Preston Lee Behel, age 27, of Florence Alabama, was apprehended by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Wayne County Jail following an hours-long search on Tuesday, February 8.
An arrest warrant on a charge of Attempted Murder out of Colbert County, Alabama was issued against Behel following an incident on Monday, February 7. The Alabama Highway Patrol became involved in a high-speed chase with the vehicle in which Behel was traveling with a female and a juvenile male. According to Wayne County Sheriff Shane Fisher, AHP terminated the chase when they reached the Tennessee state line on Highway 13 in southern Wayne County, at which point the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office began the pursuit. The vehicle carrying the three suspects reportedly crashed and caught fire on Gallien Road near Highway 13, and all three occupants bailed out and fled on foot.
Sheriff Fisher stated that the female was apprehended within about 15 minutes, and the juvenile a short time thereafter. Behel continued to flee on foot and elude officers until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Residents in the south part of Wayne County were on high alert for most of the night and into the morning hours before Behel was apprehended on Wilson Road after he was found hiding near a residence.
Behel was charged with Evading Arrest and booked into the Wayne County Jail on a $2,500 bond. He is still facing the charge of Attempted Murder in Colbert County, Alabama.
