HARTSELLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Hartselle Police Department announced that the driver of a deadly weekend wreck has been booked into the Morgan County Jail.
On September 11, Archie Hale was released from medical care, arrested, and booked into the Morgan County Jail. He is being held with no bond on the murder of a juvenile citizen of Hartselle.
In addition, Hale faces multiple charges through the Priceville Police Department, including Attempting to Elude, Possession with Intent, DUI, Reckless Endangerment, and several moving violations, with total bonds set at $296,000.00.
Hartselle Police Chief Alan McDearmond confirmed to News 19 on Wednesday that they have obtained a murder warrant for the man involved in a police chase Saturday night that ended with a 17-year-old being killed and three others injured.
The Hartselle Police Department, which is leading the investigation into the crash, said that the chase started around 8:30 Saturday night when Priceville Police attempted to stop a suspect, later identified as Archie Brandon Hale, for a moving violation/suspicion of DUI.
That chase eventually entered Hartselle city limits from I-65 and went west on Highway 36. It ended when the Hale’s vehicle entered the intersection and hit a minivan on the side.
That wreck led to the death of Tristan Hollis and the injury of three others in the van. Hale and a woman passenger in his car were also injured.
Hartselle Police Chief Alan McDearmond said after a review of this video, Hale’s vehicle can be seen entering the intersection driving around 90 mph, and that the traffic light was red for his vehicle at the time of the crash.
Priceville Mayor Sam Heflin confirmed that Officer Garry Chapman, son of Dog the Bounty Hunter, was placed on leave following the chase. Heflin reiterated Tuesday that this is standard procedure for any officers involved in a major incident.
An internal investigation is being conducted by Priceville Police as well, and Chief Jerry Holmes said it will take some time to complete.
Several businesses are raising funds for the families of all four teens involved in the crash. You can find more information on those fundraisers here.
Earlier on Thursday, Holmes said he wanted to respond to recent reports concerning the involvement of Officer Garry Chapman in the arrest and detention of John Scott Jr.
“While allegations have been made to that effect in a recently filed lawsuit, those allegations are false,” the chief wrote.
Holmes said that while it is true that an officer of the Priceville Police Department was present in the Morgan County Jail at the time that Scott was being processed in the jail, he was there solely to process a PPD arrestee.
“Priceville’s officer was not involved in any way in the arrest or the detention of Mr. Scott, either at the site of his arrest, or at the Morgan County Jail,” Holmes wrote.
Chapman is named in the 109-page wrongful death lawsuit for Scott, who died a week after a violent arrest in April.
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