Our network

Crime

Prattville Police Department launches anonymous Text-A‐Tip program

PRATTVILLE, AL (WSFA) - The Prattville Police and IT Departments have launched a collaborative effort called tip411, an internet‐based tool that enables the public to text message an anonymous tip to police.

The system lets the police respond back creating a two‐way anonymous "hat".

 "IP411 was chosen because we felt, based on capability and budget, it best met our needs,"said Investigator Jake Frith. "This system will also allow the public to interact, by text, with an officer in live time, which is very advantageous to both parties.

"This program is 100% anonymous. CitizenObserver' technology removes all identifying information before PPD receives the text so there is no way to identify the sender."

The system is said to be very easy to use. To send an anonymous tip via text message to the Prattville Police Department, text the keyword PRATTPD and your message to 847411 (tip411).

Prattville officer flips car during chase

Prattville officer flips car during chase

PRATTVILLE, AL (WSFA) - A Prattville police officer is said to be in stable condition at Baptist South Hospital after flipping his patrol car during a chase Thursday afternoon.

A WSFA 12 News crew on the scene of the wreck said the officer attempted to pull over a car inside the Prattville city limits. The vehicle fled the scene towards Birmingham Highway.

Investigators say the suspect, wanted on a felony charge, made a quick lane change, and as the officer attempted to make the same change, he lost control of the cruiser. The patrol car crossed into oncoming traffic, flipped over in the northbound lanes of Birmingham Highway and came to rest partially in a driveway.

Montgomery police say they arrested the suspect a short time later near Old Selma Road.

Former church intern enters guilty plea for 2009 sex crime

Former church intern enters guilty plea for 2009 sex crime

PRATTVILLE, AL (WSFA) – A former Prattville church intern entered a surprise guilty plea to a sex crime that occurred at East Memorial Baptist Church back in 2009.

According to District Attorney Randall Houston, Zachary Emerson, 23 suddenly pleaded guilty to enticing a child for immoral purposes while the court was attempting to assemble a jury.

 Emerson worked with the church’s youth ministry and was arrested after church members allegedly caught him engaging in the crime.

 The church staff of East Memorial Baptist Church declined for comment.

Emerson's sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2011. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

Volunteer arrested for stealing from community battling back from storms

Volunteer arrested for stealing from community battling back from storms

ECLECTIC, AL (WSFA) - An Eclectic man has been arrested on charges that he was stealing from his own community, a community trying to battle back from last month's deadly storms. The Elmore County Sheriff's Office arrested 40-year-old Brian Svencer yesterday and charged him with Theft of Property for allegedly posing as a relief worker and attempting to collect money from goods salvaged after the storm.

According to the Elmore County Sheriff's Office, Svencer, a resident of Fleahop Road in Eclectic, posed as a relief worker with the state EMA and the Red Cross to Eclectic residents and to a local recycling company that purchases scrap metal.

Svencer allegedly arranged for the recycling company to place bins in the storm-ravaged areas for residents to deposit scrap metal. Once the bins were full, the company picked them up, processed the metal, and according to the Elmore County Sheriff, Svencer made arrangements to pick-up the check.

Santuck woman murdered after alleged argument

Santuck woman murdered after alleged argument

SANTUCK COMMUNITY, AL (WSFA) - Tragedy strikes again in an area still picking up the pieces from last month's deadly storms - this time a local woman was found shot to death and authorities believe her former partner is responsible.

According to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin  29-year-old Nakeanne Purnell was shot in the head and killed around 2:40 a.m. this morning in the Santuck area of Elmore County. The incident happened in the 6000 block of Central Plank Road.

Deputies arrested 53-year-old Jonas Hall, he has been charged with murder.

According to the Sheriff the two were allegedly arguing over a past relationship.

Prattville man arrested for child's death after suspected abuse

Prattville man arrested for child's death after suspected abuse

MILLBROOK, AL (WSFA) - A Prattville man is behind bars in Millbrook for the alleged murder of his girlfriend's 3-year-old child.

On April 22, authorities responded to a residence in the 800 block of Deatsville Highway in Millbrook in regards to a child having a seizure. Upon arrival they located a child in distress. The 3-year-old girl was transported to Baptist South Hospital where she was found to have a life-threatening head injury. Emergency surgery was performed and the child was transported to Children's Hospital in Birmingham.

After complications, the child was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital.

Medical professionals at both hospitals suspected abuse of the child. After an autopsy, the child's cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Former Conservation Officer Convicted 2nd time for misuse of law enforcement information

Former Conservation Officer Convicted 2nd time for misuse of law enforcement information

(MONTGOMERY)— Attorney General Luther Strange announced that a former marine police officer was convicted yesterday for a second time of crimes involving illegal misuse of confidential law enforcement information. Noel Christopher Wood, 41, of Marbury, pleaded guilty in Baldwin County Circuit Court, having previously pleaded guilty to a similar charge in Tallapoosa County on March 8. He was formerly employed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Specifically, Wood admitted to willfully using the Alabama Law Enforcement Tactical System (LETS) to access confidential private information about personal acquaintances that was unrelated to any official law enforcement duty. For both of the felony counts to which he pleaded guilty, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment, which was suspended for a term of two years probation to be served, and ordered to pay court costs and $100 fines to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Fund.