By By LYDIA GRIMES Feature Reporter
Tim Cook had no idea a trip to his parents' home would turn into a chase across two counties, but that is just what happened Monday afternoon, and it left him with a story to tell.
Cook was on his way to drop his brother off at the home of his parents on Garrett Street when he saw a black male exiting the garage or area of the garage. According to Cook, when he arrived he saw a car parked at the house with out-of-county license plates.
The suspect was able to get away and left the area at a high rate of speed. Cook used his Southern Linc to get in touch with Keith Hutchins of the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force. By that time the suspect had gotten to Belleville and almost ran over some FEMA people who were working in the area, Cook said. Hutchins and Jeff Beasley were on their way to meet with Cook on Appleton Road. They were trying to coordinate with other law enforcement for assistance.
At the end of Appleton Road, the suspect turned toward Castleberry, still traveling a high rate of speed. When the vehicles reached Castleberry, the suspect ran the stop signs while Cook stopped. Traffic stopped, allowing Cook to proceed for another block where he found the suspect had run into the side of Kitty Dawe's Thrift Store. There was another confrontation before Conecuh County Sheriff Tracey Hawsey came on the scene.
Cook returned to his father's garage and they determined that a big chain saw was missing. The suspect's vehicle contained several saws, leaf blowers, and other equipment, but he denied having the Cook saw.