From P.K. Johnson
Millbrook Police Department
On Sunday, August 18, 2024, Millbrook police officers conducted a traffic stop, placing Rico Knight, a 25-year-old Coosada resident, under arrest for (3) outstanding misdemeanor warrants, 2 counts of Reckless Endangerment and Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, as well as an additional charge of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Knight was transported to the Millbrook Police Department for processing. While being escorted from the vehicle, Knight was able to pull away from officers, fleeing on foot, north of the police department and into the adjacent neighborhood.
Knight was taken into custody in the 3300 block of Wade Street, which is several blocks from the Millbrook Police Department, having ran through several yards, jumping several fences, all while handcuffed. Pursuing officers successfully deployed a Taser device, effectively ending the foot pursuit. Officers took Knight back into custody without further incident. Knight was checked by Millbrook Fire Medics, treated for minor injuries incurred during the foot pursuit (scratches and cuts) and cleared for transport.
Knight was transported to the Millbrook Police Department, where he was processed and transported to the Elmore County Jail, where he was placed in custody for charges of Escape 3rd Degree, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Theft of Property 4th Degree, under a $21,000 bond.
This young person took an already bad situation and made it significantly worse by fleeing after having been placed under arrest and being in police custody, which constitutes a felony charge, that being Escape 3rd Degree. He already faced some fairly serious misdemeanor charges with regards to the outstanding warrants, for which he was originally arrested. He was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia during the traffic stop. Each of the outstanding warrants, as well as the additional drug paraphernalia charge, are classified as Class A misdemeanors, each of which could result in jail time should the alleged offender be found guilty.
Unfortunately, as a result of his decision to flee police custody, this young man now faces a felony charge in addition to the existing charges that he had prior to this incident. So, when he makes bond on these new charges, he will then be arrested on the outstanding warrants, for which he will be required to make bond on and be assigned a court date in municipal court. Hence, two very hard lessons learned, running from police custody creates an additional felony charge and more problems……. And you still go to Jail Tired! Poor decisions have consequences.
