Multiple charges filed in chase

A Brewton man with prior drug arrests now faces multiple charges after fleeing law enforcement, hitting another car, crashing and then fleeing on foot.

Cameron Corde Hardy, 32, 209 Crosby St., was charged with three counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, assault II, attempting to elude, reckless endangerment, another unlawful possession of a controlled substance and issued two failure to appear warrants for a previous drug arrest.

Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Heath Jackson said a deputy initiated a traffic stop April 2 on Hardy's vehicle on Highway 41 past the Brewton Municipal Airport and near the Alabama-Florida line.

Sheriff Jackson said Hardy pulled over and stopped, but then spun around and hit a northbound vehicle before fleeing toward East Brewton.

Jackson said when Hardy reached the East Brewton city limits he ran into a ditch, through two fences and hit a tree. Hardy then fled his vehicle on foot.

The sheriff's office's K-9 officer was able to track Hardy and officers found him hiding under a house, where he surrendered.

Court records stated one deputy in pursuit of Hardy after he fled the vehicle was injured while scaling a 10-foot wooden fence. Sheriff Jackson said the deputy was transported by ambulance to D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital and later released with injuries to his knee.

Hardy had previously been arrested in July, 2021 on multiple charges of drug possession and distribution that include cocaine.

During a bond hearing Monday, April 4, Hardy told District Judge Eric Coale he had no job or income and requested a court-appointed attorney. Judge Coale set his bond at $150,000 and appointed the public defender's office to represent him.