, the driver flew through the red light at the intersection of Hwy. 48 and continued to weave in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed until he reached the intersection of Underwood Road where he once again flew through the intersection without ever slowing down.”
Lowery said one of the patrol units was able to maneuver in front of the driver as they continued north on U.S. 43 but because of his erratic driving, they could not get him stopped or boxed in.
“When the driver reached LaGrange Road near Calvary Baptist Church, he made a sharp turn in the median and began driving south again down U.S. 43,” Lowey said. “He turned onto the access road near Family Pharmacy, ran the stop sign crossing Underwood Road and continued driving in front of Russellville Hospital. He then drove through the breezeway in front of Russellville Hospital and nearly struck a man who was coming out of the hospital entrance.”
Lowery said when he left the breezeway, he drove over a curb and got back on the access road.
“One of the officers attempted to block him at this point and the driver accelerated towards the patrol car and struck it in the back side,” Lowery said. “He then continued through the parking lot and through the breezeway for a second time where people had gathered.”
Lowery said this is when Hallman struck the second patrol car and lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the landscaping in front of the Russellville Hospital sign.
The third patrol unit was able to get Hallman’s car pinned between the sign and officers removed him from the car and took him into custody.
“I’m just glad that no one was injured during the course of this chase because it could have been a lot worse than it was,” Hargett said. “This was a serious situation that put many people’s lives in danger, and I’m proud that our officers handled the situation and were able to take Mr. Hallman into custody without anyone being hurt.”
Hallman is currently being held in custody at the Franklin County Jail on other pending traffic violations.
