Theft Suspect In Custody After Chase With Hoover Police

HOOVER, AL — A man assused of stealing merchandise from Hibbet Sports Wednesday night was taken into custody after leading police on a chase. Polie say the man took an occupied vehicle and fled officers after crashing the vehicle he was initially driving.

The incident began just after 6 p.m. Wednesday when Hoover Police responded to a shoplifting call at Hibbett Sports at 1615 Montgomery Highway. The caller reported a male stole several items from the store and fled in a grey Ford Mustang, according to a Hoover police report.

Officers located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop on Lorna Road, but the suspect refused to stop and officers did not pursue the vehicle. At 6:17 p.m., the suspect reportedly crashed into a work van on Lorna Road near Wisteria Drive. A citizen driving a Honda CRV stopped to provide assistance and the suspect got into that vehicle which was still occupied by an adult female, police said.

Hoover police said as an officer was arriving on the scene of the crash, the suspect backed into the patrol vehicle and fled with the female still inside. Officers then began pursuing the vehicle as it entered I-65 North from Montgomery Highway.

The CRV continued on I-65 and exited onto University Boulevard. The police report said that after striking two police Tahoes, the vehicle stopped on 9th Avenue North near 14th Street North and the suspect surrendered. He was transported to the Hoover City Jail without further incident. No injuries occurred to anyone involved.

The suspect’s name will be released once formal arrest warrants have been obtained