KRISTIAN LEE HAGEMANN
MORGAN COUNTY-On Friday March 20th Morgan County Sheriff’s Department deputies attempted a routine traffic stop that ended in a high speed chase. Here is how Sheriff Ana Franklin describes the event:
“A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP FOR SPEEDING BECAME A PURSUIT WHICH WOUND THROUGH FOUR COUNTIES AND REACHED SPEEDS OF 100 MPH.
ON FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH, AT 11:07 PM, DEPUTIES ATTEMPTED TO INITIATE A TRAFFIC STOP ON A GREEN TOYOTA PICK UP TRUCK TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON HWY 67 NEAR WATER TOWER ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 78 MPH IN A 55 MPH ZONE. THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO YIELD, AND SPED UP, IN WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS AN ATTEMPT TO ELUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THE VEHICLE CONTINUED AT UNSAFE RATES OF SPEED AND DRIVING IN A RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS MANNER. AT SOME POINTS THE PURSUING OFFICERS SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE LIQUOR BOTTLES AND BEER CANS BEING THROWN FROM THE SUSPECT VEHICLE.
THE PURSUIT LEFT MORGAN COUNTY AND CONTINUED ON THROUGH CULLMAN, BLOUNT AND MARSHALL COUNTIES, WITH AGENCIES FROM THOSE JURISDICTIONS ASSISTING.
THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE IN A CURVE ON COX GAP ROAD IN MARSHALL COUNTY, LEAVING THE ROADWAY AND GOING OFF INTO A RAVINE, LANDING ON ITS SIDE.
MORGAN COUNTY DEPUTIES AND RESERVE DEPUTIES MADE THEIR WAY DOWN THE STEEP RAVINE TO RENDER AID AND TAKE THE DRIVER INTO CUSTODY. A SMALL FIRE HAD STARTED UNDER THE VEHICLE, WHICH DEPUTIES EXTINGUISHED. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTRICATE HIM FROM HIS VEHICLE. HE RESISTED THE DEPUTIES, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO CONTROL HIM AND PLACE HIM IN CUSTODY. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, AND ROPE WAS USED TO ASSIST DEPUTIES AND THE SUSPECT UP THE STEEP RAVINE TO THEIR VEHICLES.
THE SUSPECT, KRISTIAN LEE HAGEMANN, 39, OF SMITH AVE SW, DECATUR WAS CHARGED WITH DUI, ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE, RESISTING TO ELUDE, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, SPEEDING, IMPROPER LANE USAGE, CRIMINAL LITTERING AND FAILING TO WEAR A SEAT BELT.
HE WAS RELEASE SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015 ON $3,400 BOND.”
