MOBILE, AL. A person wanted in a federal investigation was spotted by Mobile police officers on Friday, August 14, 2026, at approximately 11:50 p.m.
A Mobile police spokesperson stated that the officers were patrolling the area of Montlimar Drive and Airport Boulevard and observed an individual matching the description of a Be On the Lookout subject.
Officers got out with the subject, later identified as Xavier Todd, 28 who was wanted in conjunction with dozens of mail thefts.
The subject was detained without further incident and a Mobile police investigator responded. Through further investigation, officers responded to the 1100 block of Montlimar Drive and recovered mail addressed to approximately more than 30 residents at a nearby apartment complex. The Postal Inspector was notified and Todd was transported to Metro Jail.
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ORANGE BEACH, Ala. Like several other cities in Baldwin County, Orange Beach has had to set certain moratoriums on certain types of residential building to slow down the pace a bit and those are about to expire.
Officials once again are talking about slowing down growth of the city by controlling some residential building projects and one way is by considering ordinances that would extend two moratoriums on certain developments within the city for almost another year through June 30, 2027.
The two current moratoriums that are in place restrict certain types of residential complexes that are within 15 feet of any wetlands. But on August 18, 2026, the Orange Beach City Council will discuss the bans during its committee of the whole meeting on Aug. 18, which follows a regular session at 5 p.m.
Council will also discuss these items in a special-called work session at 11 a.m. in the south conference room at city hall. All council meetings are open to the public. But the earliest it could come up for a vote in a regular session is Sept. 1.
While some city leaders are interested in slowing down residential construction, others are not as recent conversations have shown.
The residential moratorium affects projects with three or more housing units and subdivisions that have three or more residential lots under 9,000 square feet. This restriction was first put in place on March 18, 2025, and was extended in a November 2025 vote through Sept. 30, 2026 , but it does not curb single family dwellings or commercial construction.
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MOBILE, AL. A former teacher and coach at Faith Academy in Mobile has plead guilty to charges that he had sex with a student.
Jonathan Daniels Sauers, 47, was a science teacher and soccer coach at Faith Academy in 2023 at the time of the crime.
A grand jury indicted under a statute that makes it a crime for school employees to have sex with students even if the student is a consenting age. Sauers was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student when the student’s parents reported her missing after she failed to return from a trip to the Semmes Walmart to get school supplies. The parents told investigators that they found her car but not her.
During the investigation police were also led to arrest Carrie Meredith, who was the guidance counselor at the time. A jury found her guilty in June of failing to fulfill her obligation as a “mandatory reporter” to alert authorities after a friend of the victim reported that she had been told the girl had pictures of Sauers on her phone.
Mobile County Presiding Circuit Judge Wesley Pipes imposed a suspended six-month sentence with six months’ probation and a $500 fine.
After the guilty plea by Sauers, prosecutors agreed to recommend a 20-year sentence as part of the plea agreement.
The attorney for Sauers and the prosecution worked out a plea agreement that everyone accepted.
A judge set a hearing for September for Sauers to enter the plea.
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BAY MINETTE, Ala. The City of Bay Minette has announced that another business will soon call the city home and add at least 140 jobs to the area.
RTF Services is developing a new facility at Bay Minette Industrial Park. The new $2.2 million facility investment will serve as a home base in the city, provide additional operational capacity, and create 140 new jobs.
RTF Project Services is an Alabama-based electrical services company with operations already established in Bay Minette, Butler, and Alexandria, Louisiana.
The mayor said that this is an exciting time for the City of Bay Minette.
“RTF has a proven track record in the industries that drive Alabama’s economy, and we’re excited that they have chosen Bay Minette as the location to expand their operations,” said Karmen Still, Chair of the Bay Minette Industrial Development Board and Vice President of Finance at Fulcrum Construction. “This is more than a new address for an established company. It represents meaningful, skilled employment opportunities and another strong addition to Bay Minette’s growing industrial base.”
The site of the new facility at Bay Minette Industrial Park is expected to be 20 acres to support RTF’s operations and expansions.
The 140 jobs are expected to be created with the company’s electrical, instrumentation, and industrial services.
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SPANISH FORT, Ala. A serious traffic collision involving three vehicles on Battleship Parkway on Monday, August 17th, 2026, injured multiple people and at least two persons were trapped in their vehicles and had to be extricated by Spanish Fort firefighters.
The Baldwin County 911 Communications Center received several calls reporting the wreck at approximately 4:40 p.m.
Spanish Fort police and fire departments responded and found entrapment and several people with multiple injuries.
A medical helicopter was also dispatched to the scene but were unable to fly due to weather conditions and after being extricated from their vehicles, the patients were transported by ambulances to a nearby hospital.
