A string of dangerous police chases across Mobile County — including a deadly crash into a home on Stanton Road — has renewed a legislative push to impose stiffer penalties on drivers who try to flee law enforcement.
House Bill 337, sponsored in part by State Rep. Ginny Shaver of District 39, would elevate attempting to elude law enforcement from a misdemeanor to a felony in Alabama. Under the measure, fleeing would carry up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine as a Class C felony, while a flight that seriously injures someone would become a Class B felony punishable by up to 20 years and a $30,000 fine.
Why Sponsors Say the Change Is Needed
Shaver said eluding has become a serious problem statewide, particularly along border counties where suspects can slip across state lines. Because the current offense is only a misdemeanor, she explained, it is not extraditable — meaning suspects who flee into another state often are not brought back to face Alabama charges.
Mobile County has seen its share of consequences. In one recent chase, a speeding driver lost control and crashed into a home on Stanton Road, killing the driver. In another off Carol Plantation Road, a suspect driving a stolen vehicle struck another car while trying to get away.
Previous Attempts Fell Short
Shaver said this is not her first attempt at the legislation. The bill has twice cleared the Alabama House but ran out of time before receiving a Senate vote, though it made it out of committee and onto the floor calendar. She hoped the session beginning March 7 would finally carry it across the finish line.
Residents who have lived through the aftermath of high-speed pursuits support the change. Myra Edwards, whose Stanton Road neighborhood was hit by a deadly chase, said the problem repeats itself far too often.
“It happens time and time again,” Edwards said. “This is nothing new, where we have a high-speed chase and someone done lost their life.”
For Shaver, the bill comes down to a basic function of government. “It’s a public safety issue,” she said. “If we’re not safe in public, our other rights suffer.”