A Montgomery woman is facing multiple charges after leading local law enforcement on a 14-mile chase along I-65 Tuesday night.
About 10 p.m., Clanton Police received a call of a possibly stolen vehicle, a red Dodge Charger with Tennessee license plates, that fled from Elmore County. While on routine patrol, Officer Robert Bland caught up with a vehicle matching that description around the 208-mile marker of Interstate 65 North. Officer Jason Harris was nearby, traveling near the 210-mile marker.
While Bland was confirming the vehicle plates, they approached Harris and the suspect made an aggressive move to get around the patrol car driven by Harris.
“Before my officers even activated their lights to pull the car over, and before any confirmation was returned from Elmore County, she struck the rear of Officer Harris’ police car,” said Police Chief Brian Stilwell. “Officers activated their lights to perform a traffic stop, and then she then tried to go around him on the left side, partially in the median, sideswiping Officer Harris’ patrol car.”
The officers pursued the vehicle to about the 215-mile marker, where the Interstate was shut down by another Clanton officer.
“At this point, they had her boxed in and she began ramming the patrol cars. The officers were attempting to make entry to the car and she just kept ramming cars, almost striking several officers,” Stilwell said.
The suspect was able to escape the roadblock, however, and continue north on I-65. Chilton County Sheriff’s Deputies placed a spike strip at the 217-mile marker, but the suspect avoided the strip. Second and third attempts, by deputies and Jemison Police, respectively, were successful, and the Charger’s tires gave way around the 221-mile marker.
The suspect then tried to turn around in the median and travel south on I-65, but the median was too deep and the vehicle overturned near the 222-mile marker.
The driver, 50-year-old Lucrietia Yates Bishop, was transported to Shelby Baptist Medical Center, treated and released into the custody of Clanton Police. She is charged with three counts reckless endangerment, reckless driving, eluding a police officer, criminal mischief first degree (damage to police car), DUI controlled substance and numerous other traffic violations. Other charges may be pending from other jurisdictions concerning the car.
“She apparently was on probation under community corrections in Montgomery County,” Stilwell said.
Bishop is currently being held in the Chilton County Jail with no bond.
Stilwell thanked the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office and Jemison Police for their assistance, and added he was glad that no one was seriously hurt.

By Scott Mims

Chilton County Sheriff’s Deputies and Clanton Police have arrested a husband and wife team suspected in a string of burglaries in the Clanton, Jemison, Calera, rural Chilton County and Autauga County areas.
Quantez Nathan Perry and Sonya Denise Perry, both of Birmingham, were arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 4 following a short foot pursuit and scuffle with law enforcement officers.
Quantez Perry was arrested leaving the scene of a residential burglary located at 847 Lake Mitchell Road in Clanton, according to Clanton Police. A passerby had reportedly become suspicious and dialed 9-1-1, which led to the arrest.
Cpt. Erick Smitherman with the sheriff’s department was the first officer on the scene. Upon arriving at the residence, he noticed a back door had been forced open. The male suspect exited the door and a foot pursuit ensued, and he was apprehended close to the residence.
Sonya Perry was arrested at the Lake Mitchell Exxon. Both offenders were armed at the time of arrest.
“It just happened that we had people in the area and the response time was good,” Chilton County Sheriff Kevin Davis said. “We are appreciative of the help from the citizen who made the 911 call.”
Davis also commended other agencies involved, which included Clanton PD, Jemison PD, Calera PD and the Autauga County Sheriff’s Department.
“It was good police work between all agencies to bring them to justice,” he said.
Detectives with Clanton Police Department have signed 29 warrants on the two listed offenders stemming from seven burglaries within Clanton city limits. The bonds have been set at $260,000 for each defendant on these cases. Both were charged with seven counts of burglary and theft of property, and Quantez Perry was also charged with one count receiving stolen property for being in possession of a stolen firearm.
Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell said Sonya Perry has been cooperative with law enforcement.
“(She) has told detectives that they were planning on going out like Bonnie and Clyde,” Stilwell said, adding, “I am glad no one was hurt. The sheriff’s deputies and police officers did an outstanding job making this arrest with only minor injuries to Mr. Perry.”
The couple also face 22 total charges (11 each) for crimes in the Jemison area ranging from burglary to theft of property to criminal mischief. Jemison PD has set $220,000 bond on each.
“It’s unfortunate that things like this happen, but they do,” said Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer, recognizing all agencies involved. “It’s not uncommon that we get out-of-towners. The majority of our (incidents) were within a 2-mile radius of the Interstate.”
Jemison Police are in the process of recovering the stolen property so that it can be returned to the victims.
Meanwhile, much property was recovered from a Birmingham residence after Chilton County Sheriff’s Investigator Shane Lockhart presented a search warrant to a Jefferson County judge, who approved the warrant.
Both Davis and Fulmer indicated that further charges are pending.
“Of course, it doesn’t stop there,” Fulmer said. “You’ve got to connect all these cases and do a lot more investigation.”