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| Decatur, Ala. | Wednesday, May 22, 2013 |
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2/22/13
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3651 views
2 chased down
Police arrest women after crash in Southwest Decatur
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Two women were behind bars Thursday after leading officers on an early-morning chase during which their vehicle struck a building and sideswiped patrol cars, Decatur police said.
Officers arrested driver Crystal Ann Hitt, 21, of 1908 Red Bank Road, Decatur, and her passenger, Shana Gayle Howard, 18, of 1010 North Seneca Drive, Trinity, after Hitt’s car ran off Central Parkway Southwest and crashed into a ditch between 14th Street and Bluebird Lane.
Both ran but were caught after a brief foot pursuit, police spokesman Lt. John Crouch said.
Crouch said the chase began about 2:30 a.m. when officer Zachary Blanton tried to stop Hitt on Sixth Avenue Southeast just north of Beltline Road. Crouch said Blanton recognized Hitt from previous encounters and knew she was wanted on an outstanding warrant.
After initially stopping for Blanton, Hitt sped away from the traffic stop, heading north on Sixth Avenue, Crouch said.
Hitt tried to turn west onto 11th Street but lost control of her
car and struck the S.S. Nesbitt Insurance building on the northwest corner of the intersection, Crouch said.
Carolyn Prater at S.S. Nesbitt said the collision didn’t cause any apparent structural damage. Some paint was visible on an outside wall.
No one was in the office at the time.
“There was some debris out there, and one of the men picked it up,” Prater said.
The chase went back south
on Sixth Avenue, west on 14th Street and then south on Central Parkway, where Hitt again lost control and crashed.
Officers found crack pipes on both women, Crouch said.
Blanton and a second patrol car pursued Hitt for about five minutes. Crouch said Hitt’s speed “didn’t get much over 60 mph because she was constantly stopping or turning” and at one point, one of the officers reached 80 mph.
Hitt stopped twice during the pursuit and waited for officers to get out of their cars and approach before driving into their patrol cars, nearly striking the officers in the process, Crouch said.
After hitting the insurance building, Hitt “made a big U and crossed 11th and pulled into the parking lot across the street,” where the officers hemmed her in and got out of their vehicles, he said.
“She didn’t full-on ram them. She basically just went down the side of the cars and pushed her way past the cars to get back out on the road,” Crouch said.
The same thing happened in the parking lot of Superior Carpets and Floor Coverings on 14th Street, he said.
No one was injured. Crouch said both police cars were driven from the scene and the damage is repairable. It was estimated at $2,100 for one car and $1,800 for the other.
Hitt was arrested on the warrant for failure to appear in court and charges of attempting to flee and elude, reckless driving, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and four counts of leaving the scene of an accident. All are misdemeanors.
“I fully expect there will be more charges filed against her,” Crouch said.
Hitt could face criminal mischief charges for the damage to the police cars and reckless endangerment charges for nearly hitting the officers, Crouch said.
She was being held in Decatur City Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Howard was being held in lieu of $1,000 bail on misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.
Seth Burkett can be reached at 256-340-2446 or sburkett@decaturdaily.com.
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Where are the angry insulting judgmental responses? Come on people!!!
I will help start you off - "Two white women on crack, I bet that isn't all they are on."
See how I found them guilty and threw in a little veiled racism.
I know it is Friday, but we expect you to do better.
Look like two winners, notice how both of them have their heads tilted to the left. What a bunch of white trash, this is what our tax dollars are paying for, both of then are probably on welfare.
They look like serial killers.
Well, one bright note. They're both very young and both crackheads. Life expectancy is about 5 years once you get hooked on it. So, they won't be on the welfare gravy train for too long!
So we chased two women, at speeds of up to 80 miles an hour at one point, and did probably more than 5-6 thousand dollars of damage to buildings and cars for what? I understand that one had a warrant out for her arrest, but it doesn't say what it was for? We caused a good bit of damage and put the public at risk with a chase for a couple of crack pipes and what else? Everything they did was considered misdemeanors. Unless she was wanted for murder or bank robbery, why even do this? Her trashy butt would have slipped up at a later date and we would not be fixing police cars or being placed in danger.
trash! Meth no doubt. Makes you wonder if their parents are not trash too and they learned from watching their parents. Glad this trash is off the streets.
Just curious "Decatur High" were the police not supposed to do anything after the girls took off after being stopped?
Decatur High - Are you in law enforcement? Ever been in law enforcement? Maybe you should hire on as a "consultant" to the DPD. I'm sure they could use your expertise.
i would like to say its sad how the young ppl are today,but dont blame the parents you can only raise them the right way.blame it on the ways the world is today.its the law you cant spank your child or go to jail (funny) lots between abuse and Disciplining Your Child.i mean how you tell a 13 yr old or other to say in there room for them to only not listen and to call the law if you try to spank.in the long run you have no control on your children,but then if they do something bad it comes back on the parents like them missing school or acting up in school.what ground them yeah right you can use any force so then what? whan i was young the guys bent over and the girls held there hands out wasnt all this trouble in school.but then look at the world today.more drugs more guns and not rights to Disciplining Your Child.
