2-state chase suspect had prior arrests; no timeframe on extradition
Published 10:17 pm Monday, August 15, 2016
The man who led local law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Florala to Walton County and wrecked a stolen patrol car Sunday is still awaiting extradition to Covington County. He faces a slew of charges in Alabama and Florida.
Anthony Scott Brown, 30, of Opp was arrested Sunday afternoon after he brandished a weapon at a neighbor, was taken into custody, escaped from handcuffs, shimmied through the patrol car’s cage and stole the FPD car and eventually wrecked it.
In Florida, Brown is being charged with escaping custody, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance unarmed, reckless driving, being an out-of-state fugitive, leaving the scene of a crash and driving while license was suspended.
In Alabama, Brown is charged with theft of property, escape, and reckless endangerment.
Florala Police Chief Sonny Bedsole said Sunday evening that at approximately 3:40 p.m., FPD responded to South 9th Street in Florala to a call of a subject brandishing a firearm at a neighbor.
“Upon officers’ arrival and investigation, the suspect was identified as Anthony Scott Brown, a white male subject who had felony warrants out of Florida for violation of probation, grand theft auto, as well as a local warrant for feeling and attempting to elude,” Bedsole said.
The Covington County Incident Response Team was called in to help.
Bedsole said several occupants of the residence where Brown was located were allowed to exit as officers set up a perimeter.
Officers were able to talk Brown into surrendering without incident.
He was handcuffed behind the back and placed in a patrol car.
Police entered the residence to clear the house and recover the firearms while two officers remained outside with Brown.
Brown slipped the handcuffs from behind his back, in front of his body and climbed through a small window into the front of the patrol car and stole the patrol car, fleeing into Florida, Bedsole said.
“After a chase of some three miles, Brown wrecked the patrol car, totaling it and fled on foot,” the chief said. “A perimeter was established with Walton County’s Sheriff’s Deputies, Florala Officers, Covington County Deputies as well as Covington County Drug Tsk Force agents, who had responded. K9 units from Walton County as well as the Covington County Sheriff’s Posse responded to the scene and after a period of time the K9 team from Walton County apprehended Anthony Brown approximately 1.5 miles from the scene of the crash where Brown had broken into a private citizen’s vehicle.”
Brown is still being held in the Walton County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Covington County.
Bedsole said Monday that the felony warrants have been signed on Brown and that the county has a detainer on him.
“I know he had a violation of probation out of Florida,” he said. “So, they will probably finish up with him there before we get him, but they will send him to us once they are finished with him.”
Chief Deputy David Anderson said Monday that Brown had numerous priors including several possession of marijuana second degree charges, theft of property third degree, three counts of breaking and entering motor vehicles, receiving stolen property, driving under the influence, theft first degree and attempting to elude.