Jacob P. Dease was indicted for reckless murder on March 25 in connection with a traffic fatality in December 2024. 

Dease, of Ariton, was the 45-year-old driver of a 2007 Nissan Titan that left the roadway and struck a tree before being engulfed in flames on Dec. 28, 2024. The passenger, Indea L. Dease, 50, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Jacob Dease was transported to Southeast Health in Dothan for treatment to injuries. The crash occurred on Dale County Highway 72 near Dale County 99, five miles east of Ariton. 

Jacob Dease was indicted by a Dale County Grand Jury on March 25 for reckless murder. On March 31, deputies with the Dale County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jacob Dease and booked him into Dale County Jail with no bond. He is currently in Dale County Jail.