Seth, why do you name the police officers in this chase and not the ones in the Lawrence County chase?
Since you asked about their parents, Crystal's mother is dead. I don't know the other girl. It's terrible that these two young women are already leading such sad lives. I'm glad no one was hurt or killed. I pray they find Jesus before it's too late.
Decatur High, The driver had a warrant for failure to appear for attempting to flee and elude.....she doesn't like being arrested so she flees....how else are they suppose to catch her, an air strike? This is a neccessary evil of police work. Trust me, the police do not like it. Want to blame someone, blame the people of who think they can do anything they want, and running from the police. Ask you legislative delegation to make attempting to flee and elude a felony, with mandantory jail time. It will not eliminate the people that flee, but it will reduce them a great deal, if you are gonna criticize have a better idea.
Too bad they didn't have a night club to hang out at that night.
I know a little more about police work than I would like to admit Teresa and I also think it's not real intelligent to chase people at speeds of up to 80 mph for an attepting to elude warrant through the streets of Decatur. I respect every officer out there and know that they have a tough job. The girl wasn't wanted for murder so why risk innocent people with a chase.
So...Decatur High.....what would you do to catch someone that runs all of the time like her? Fair question....
If the cops could not chase anyone that ran from them then everyone would just run. No D.U.I.'s ,no tickets,no anything!!! How stupid!!! There would be nothing but crime all over the place because if the police pulls up," hey man, just get in your car and run man, they cant chase you"!!!! Some of you people need to be victems of a bad crime and know that they got away with it because " hey man, the law could not chase them man"
@ Roger...well put.
Maybe they were just trying to get post position in Sunday's Daytona race.
think these girls had fathers in their lives growing up? I'd bet no...
Ronald, it could be because their fathers were in their lives that they ended up like this. One of these girls father stabbed her now deceased brother after the son left the fathers place of business.
@ Decatur High...waiting for your answer....
She would have eventually been caught in a meth bust or drug raid. I am just trying to make my point. Not saying I am the higher power or have all the answers. I just know that if my wife and kids were killed in a chase by police officers trying to catch a woman that was wanted for eluding police I would feel like improper judgement was made.I don't think it would have been real hard to find her. It's not like they were chasing Ted Bundy. Her sorry butt would have made a mistake at a later date. Now the taxpayers will have to fix the insurance office that she hit and the police cars. She will be found guilty of her charges and will have to pay restitution. How much of that do you think she will actually pay? She doesn't have a job and we will never get that money back. Heaven knows if someone would have been killed over a misdemeanor, which is in line with a common moving violation. I didn't say anything about a bad or violent crime Roger. Your reading comprenhension must be a little off. I said a misdemeanor, big difference. Didn't say anything about a DUI either. Those instances require different actions Roger.
First of all, the police didn't hit and kill anybody, in this case she hit them or did you miss that part. Based on you argument, anyone the police stops that wants to drive away can and should w/o the police being in pursuit. That is cahotic, for only law abiding citizens will stop and remain stopped. DUI is a misdemeanor dpending on the offense Decatur High, you being somewhat knowledgable about law enforcement as you claim should know that. So, The police stops somebody, they are under the influence and drive way, free to inflict injury on motorosts like yourself and you say let them go, do not pursue. Who would not sue that poor officer and the department for not going further. The police cannot win no matter what they do, and police work is a bit more complicated than you believe. Lobby your legislative delegation Decatur High for mandantory felony jal time for people like this, and don't blame the police, they initiate traffic stops, the offender initiates the chase.
I know DUI is a misdemeanor, but lives could be lost if they are not stopped. I also know that the woman hit the police cars, which would not have happened if she was not being chased by th DPD. The police officer knew she was wanted for eluding when he recognized her. I'm not saying let everyone drive away. I am only saying was it really worth it to chase a woman and put the public at risk for a misdemeanor crime. I am not against the police or the DPD. I think they do a fine job overall, I always have. The police officer didn't kill anyone this time, but it has happened. Maybe not in this city, but it has happened. I am only stating that the ante went up when a high speed chase ensued over an eluding warrant. I don't know what cahotic is? Perhaps you meant chaotic.
Here is where you lack an argument and common sense...she RUNS everytime the police try to stop her, the warrant was for failing to appear attempting to flee or elude. Yes decatur high I meant Chaotic..you are a real piece of work to bring that up. Enough, made my point you made yours. Remember only law abiding citizens stop, criminals run, so let us let them run..get away. You in your words are laying blame on the police for the chase and none on the offender, but yet you praise them. Have a nice day, I'll work on my spelling.
Im not the one calling someone with a difference of opinion stupid or lacking in common sense. I KNOW SHE RUNS!! But for the love of God, she was wanted for a non violent misdemeanor.