Suspect Seth Burney was captured after a foot chase by Hanceville Police Officer Nathan Trimble. / Hanceville Police Department
HANCEVILLE – During a fairly uneventful meeting Thursday evening, the Hanceville City Council heard two good reports from the city’s police department: the arrest of suspect Seth Burney after a recent string of automobile break-ins, and an update on Officer Jason Hare, who was injured in a vehicle collision last month.
Break-ins suspect
HPD Lt. Brannon Hammick reported on the recent car break-ins and subsequent arrest of Burney, saying:
“We had some video, thanks to some concerned citizens, and were able to narrow it down to Seth Burney. And, of course, he’s one of these that stays just wherever he can. So, I guess it was yesterday Officer (Nathan) Trimble was patrolling, and just happened to recognize (Burney) standing out in his stepdaddy’s yard and turned around, got out on him, and a little foot pursuit ensued, and he got caught.
“Of course, we’ve already got warrants on him for some other charges, but I’ve got eight felony charges now for the eight car break-ins. So, he won’t be going anywhere; he’ll be going to prison.”
Mayor Kenneth Nail related that Burney fell during the chase and surrendered when confronted by Trimble with a Taser.
Update on Officer Jason Hare
Patrol Officer Jason Hare was severely injured on Jan. 22 when, in pursuit of an escaped inmate, he was involved in a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of US Highway 31 and Alabama Highway 91.
Police Chief Bob Long shared, “Officer Hare is out of the hospital, and he is at home. He did 22 days there. He’s at home on therapy. He’s still going to have to have knee surgery for a torn MCL and meniscus, and also torn tendons and ligaments in his ankle.”
Long recognized Officer Brad Jones, who was the first of Hare’s fellow officers to respond to the scene after the wreck, saying that Jones’s quick response and rendering of first aid may have prevented Hare’s condition from becoming worse than it was. He also commended Sgt. Rob Long and Cpl. Kyle Duncan, who came in to assist though both were off duty; Duncan worked the remainder of Hare’s shift to prevent the department from being undermanned that night. Long also recognized Assistant Chief Adam Hadder and Lt. Hammick for leading the effort that recaptured the escaped inmate whose pursuit led to Hare’s injury.
Officers’ aid local stabbing victim
Long further commended Sgt. Long and Officer Trimble for rendering medical aid to a stabbing victim last week, saying that the victim suffered a partially severed artery that would have killed him without help. The victim was himself a repeat drug offender, but the officers treated him according to his immediate needs, not according to their previous knowledge of him.
At the end of his report, Chief Long told the council, “I just want you guys to know that we are a small town and a small department, but you have a pretty good group of men and women working in the police department that on many occasions, in my opinion, they go above and beyond the normal scope of duty to see that they do their job to the best of their abilities.”
NOTE: While it was not a subject of discussion at the meeting, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has set up signs along Hwy. 91 on each side of the Edmondson Road intersection, to alert drivers that stop signs are soon to be installed there. An exact date has not been determined. See our previous story: www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2018/01/11/4-way-stop-coming-notorious-hanceville-intersection.
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