VINEMONT – An Eva man was arrested Tuesday evening after leading Cullman County Sheriff’s deputies on a chase that ended with the suspect crashing into two patrol vehicles, one of them head on. One CCSO investigator was taken to Cullman Regional as a precaution and was released a short time later.
Justin Blake Higginbotham, 25, was arrested and charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, attempting to elude, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of third-degree receiving stolen property.
Earlier on Tuesday, CCSO deputies and investigators received a call about a stolen car in the West Point community. Multiple tips led to another stolen vehicle, this one from Arab, that was allegedly abandoned by the suspect. More tips led investigators to the Vinemont community, where the suspect was located.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies and investigators attempted to make a traffic stop on the suspect, who was driving the stolen car from West Point. Higginbotham fled, leading deputies and investigators on a pursuit through Vinemont.
The pursuit ended near Vinemont High School when Higginbotham allegedly struck two CCSO vehicles, one of them head on. This disabled the suspect’s vehicle and he was placed under arrest a short time later.
“First of all, I am just glad that the deputies, investigators and the public are safe. This suspect had no regard for his life, the deputies’ lives or the public’s safety as he was driving very dangerously in this stolen vehicle,” said Sheriff Matt Gentry. “I commend the deputies and the investigators on a great job on this case as they worked all afternoon following tip after tip to locate the suspect and the stolen car. Also, they did a great job in containing the suspect and to try and end the pursuit safely once he started acting so dangerously.”
Higginbotham is being held in the Cullman County Detention Center. Bond is set at $17,500.
The sheriff’s office says more charges may be pending.
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