Traffic was rerouted around the wreck, and police were investigating the accident.
The condition of those injured is not known at this time.
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BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. A stolen vehicle from the Miami area of Florida was tracked making its way into Alabama along Interstate 10 on Monday, August 18, 2026.
ALEA and several Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office began searching the Interstate 10 area along the Florida and Alabama line for the vehicle.
With the assistance of technology and boots on the ground, deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office soon spotted the stolen vehicle westbound on Interstate 10. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver engaged law enforcement in a short pursuit until he was disabled by deputies.
Lt. Ashton, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department stated that JASEM ALABOUH, 27, resisted arrest and was non-compliant, but deputies were able to get him into custody with minimal force.
Alabouh has been charged with: Resisting Arrest Receiving a Stolen Vehicle Possession of Methamphetamine Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Tampering With Physical Evidence
Alabouh was booked into the Baldwin County Detention Center where he remains.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. In the past month, the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project have begun to jump started and things are beginning to mov.
Another important step forward on the construction took place on Friday according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
Alabama Toll Road, Bridge and Tunnel Authority approved a financing plan for the project.
There is still a long road toward complete financing and although the move was procedural, it was an important step in the process.
Like building a house, financing must be in place before the contractors can do any prep work or actual building, Robert Westward, a construction finance manager, stated.
ALDOT spokesperson Tony Harris stated that this now authorizes ALDOT to officially green light the design-build contractor once the financial closing occurs, which is scheduled for September 16 and 17, 2026, a two day process.
Harris says officials still anticipate construction to begin in October, but no date has been set for a groundbreaking.
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BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. For the next few weeks, you may run into a “safety check” set up along the roadway by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Although the exact locations of these checkpoints have not been announced, the sheriff’s office stated they are trying to keep drivers safe and that they’ll be conducting these safety checks throughout the county.
BCSO stated that these checkpoints are conducted in accordance with applicable laws and established procedures, using standardized stopping patterns to ensure fairness.
Their goal is to promote safe roads, deter impaired driving, and help keep our community safe.
It is common law enforcement practices to verify a person’s driver license, vehicle registration and insurance and to detect impaired drivers during these checkpoints.
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MOBILE, AL – A Prichard man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for illegally possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon and assaulting law enforcement officers and members of the Homeland Security Task Force.
According to court documents, Delando Travon Perkins, 25, was arrested by members of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) at a residence on Cheha Drive in Prichard on February 13, 2026.
Agents were attempting to take Perkins into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant for narcotics offenses. The agents were wearing vests and uniforms that clearly identified them as law enforcement.
As agents approached the residence, they saw Perkins standing on a four-wheeler parked in the street on Cheha Drive. Perkins was wearing an “ESPN” chain, which is frequently worn by members of a Prichard-based street gang. Agents observed Perkins walking back and forth between the residence and the four-wheeler.
When agents approached Perkins to arrest him, he attempted to flee on foot. Agents pursued Perkins and apprehended him just north of Cheha Drive after he attempted to discard the “ESPN” chain and his cell phone. Agents secured Perkins in a police vehicle and began searching the residence and surrounding area.
On the four-wheeler where Perkins had been standing, agents found a loaded .38-caliber revolver and a loaded 9mm pistol. On the front porch of the residence, agents found two additional loaded 9mm pistols.
Inside the residence, agents found a .223-caliber rifle that had been modified to fire .50 BEO-caliber ammunition, small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, precursors used to manufacture crack cocaine, multiple pistol and rifle magazines, 79 rounds of ammunition in various calibers, and items bearing Perkins’s name.
While Perkins was detained in a patrol vehicle, he attempted to kick out the vehicle’s window partition and slipped his handcuffs from behind his back to the front of his body, creating a safety concern. Agents opened the rear door of the vehicle, and a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office deputy grabbed Perkins’s handcuffs. Perkins immediately lunged toward the deputy and bit him on his left hand, drawing blood and causing a painful injury.
Perkins continued kicking at agents and bit a second deputy on the right hand. Agents re-secured Perkins’s handcuffs and placed him back in the vehicle, where he continued challenging agents to “fight” him.
An FBI DNA analyst compared a buccal swab taken from Perkins with swabs taken from each of the five firearms seized by agents. The analyst found very strong support for including Perkins as a contributor to the DNA profiles obtained from the firearms.
Perkins had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in 2022, making his possession of firearms illegal under federal law.
In addition to the 46-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Perkins to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. During supervised release, Perkins will be subject to drug testing and treatment.
The court did not impose a fine but ordered Perkins to pay $200 in special assessments. Perkins’s firearms and ammunition were administratively forfeited to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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MOBILE, AL. A Wilmer man who was arrested in the death of Victor Birch, a popular postal worker and runner four years ago, has now been found guilty of a charge of reckless manslaughter.
