Athens man killed in wreck of alleged getaway car; 2 others face theft charges
Jul. 1—An Athens man died in a one-vehicle wreck on U.S. 31 north of Decatur on Wednesday afternoon after a chase that police say began with a theft of Home Depot in Decatur, and two passengers in the vehicle face theft charges.
Authorities identified the decedent as Alfondzo Lafonz Hewlett, 26, the driver of a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. They said the car left the roadway, hit a sign and flipped several times.
Limestone County Coroner Mike West said Hewlett was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Troopers said the victim was not wearing a seat belt when the wreck occurred at 3:34 p.m. about 2 miles north of Decatur near the 361 mile marker.
Passengers in the wrecked car, K. Dupre Baxter, 25, and Theodore Breach III, 30, both of Huntsville, fled into a nearby wooded area and were later apprehended in the Carpenter Technology building across from Calhoun Community College.
Police spokeswoman Irene Cardenas-Martinez said the building was safely evacuated until several officers entered the building and arrested the two. Breach was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the wreck.
Baxter is charged with second-degree theft. Jail records indicate he was booked into Morgan County Jail at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday with bail set at $2,500.
In a statement, Cardenas-Martinez said the department will be asking for an upgrade in charges against Baxter from second-degree theft to first-degree theft based on the value of the items stolen.
Cardenas-Martinez said officers were responding to a report of a robbery at Home Depot at 1225 Wimberly Drive S.W. at 3:13 p.m. Wednesday after the suspects fled the store with more than $2,500 in stolen goods. She said it was later determined it was a theft case, not a robbery, because no force was used against any Home Depot employee.
She said a citizen was able to obtain the license tag number and description of the getaway car.
Patrol officers located the suspects' vehicle near Sixth Avenue Northeast and Holly Street traveling north, Cardenas-Martinez said. She said the officers attempted to stop the car but it continued to travel north over the Hudson Memorial Bridge. The car was heading toward Athens on U.S. 31 at a high rate of speed when it ran off the road and overturned, authorities said.
U.S. 31 was blocked until 8:03 p.m. Wednesday, troopers reported.
In an affidavit filed in Morgan County District Court on Thursday, Decatur police Detective Jasmin Ferizovic said security video from Home Depot showed Baxter exiting the store with stolen merchandise, and that the stolen items were recovered from the wrecked vehicle.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and its aviation unit, Athens Police Department and Limestone County Sheriff's Office assisted Decatur police in the incident.
Management at Home Depot declined to comment.
Trooper Cpl. Reginal King said ALEA's patrol division is handling the ongoing motor vehicle crash investigation.
— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
