By By Sherry Digmon
An Escambia County (Ala.) man is in the county jail, charged with two counts of attemped murder, after trying to run down two sheriff's deputies.
Environmental Control Officer Billy Roy Parker and Sheriff's Deputy Mike Lambert both fired shots at Guy Michael Jones, 38, of Brewton as he attempted to run over them Saturday night.
"People need to understand that a vehicle can become a weapon when used to try and hurt someone," said Sheriff Tim Hawsey. "There is no difference between pointing a loaded gun at a deputy and shooting at him or trying to run over him with a vehicle."
Shortly after 11 p.m., Dec. 4, Lambert and Parker checked an abandoned house on Cook road, off Kirkland Road just outside of Brewton. The sheriff's department had received complaints that the location was being used for illegal dumping and drug abuse.
Deputies spotted a vehicle parked toward the rear of the house. When they approached the suspicious car, which was facing them, Jones put the car in reverse and backed around the house at a high rate of speed.
Jones lost control of the car on the other side of the house, still traveling in reverse, and ran into the house. The impact caused the chimney to fall on top of the car.
Thinking Jones might be hurt, Parker and Lambert ran toward the vehicle. Jones then shifted into drive and tried to run over one of the deputies.
"Bricks were flying everywhere, and he was coming right toward me," Lambert said.
He fired shots at the car, trying to disable it as he was attempting to get out of the way.
Jones drove behind the house, turned around and came back around the house, spinning tires, and once again headed right for the deputies, the sheriff said.
"I thought he was going to run over Billy," Lambert said.
Parker was toward the front of the house as the car approached him.
"He was able to get out of the way, but the car came so close to him that it kicked dirt up on Billy's shoes and pants," Hawsey said.
As the car approached him, Parker also fired toward the vehicle, attempting to disable it.
"The vehicle went spinning out onto the dirt road in front of the house," Parker said. "He traveled a few feet down the road and then hit a tree on the side of the road."
Just before the deputies got to the car, Jones got out and ran into the woods.
"It was very dark and the woods very thick where the man ran," Hawsey said. "The deputy was correct by not chasing the violator into the woods, but instead setting up a perimeter and calling for the prison dogs."
The Brewton Police Department and 21st Judicial Drug Task Force helped the sheriff's office set up the perimeter.
When the dogs arrived, they tracked Jones back across Kirkland Road, down to Sowell Road, then across into the East Street area of Brewton.
"It was obvious the man was extremely familiar with the area," Hawsey said. "I was mainly concerned if the man was OK. He could have been injured from hitting the house, the chimney falling on top of him, one of the shots from the deputies, or from where he ran into the tree. Bricks and mortar were all inside the vehicle. I knew he was not hurt too bad because of how far and fast he was running."
Jones turned himself in Monday afternoon. In addition to attempted murder charges, Jones was charged with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.
The case is being investigated by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation at Sheriff Hawsey's request.
"Any time deputies are put in a situation where they have to fire their weapon at someone, we want an outside investigation conducted to verify the use of force. ABI investigators were on the scene Saturday night and into Sunday morning starting their work."
Jones' bond had not been set at press time.