According to police, 26-year-old Aubrey Pate is accused of drinking and using marijuana before being involved in a crash that took the life of Birch.
Birch, 61, was killed when his vehicle and another vehicle collided head-on. The crash happened at 6:29 a.m. on a Sunday, in September 2022. The wreck occurred on Rangeline Road at Theodore Industrial Canal Bridge.
Pate’s sentencing is set for September 18th, 2026.
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MOBILE, AL. Mobile police are investigating a crash that sent a vehicle into an apartment building over the weekend.
The Mobile Police Department and Mobile Fire Rescue responded Sunday night to the scene of the wreck after the vehicle lost control and careened into the apartment at the Waters at McGowin apartments on North McVay Drive.
Fire personnel treated the driver on scene but it s unknown of the driver or anyone else was transported to a hospital.
Mobile police stated that they are investigating the cause of the crash.
It is unknown of the driver has been cited or arrested on any charges.
This is the second traffic collision in recent days where the driver has crashed through a structure. Daphne police arrested a driver after he crashed through a home in Lake Forest three days ago.
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MOBILE, AL. A 76-year-old Mobile man who was arrested last year in the shooting death of a woman has been found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.
Walter Thames was convicted in May of provocation manslaughter in connection with the July 4, 2025, shooting at an extended-stay motel on Matzenger Drive, where Thames was living.
Police charged him with the shooting of 65-year-old Patricia Odoms who died July 13, 2025, after nine days on life support.
Thames was initially charged with murder. A jury convicted him of the lesser charge of provocation manslaughter in May, finding that he acted in the heat of the moment rather than with premeditation.
Thames claimed self-defense, saying Odoms had a machete. Prosecutors said the machete was across the room from where Odoms collapsed and accused Thames of altering the scene and lying to investigators.
The family of Odoms said that they were satisfied with the sentence.
Before sentencing, Thames addressed Odoms’ family directly, asking for forgiveness and saying, “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me because it was not my intention.”
Judge Windom told Thames he had shown “little remorse” throughout the trial. Despite the defense arguing that 20 years would effectively be a life sentence for Thames given his age, Windom imposed the maximum sentence.
Thames is expected to appeal. He will serve his sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections.
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GULF SHORES, Ala. For as long as Gulf Shores has provided lifeguards on the beaches, we could count on seeing them beginning their duties just before spring break and watching over beachgoers through September, but that’s all about to change.
What used to be a seasonal schedule which was mandated by the tourism season has steadily changed over the years with more people flocking to our beaches year-round and now, those beaches will also be staffed with year-round with lifeguards.
According to beach safety officials, six lifeguards will now be staffed on the beach year-round.
“If something happens, we’re already out there. We have lifeguards that are there; we’re not coming from a fire station or anywhere like that. We’re on the beach, and we’re ready to act,” Gulf Shores Beach Safety Chief Joethan Phillips said.
We often see people in the water throughout the year. Some swim while others wade through the water near the beach.
Lifeguards want to remind beachgoers that an emergency can happen anywhere and at any time.
“It’s still warm all the way through December at least. Any time the weather is warm, people are wanting to come to the beach and enjoy it, so it’s going to be busy throughout the year,” Phillips explained.
Emergencies can happen anytime and not just in the water.
People also have medical emergencies including heart attacks while visiting the beaches and it’s important that trained responders get to the patient quickly.
Safety officials said the goal isn’t just responding when someone’s in trouble; it’s preventing those emergencies before they happen.
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In less than 24 hours, Mobile police have responded to several homicides and shootings and are working multiple cases at the same time.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at approximately 11:16 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 7600 block of Elm Circle after a 911 caller reported a shooting. Mobile police reported that several officers arrived on scene and discovered a female victim deceased with a fatal gunshot injury.
Officers also discovered a male victim and a female victim with life-threatening injuries inside of the home. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Upon further investigation, officers discovered a known male subject shot the victims during a domestic altercation.
At this time police have identified the deceased victim has been identified as Laurie Gilchrist, 61.
If anyone has any information that could assist in the investigation of this case, please contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211. Alternatively, you can submit an anonymous tip by texting 844-251-0644 or by visiting mobilepd.org/crimetip.
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MOBILE, AL. A shooting at the Circle K at 3251 Dauphin St Friday morning at approximately 3:47 a.m. has left one man dead.
Mobile police received several 911 calls and police, Mobile Fire-Rescue and EMS responded.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that a male victim was shot and he later died from his life-threatening injuries.
