East Brewton, AL - Chief's Police Car Stolen - Escambia Sheriff's Deputy Makes Arrest - Weapons From Trunk Missing
Deputies recover car stolen from chief
A sheriff's deputy probably was the last person Curdy Dortch wanted to see
when he ran out of gas Wednesday while driving a stolen police car.
Escambia Sheriff's Deputy Robert Preston came upon the unmarked, white Ford
Crown Victoria shortly after 6 a.m. on Century Boulevard in northern Escambia
County.
The Sheriff's Office said Dortch, 33, gave the deputy a couple of stories
about the car, but it wasn't long before the deputy figured out the car belonged
to East Brewton, Ala., Police Chief B.C. Cooper.
The chief's car was stolen sometime between 6 and 7 p.m. Tuesday. The
keys were inside the car, East Brewton police said.
"It's one of those crimes everybody wants to know about," East Brewton Police
Officer Kenneth Brazile said.
"It's kind of a little comical. There's a little seriousness in it, too."
There were two guns a rifle and handgun in the car's trunk. The
guns were missing when the car was recovered, Brazile said. Cooper was out of
town and couldn't be reached for comment..
Preston wrote in his report that Dortch, whose address is unknown, told him he
was walking down the street Tuesday in the cold and rain and decided to get in
the unlocked car after seeing it.
East Brewton police immediately notified area law enforcement agencies after the
car was stolen.
"Law enforcement equipment was in the vehicle," Brazile said. "You had
the radio and other things. There wouldn't have been any doubt in your mind you
were in a law-enforcement vehicle."
Dortch was arrested Wednesday on charges of driving with a suspended license,
dealing in stolen property and giving false identification to a law enforcement
officer. He remained in Escambia County Jail Wednesday afternoon.
Brazile said Dortch will face three theft charges in East Brewton