High-speed pursuit ends at I-65 exit in Atmore
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
A Mobile woman and man, both well-known to law enforcement in southern Alabama, remained in Mobile Metro Jail Tuesday (October 29) after having the previous evening led officers from several agencies on a high-speed chase that started in Mobile and came to an end in Atmore.
Detective Jonathan Forister of the Prichard Police Department said Tuesday that Roderick Darnell Farrier, 35, and Natasha Hope Barron, 34, were each wanted on outstanding warrants. Farrier, who was driving the stolen vehicle that was pursued by police, now has an additional list of charges.
“Farrier had outstanding warrants on him, and the vehicle he was driving was just reported stolen Monday afternoon,” the detective said. “And, he was an escapee from the Metro Jail, so he also had an escape warrant out. Natasha Barron had outstanding warrants for drug paraphernalia.”
Forister said Farrier is now charged by Prichard PD with one count each of second-degree receiving stolen property, second-degree attempted assault on a police officer, second-degree criminal damage to property, attempting to elude police, reckless driving and possession of a controlled substance.
“We found some cocaine in his car, and he claimed it, so he’s also charged with that,” the PPD detective said.
Farrier and Barron were first spotted by Mobile police, who noticed that the Jeep Cherokee in which they were riding had been reported stolen.
The driver, who was clocked at speeds in excess of 100 mph during the incident, sped through Satsuma, Saraland and Prichard before racing north on Interstate 65 with police units from Saraland and Prichard in hot pursuit. Sheriff’s units from Baldwin County soon joined in
Initial reports were that an Alabama State Trooper was also involved, but Lt. Joe Piggott of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency trooper post in Evergreen said Tuesday that “no troopers were involved in the chase.”
The chase came to an end at I-65’s Exit 57, near the Chevron convenience store on Alabama 21. The Jeep’s driver was finally surrounded after he or she crashed into a Poarch Creek Indians police car that was on its way to join the chase.
Forister said both suspects were taken to USA Health University Hospital in Mobile to make sure neither was seriously injured and won’t be formally charged until they are released. He added that neither Farrier nor Barron would probably have a bond set anytime soon.
Their being taken to USA medical center was ironic, he said.
“What’s weird is, the vehicle was stolen from the USA campus,” he said. “There won’t be any bond for him because he has the escape charge. She already had a cash-only bond on the paraphernalia charge, so she might not get one either.”