Suspects charged with attempted murder after firing at officers during high-speed pursuit

Published 4:07 pm Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The State Bureau of Investigation is set to charge three suspects involved in a high-speed pursuit Monday with attempted murder for allegedly firing shots at officers.

Capt. Joe Herman of the Montgomery SBI field office said each of the suspects will be charged with attempted murder as well as receiving stolen property and bringing stolen property across state lines.

Casey Shane King, 20, of Talladega; Joshua Scott Horn, 21, of Lincoln; and Danielle Leigh Bearden, 23, of Lincoln, were charged with first-degree receiving stolen property by Troy police Monday when the suspects led officers on a high-speed pursuit on U.S Highway 231 into Montgomery County.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Troy Police Chief Randall Barr said the department got a tip that a tan 2015 Nissan Altima reported stolen from Atlanta might be in the Troy area. Police sighted the vehicle on North Three Notch Street at approximately 9 a.m. and attempted to stop the vehicle on Trojan Way, Barr said.

“The vehicle, driven by Horn, refused to stop and led officers onto U.S. (Highway) 231 Northbound into Montgomery County,” Barr said. “At times during the pursuit, speeds were in excess of 100 miles per hour and the suspect changed direction, going back southbound on U.S. 231 for a short distance and then turned around again travelling northbound. The suspect vehicle also travelled on the wrong side of the road going southbound in the northbound lanes.”

The situation then became even more dangerous according to Barr, as shots rang out from the suspect vehicle. No one was injured as a result of the gunfire.

Barr said the vehicle then turned down Canty Road before leaving the roadway and getting stuck in a field.

“The suspects attempted to flee on foot but were caught by law enforcement and the Nissan Altima was recovered,” Barr said.

The initial charges of receiving stolen property related to the suspects’ possession of the Altima, but Herman said the new receiving stolen property charges are related to the gun used to fire at police.

“The gun used to shoot at the officers was stolen,” Herman said.

The charges of transporting stolen property across state lines relates to the car, which was brought from Georgia.

Attempted murder is a Class A Felony punishable by 20 years to life in prison and receiving stolen property is a Class B Felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Transporting stolen property across state lines is a federal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.