PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — News 19 has obtained the personnel file of former Priceville police officer Garry Chapman. The file includes his history with the department: his employment paperwork, training certificates and much more.
The former officer was involved in a police chase that ended in a deadly crash in Hartselle. The chase ended in a crash when Archie Hale, the suspect Chapman was chasing, hit another vehicle carrying 17-year-old Tristan Hollis and three other teenagers. Hollis died in the crash, and the three others were taken to the hospital.
Priceville Mayor Sam Heflin and Police Chief Jerry Holmes met with Chapman on September 19 for a hearing. During that hearing, Heflin determined Chapman had violated the department’s chase policy.
On September 6, Chapman started the chase on I-65 in Priceville because he believed Hale was driving under the influence. He turned on his lights and sirens and notified dispatch. The certification of findings said Hale ran a stop sign at the intersection of the interstate and Highway 36 and almost hit another car. He also temporarily drove off the road.
Chapman continued chasing Hale into downtown Hartselle on Highway 36, with speeds at one point reaching 100 miles per hour. The department specifically highlights this part of the chase as in violation of the department’s policy, saying Chapman should have re-evaluated if the chase should continue.
That policy said officers are responsible for making sure people in the area of the chase are safe. In the hearing, Heflin found that Chapman did not consider how much traffic was in the area. Chapman also told the department he was not familiar with that part of Hartselle, which should have been a reason to stop the chase, according to department policy.
The mayor’s findings said Chapman had not expressed remorse, and he felt that if given the opportunity, Chapman would initiate a risky chase again in the future.
Chapman was hired by the department on January 28, 2025, and fired on September 22, 2025. On the day of his firing, he sent an appeal to Mayor Heflin. Chapman has an appeal hearing in front of the city council scheduled for October 13.
In an email he sent to Heflin, Chapman said he has never been disciplined for anything related to a pursuit. He said he has been involved with 11 chases since starting with the department in January, but has not received training for tactical vehicle intervention.
In his email, Chapman said he did evaluate the circumstances of the chase, explaining on Highway 36, he increased the amount of distance between his cruiser and Hale’s vehicle. He also kept his lights and sirens on, updated dispatch and requested a supervisor to oversee the chase.
Chapman noted that a supervisor never took control of the chase or told him to stop pursuing.
Chapman’s attorney, Scott Morro, told News 19 on Wednesday that Chapman has done good police work during his time with the department.
“We believe that based on the history of Garry Chapman and what he has been doing as a police officer in the city of Priceville, they’ve been encouraging him,” Morro said. “They’ve been patting him on the back. He was probably going to be promoted soon. He’s never been criticized for any of his police pursuits or his drug interdiction policing. So, we feel like this is only reactionary because of the unfortunate accident that the end of the pursuit.”
Morro said he has obtained an opinion from an expert in Police Administrative Discipline and Misconduct. The expert found that Chapman took the actions that any “prudent police officer would exercise in similar situations.”
“We just aren’t going to stand for any police administration that doesn’t support their police officers when they’re doing a fine job and they’re doing what they were asked to do, and that is catch criminals,” Morro said.
In the past three years, Chapman has worked with six law enforcement agencies across North Alabama, the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Ider Police Department, Sylvania Police Department and Guntersville Police Department.
Since he started with Priceville Police, Chapman has received two written reprimands: one for administrative errors and the other had to do with words he exchanged with another officer over the radio. The second reprimand mentions that Chapman has a history of speeding.
Through an investigation of Chapman’s social media, News 19 has learned that Chapman is the son of Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter. Chapman has also previously been featured on the Priceville Police Department’s social media as recently as April.
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