Murder suspect dies in crash
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 29, 2005
A man wanted for questioning in a murder of Morganton, N.C. woman passed through Greenville and later died following a crash on Interstate 65.
Thomas Terrell Scott of Morganton was leading authorities on a high-speed chase down Interstate 65 just south of Evergreen. At 10:22 p.m., Scott, driving a 2001 Geo Tracker, crossed the median and hit a 2005 Chrysler van carrying six people head-on, said Sgt. Tommy Waters, spokesman for the Alabama State Troopers.
The chase Saturday began in Greenville when Scott drove away from a gas station without paying, authorities said, and police chased him south on I-65 for about 20 minutes, at times reaching 100 mph. He lost control and crashed six miles south of the town of Evergreen, authorities said.
According to Georgiana Police Chief James Blackmon, his units tried to intercept Scott after he left Greenville.
&uot;By the time he got to Georgiana he was running at a high rate of speed and was all over the road,&uot; Blackmon said.
&uot;We attempted to stop him and at one point he slammed on brakes in the middle of the interstate, nearly causing a few accidents there.&uot;
Blackmon said Scott took off again at a high rate of speed and soon state troopers and Evergreen Police took over the pursuit.
&uot;Our officers slowed down to about 75 miles in order to give the other officers a chance to take over the pursuit,&uot; he said.
&uot;When the accident happened, I had actually given the directive for our officer to return to base.&uot;
The northbound van he hit carried a Muscle Shoals family. All were taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Those injured in the van were Robert Edward Woodall Jr., 31, Tomika Woodall, 30; Jacob Woodall, 11; Justin Woodall, 7 and Emily Woodall, 4.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Morganton police said the suspect was wanted for questioning in the death of Donna Graybeal, 51, who was found dead in her home around 8:13 p.m. Saturday.
It was unclear how she died or when she was killed.
Not long after, police began to chase Scott through Butler and Conecuh counties.
Waters said the case remains under investigation by several law enforcement agencies.