By Randy Garrison

If you have lived in Hartselle for any length of time, you may have heard the reference to our city being “Mayberry.” Most folks think bad things don’t happen here and we live in some sort of bubble. Well, we are blessed to call this city home, and blessed that while bad things do happen, it does not always occur on a regular basis. Now, I am not sticking my head in the sand and pretending folks make bad choices and taken something without paying at Walmart, do not always obey traffic signals and even deal or use illegal drugs.

Last week though, things were a little different. Wednesday morning a man from Decatur, Ga decided he would rob our local Kroger. After threatening the clerk at the service desk the young man made off with around $2,000. He escaped in a car, hit another vehicle in the downtown area and kept going until he crashed his car at the intersection of Railroad Street and Longhorn Pass, near the railroad bridge. He then ran away going down the embankment by the railroad bridge and climbing back up on the other side. Of course, he could have just used the bridge. 

Our local police department began the search around the area, called in help from Morgan County Sheriff’s office, a helicopter from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and tracking dogs were brought in from the prison in Limestone County.

The dogs and helicopter searched for many hours, with the dogs picking up a scent several times and the helicopter finding heat sensitive hot spots around the area close to the railroad bridge and Mountainview Drive. Also, other officials kept watch north of the bridge all the way to Hwy. 31 on the old Kayo Road. For over eight hours the search continued without finding the suspect. But just around or about sunset he was spotted in the area just off Mountainview and close to Georgia St, in the area he originally ran after the car crash. He was brought in without incident a little later and charged with the crime. 

So, all ends well, the suspect was apprehended and taken in without anyone being injured and so everything goes back to normal, or so we thought.

Saturday afternoon a man later found to be from Decatur, Ga tried to pass a forged prescription. When Hartselle officers tried to make contact, the man ran into the woods towards the railroad tracks. Police kept surveillance and the area and the man returned to his car, police officers tried to block his exit, he hit another vehicle and headed north on Sparkman. The suspect lost control of his vehicle near Hwy. 31 North and Sparkman Street wrecking and flipping the vehicle. He then tried to evade police by running, however he was soon apprehended. He was arrested and booked and charged for procession of controlled substances found inside his vehicle.

Another suspect taken into custody without incident and no one getting hurt again. I am not sure how both men found their way to Hartselle from Decatur, Georgia, but I am proud of our Hartselle Police Department for the great police work and apprehending both suspects and bringing them into custody. As it currently stands HPD: 2, Decatur, Ga, bad guys: 0. Let’s all hope we do not have a third attempt.