MOBILE, Ala. — A woman is charged with felony attempting to elude law enforcement and driving under the influence after a slow-speed chase Monday night that began when Mobile police officers tried to stop her for a motor vehicle violation, according to the Mobile Police Department.
Officers tried to pull over the driver, later identified as Jennifer Hopkins, at about 11:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, in the area of Government Boulevard and Knollwood Drive, a police spokesperson said. Instead of stopping, she led officers on a slow pursuit.
Police eventually got the vehicle stopped and took Hopkins into custody. Police did not release her age or hometown, and did not say how far the pursuit traveled or how long it lasted.
The charges against Hopkins are accusations. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Latest in a string of Mobile pursuit arrests
The arrest followed a busy weekend of pursuits for Mobile police. Officers arrested three drivers after separate chases between Friday night, Oct. 16, and early Sunday, Oct. 18, and each was charged with felony attempting to elude, along with other offenses, police said.
- Cornelius Dubose, 19: Charged with felony attempting to elude and second-degree possession of marijuana after a Friday night pursuit that began on Halls Mill Road.
- Lebarion Harshaw, 42: Charged with felony attempting to elude and driving under the influence after an early Sunday pursuit that ended at an apartment complex on Grelot Road.
- Taylor Spanks, 29: Charged with felony attempting to elude, second-degree possession of marijuana and reckless endangerment after a vehicle left a crash scene on St. Stephens Road early Sunday.
Those cases were detailed in the department’s weekend recap, which South AL News covered in its report on an arrest in two downtown Mobile robberies. Each of those drivers is also presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
What the charges mean
Attempting to elude a law enforcement officer is the charge Alabama police commonly file when a driver refuses to stop after an officer signals for them to pull over with lights or a siren. Depending on the circumstances, the offense can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony; police said Hopkins faces the felony version.
A pursuit does not have to be fast to lead to that charge. What matters under the law is a driver’s refusal to stop after being directed to do so by an officer, not the speed at which the driver travels.
Driving under the influence in Alabama covers operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of substances, including driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher for most adult drivers. Penalties increase for repeat offenses.
What happens next
After an arrest in Mobile, defendants are typically booked into Mobile County Metro Jail and go before a judge who addresses bond. Felony charges are generally reviewed in Mobile County District Court before being presented to a grand jury, which decides whether to issue an indictment. Misdemeanor charges such as DUI can be handled in district or municipal court.
Police generally advise drivers who see emergency lights behind them to pull over safely as soon as possible. Anyone with information about a crime in Mobile can contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211 or share a tip anonymously with Mobile Area Crime Stoppers at 251-208-7000.
