POLICE CHASE SUSPECT ACCUSED OF HITTING ALABAMA DEPUTY
Law enforcement officers in Washington and Clarke counties joined in the pursuit of a man accused of hitting a Mobile County deputy with his vehicle on Aug. 30. John McClure of Mobile was arrested near Laurel, Miss., Aug. 30, following a chase that led members of various law enforcement agencies through several Southwest Alabama counties and into Mississippi.
According to reports, McClure struck Deputy Eric Leddick with his 2002 Corvette on U.S. Highway 90 in Mobile County while the officer was trying to question him about a large amount of cash and drug paraphernalia found inside his vehicle. The officer reportedly suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Springhill Medical Center.
Mobile deputies pursued McClure to Interstate 65 where it passes through Saraland, losing site of his car and ending the pursuit.
The next known encounter with the speeding sports car was in McIntosh.
McIntosh Police Officer Brad Singleton said he and Washington County Deputy Johnny Curry were parked across from the Dart Mart on U.S. Highway around 3:50 a.m., running radar. "Deputy Curry was facing south and clocked a red Corvette headed north at 105 mph.," said Singleton. "We gave pursuit at speeds in excess of 130 mph. and I notified my supervisor that I was leaving the jurisdiction. At that time I also asked dispatch to notify the Alabama State Troopers and Jackson Police."
Jackson Police officers Ben Marshall and Arvis Slack set up on the north side of the Tombigbee River Bridge. As the Corvette approached the bridge, Officer Slack deployed a set of spike strips in an attempt to stop the speeding sports car, but McClure was able to avoid them and continued north.
Officer Marshall began to pursue the Corvette, with speeds continuing to top 130 mph and was able to keep the suspect's vehicle within view until they reached Grove Hill.
At that time, Clarke County deputies Rob Bost and Frankie Crawford, who were in the same vehicle, and State Trooper Bubba Bell took up the pursuit as McClure headed west on Highway 84. Jackson, McIntosh and Washington County ended their participation.
Deputy Bost stated that he lost sight of the subject around Zimco Road and turned the lead position in the pursuit to Trooper Bell, but continued to follow. A short time later the deputies stopped at the Go-Co convenience store in Coffeeville, where Deputy Crawford spoke with a subject who stated he had not seen a red Corvette pass by. Deputy Crawford notified Trooper Bell and the deputies headed back east on U.S. 84.
"Around 4:33 a.m. I noticed a car traveling westbound with no lights on near County Road 3," said Bost. "I started slowing down and the suspect's parking lights came on." The deputies turned around and began to pursue the Corvette again, advising the trooper that they had made contact with the suspect.
McClure headed past Coffeeville High School at a high rate of speed, where Bost said he passed an 18- wheeler and Trooper Bell again picked up the pursuit. The chase continued through Choctaw County and into Mississippi, at which time the deputies ended their participation and Trooper Bell was joined by another state trooper.
According to the Press-Register report, "a state trooper who began to chase McClure in Clarke County crashed his vehicle soon after entering Mississippi." Mississippi law enforcement officers took up the chase with speeds exceeding 120 mph. According to reports, McClure and his passenger, Cheryl Trehern, 39, of Mobile, abandoned the sports car in the Powers community of Jones County, Miss. Tracking dogs were brought in and the two were taken into custody later that afternoon.
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