Joshua Stanley Lawrence, age 39, of Florence, Alabama was arrested on Tuesday, July 21st following an incident that ended with Lawrence backing up at high speed and crashing into a Wayne County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle.
The report filed by Deputy Sophia Axley states that she was dispatched to the intersection of Big Cypress Road and the Natchez Trace, where a man had reportedly been sitting in his parked vehicle for approximately three hours. When Lawrence, the driver of the vehicle, saw Deputy Axley approaching, he allegedly began to drive away in the opposite direction. Deputy Axley stated that she pursued Lawrence on Big Cypress Road, Weatherford Creek Road, and the Natchez Trace. During the pursuit, Lawrence allegedly almost ran a log truck and two other vehicles off the road. During the chase, Lawrence allegedly threw 3 to 5 cans of beer out of his vehicle in an attempt to hit Deputy Axley’s vehicle.
Lawrence ultimately stopped in the middle of the roadway on Weatherford Creek Road, put his vehicle in reverse, and at full speed crashed into the front of Deputy Axley’s vehicle. Lawrence then allegedly repeated the same incident again further down on Weatherford Creek Road. He finally came to rest after his vehicle ran through a field and hit a tree. Empty beer cans were reportedly found in Lawrence’s vehicle, and he allegedly admitted to officers that he had been drinking. Alabama EMS responded to the scene and determined that Lawrence did not sustain any injuries in the crash.
Lawrence was arrested at the scene on charges of driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, and felony evading arrest. He was booked into the Wayne County Jail with no bond.
