Florence Man Arrested in Wayne County Following High Speed Chase in Stolen Vehicle

   Blake Austin Hines, age 26, of Florence, Alabama, was arrested on Sunday, May 14^th on multiple charges after a high speed chase that began in Decatur County continued into Wayne County before ending in a rollover crash. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and Waynesboro Police Department filed reports stating that they were informed that the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office was in pursuit of a stolen 2004 GMC Sierra, and the Wayne County officers encountered the vehicle and took up the pursuit near the Wayne County Rock Quarry on Highway 64. Hines, identified as the driver of the vehicle, allegedly reached speeds of 120 mph during the pursuit, driving at times on the wrong side of the road. When Sgt. Michael Byrd deployed spike strips at the intersection of Highway 64 and Dexter L. Woods Memorial Boulevard, the stolen truck left the roadway and rolled over into the ditch. During the pursuit, Hines allegedly threw a loaded 9mm handgun and a bag containing 30 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle. Hines was taken into custody without further incident, and was charged with six counts of felony reckless endangerment, two counts of felony evading arrest, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one count each of tampering with evidence, theft of property, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of schedule II meth with intent, failure to exercise due care, and wrong way on one-way road. He was booked into the Wayne County Jail on $486,000.00 bond.