Upon further investigation, officers discovered the victim entered the business, and while inside, physically assaulted a male security officer. At that point, the security officer shot the male during the altercation.
William Weemes, 42, the security officer was arrested and transported to Metro Jail on a charge of manslaughter.
District Attorney Blackwood has released a statement “This case was initially charged based on the information and evidence available to us at the time, which established probable cause to support the charge. Based on our review of additional information in this case, the decision was made not to pursue the charge at this time, and to release Weemes, and to present the case to a Mobile County Grand Jury for further review.
If anyone has any information that could assist in the investigation of this case, please contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211. Alternatively, you can submit an anonymous tip by texting 844-251-0644 or by visiting mobilepd.org/crimetip
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MOBILE, AL. A shooting that left several people dead is under investigation by the Mobile Police Homicide Unit.
Mobile Police was called on Thursday, August 13, 2026, shortly after 9:00 a.m. to the area of Harding Blvd and Avenue C after being told that there had been a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a male victim deceased with a fatal gunshot injury. The deceased victim has been identified as Robert Baehr, 57.
A second male victim was discovered with a gunshot injury and transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Police said that they are also conducting another homicide investigation and several shootings that have occurred with 24 hours.
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DAPHNE, Ala. A Thursday morning wreck in the Lake Forest subdivision destroyed a home, injured the driver who was found to be under the influence of narcotics and caused quite the scene at around 7:15 p.m.
Luckily, police said that although the house was occupied at the time that the car crashed through it, no one was seriously injured.
According to the Daphne Police Department, officers responded to a home on Buena Vista Drive around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday. Police said they found 32-year-old Austin Mamuscia, who also lives on Buena Vista Drive, unconscious behind the wheel of a Kia sedan.
Investigators say that Mamuscia lost control of his vehicle and collided with a corner of the house, crashed through an unoccupied bedroom, and exited the adjacent side of the structure before coming to a stop in the front yard.
When Daphne police arrived, officers used Narcan to revive Mamuscia at the scene, who appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. Police reported finding drug paraphernalia in plain view, along with a small amount of fentanyl and a bottle of synthetic urine.
Mamuscia was treated on scene by Daphne FireMedics before being taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. He has since been booked into Baldwin County Corrections, officials said.
Daphne police have charged Mamuscia with a long list of charges including possession of a controlled substance, DUI (controlled substance), reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of synthetic urine, driving while suspended, operating a vehicle with no insurance, expired tag, and reckless driving, according to the Daphne Police Department.
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FOLEY, Ala. On August 13, 2026, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into multiple cyber tips involving Internet Crimes Against Children.
The reports originated from an electronic service provider that notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after detecting illegal material on its platform.
Information within the tips identified 27-year-old Douglas Smith, a Baldwin County resident, as the suspect. Search warrants were executed at both Smith’s residence in Foley and his vehicle in Robertsdale.
Digital devices were seized, and evidence of unlawful activity was located. Smith was interviewed by Investigators and acknowledged to possessing a large quantity of illegal files that he had accumulated over many years. Following the search, investigators recovered multiple terabytes of illegal material, representing one of the largest digital evidence seizures in Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office history.
The arrest of Douglas Smith serves as a reminder that the internet can be a dangerous place for children and underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to educate the public about the risks and to take action to prevent and combat online exploitation.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and its partners in law enforcement are committed to continuing their efforts to identify and apprehend individuals who engage in illegal activities online and to ensure the safety and well-being of all children.
The investigation into this case is ongoing and more details may be released. Any questions may be directed to Captain Justin Correa with the Criminal Investigations Division.
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MOBILE, Ala. While some areas of the nation is seeing a slight drop in violent crimes such as robberies and murders, property crimes including theft, vandalism and burglary have increased steadily including here along the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Police in Mobile are reporting a recent case of vandalism to a recently model home by four adults, not juveniles and the reason for the burglary and criminal mischief, no one knows.
The homeowner of the targeted vandalism and burglary called police to the 5400 block of Carol Plantation Road just before 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in reference to the burglary.
When officers arrived, they met with the homeowner, who said his remodeled home had been vandalized by unknown subjects.
Police officers responding to the location were able to detain four suspects including
Through the investigation, officers were able to respond to the location and detained the suspects. Alexis Smith, Shyloh Rafsanjani, Tracy Adcock and Mikel Holladay.
Alexis Smith, 27, of Prichard, is charged with first-degree criminal mischief
Shyloh Rafsanjani, 26, of Theodore, is charged with third-degree burglary
Tracy Adcock, 38, of Irvington, is charged with third-degree burglary
Mikel Holladay, 24, no address given, is charged with third-degree burglary and use/possession of drug paraphernalia
All four were taken to Metro Jail.
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