State Rep. Reed Ingram (R-Pike Road) said he intended to file a new bill that aims to crack down on the dangers of high-speed police chases by allowing individuals involved in these pursuits to be charged with attempted murder.
In 2020, 24/7 Wall Street reported that Alabama leads the nation in per capita police chase-related deaths—reporting 243 fatalities between 1996 and 2015. The proposed legislation seeks to hold fleeing suspects accountable for the risks they pose to officers and innocent bystanders.
Ingram announced his intent to file the bill to WSFA 12 after a multi-county police chase ended in a wreck near his business, SweetCreek Farm Market. Ingram argues that these chases, which he estimates happen at least a couple of times a week statewide, endanger lives just as much as firing a bullet.
Specific statewide data on the average number of police chases in Alabama per year is not readily available. However, some local statistics provide insight into pursuit frequencies: in Mobile, police chases nearly doubled from 111 in 2021 to 200 in 2022, and in 2024, ABC33/40 reported that in Homewood, officers average about three pursuits per month. Supporters of the bill believe harsher penalties will deter suspects and reduce the growing number of dangerous pursuits across the state.
Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
