Flomaton man, who was also shot, jailed for shooting man in the head in Castleberry
Mathis
A Flomaton man remains in the Conecuh County jail on attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting a man in Castleberry and fleeing back to a Flomaton residence on Upper Creek Road.
Eric Mathis, 23, 543 Highway 113, was arrested Saturday morning on the attempted murder charge for shooting a 56-year old Castleberry man in the head.
According to reports, events began Saturday night when Mathis went to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton and met with Correctional Officer Peggy Sue Daniels, who gave Mathis the keys to her car. He left the female barracks part of the jail in Daniels' vehicle. The East Brewton Police Department said Daniels later reported the vehicle stolen and that Mathis was not authorized to drive her vehicle. Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said Daniels has since resigned her position.
According to Castleberry Police Chief Troy Staley, Conecuh County sheriff's deputies and Castleberry police responded to a medical call about 2:30 a.m. after ambulance workers encountered a 56-year old man suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. The shooting took place earlier that morning at a location on James Street, which is located east of the railroad tracks in Castleberry.
Mathis was identified as a suspect and officers received information that Mathis was at Troy Boutwell's residence on Upper Creek Road in Flomaton.
Officers from the Conecuh County Sheriff's Office, Castleberry Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff's Office and Flomaton Police Department went to the Upper Creek Road residence about 9:40 a.m. Saturday and located Mathis.
Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis said Mathis was bleeding and his hand was wrapped in a dish towel held together by duct tape. Mathis told officers he had been shot in the hand but did not know how he got shot.
He was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital, where he was treated and released and then transported to the Conecuh County Jail.
Chief Davis said he rode in the back of the ambulance with Mathis for security reasons and Mathis told him he had shot a man in Conecuh County with his girlfriend's .25-caliber pistol.
He was booked into the Conecuh County Jail for attempted murder, unlawful imprisonment I and possession of an altered firearm. As of press time he remained in the Conecuh County Jail on $13,500 bond.
"The Castleberry Police Department would like to thank the East Brewton Police Department, the Flomaton Police Department, the Conecuh County Sheriff's Office and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in the apprehension of the suspect," Chief Staley said.
