PHOTO: Randy Wright, Joe Michael Morris, and Steven Ray Willingham were arrested after drugs and explosives were found in Collinsville. (Collinsville Police Department)
By Staff Reports
COLLINSVILLE, Ala. — On Friday May 19, 2017 at approximately 12:02 am Officer Scott Green of the Collinsville Police Department tried to stop a yellow four-wheeler on AL Hwy 68 East. The four-wheeler failed to stop and turned onto Cherokee County Road 1.
The four-wheeler continued on Cherokee County Rd 1 and turned right onto Cherokee Co Rd 3. Officer Green lost sight of the four-wheeler as it approached Cherokee Co Rd 5 and DeKalb Co Rd 6. Officer Green turned right onto DeKalb Co Rd 6 and met Officer Jeremy Bell also of the Collinsville Police Dept.
Officer Bell was unable to locate the four-wheeler on DeKalb Co Rd 6. As the search continued for the four-wheeler, the Collinsville Police Department was joined by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Officer Green and a Deputy from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office noticed a male subject walking out from the wood line at 587 Co Rd 6.
The male subject was identified as 44 year old Randy Dale Wright who lived at the address. Officer Green noticed several four-wheelers and dirt bikes on the property and asked Mr. Wright why he was coming from the wood line and he stated, "that he didn’t know, but he wasn’t doing anything wrong."
Officer Green noticed Mr. Wright acting in a suspicious manner and asked him if he had any weapons on him and Mr. Wright stated that he had a pocket knife. Officer Green then patted Mr. Wright down and retrieved the pocket knife along with a large ball of a yellowish white crystalized substance inside a zip lock bag.
Mr. Wright was then placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance. Officer Green confirmed that Mr. Wright’s property was located in Cherokee County and contacted the Cherokee County Drug Task Force. Mr. Wright was advised of his rights and he consented to a search of his property.
During the search, other controlled items were located in the side compartment of Mr. Wright’s truck. Officers also located several stolen firearms, stolen four-wheelers, stolen electronics and a large sum of cash. While Officers was searching a shed on the property they located some explosives and blasting caps.
Officers then notified the ATF in reference to the explosives. An Agent with the ATF along with an ALEA bomb technician arrived at the scene and took possession of the explosives and the blasting caps. Mr. Wright was taken to the Cherokee County Detention Center and booked. Mr. Wright will also be facing federal charges.
While Officers were at the scene a tan colored pick-up pulled up and when the driver noticed the Officers he immediately reversed and left the property. Officer Jeremy Bell along with Cherokee County Deputies pursued the vehicle and when they located the vehicle the driver had wrecked.
The driver identified as Steven Ray Willingham 37, of Attalla was arrested for Attempting to Elude, Reckless Endangerment and was also issued several traffic citations. The passenger identified as Joe Michael Morris 33, of Boaz was arrested for Drug Paraphernalia and both were booked into the Collinsville City Jail.
Collinsville Police Chief Gary Gowen said, "We would like to thank the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee County Narcotics Unit for their assistance in the case. This arrest shows that by different agencies working together across county lines has put a major drug suspect behind bars and put a dent to the distribution of illegal narcotics on the south end of DeKalb County and Cherokee County."
