MOBILE, AL. Police pursuits in Mobile County seem to happen daily and on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at approximately 7:05 a.m., officers were once again involved in a police chase after attempting to stop a driver for a minor traffic infraction.
Police observed the violation on I-10 WB near Broad Street, but the driver refused to stop.
Mobile police officers joined the pursuit which ended when the driver got stuck in traffic on Rangeline Road.
Police surround the vehicle and arrested Jayson DeShawn Barnes, 22, and transported him to Metro Jail.
Barnes is now being held on in jail on these charges:
ATTEMPT TO ELUDE-FELONY
RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
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WILMER, Ala. Law enforcement in Mobile County is investigating a triple homicide and is sickening and sad and is similar to another murder investigated by the sheriff’s office not too long ago.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office is investigating this heinous crime after the bodies were found at 7950 Auble Moody Road.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch in a news conference identified the murdered victims as 46-year-old woman Lisa Ferguson, 17-year-old Keziah Luker and 12-year-old Thomas Cordell. He said Keziah Luker was pregnant.
Burch said that deputies also found an 18-month-old child in the home and that the child was left unharmed.
Seriff Burch stated that all three victims had their hands bound behind them with zip ties or flex cuffs.
Burch said a family member discovered the victims. He said it appears they were killed sometime overnight.
Sheriff Burch said in his statement that it was a brutal scene and that the mother’s throat was cut and she was stabbed. He said the girl was shot, and the boy’s throat was cut.
“At this point we do not suspect any domestic or family type situation,” Burch said. The sheriff said that the investigation has just begun and investigators are still processing the scene and possible evidence.
The sheriff said the home has been “gone through” and was left in disarray. “Someone was searching for something,” Burch said.
Investigators do not have any suspects. “At this point we do not suspect any domestic or family type situation,” Burch said.
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GULF SHORES, Ala. Changes as to who can drive a golf cart in the City of Gulf Shores now aligns the new ordinance that was approved on April 13th by the Gulf Shores City Council with driver’s license laws.
Police Chief Dan Netemeyer proposed the change due to public input, and it aligns with Alabama’s driving laws.
Previously, only people 18 and older could operate a golf cart or LSV in designated areas.
But now, the new ordinance allows anyone who is legally allowed to drive a vehicle in Alabama may now drive a golf cart or LSV in permitted areas.
SEMINOLE COMMUNITY, Ala. A quick moving fire destroyed the homes of several families just after 4 a.m. on Friday according to Seminole Volunteer Fire Chief Kenny Ping.
Firefighters were called out to the fire on East Drive in Seminole, right off Highway 91 and immediately saw flames and a working fire as they arrived.
“I was just waking up to a bunch of crackling sounds. Someone outside saying “‘fire, fire, fire.’” I ran outside and the whole the whole back of the yard back there was completely submerged in fire,” said Ashton Williams who was inside the home.
The fire started in a shed that they had been living in along with 15 dogs.
Chief Ping stated that that the family had “run an extension cord” from one of the homes to a tree house that was in the back, which they believe caused the fire. “The fire, started in the back, and then worked its way up,” the Chief said.
A local church and the Red Cross have stepped in to help the people involved in the fire.
“This is a close-knit neighborhood back down in here,” said Chief Ping.
“People who don’t even know we’re coming in here and bringing food and anything we need. Somebody just brought me a generator. It’s just. It’s overwhelming,” said James Williams.
The family is actively working to set up a GoFundMe. In the meantime, you can reach out to the family by calling or texting them at 850-324-8961 or 727-432-9111.
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FAIRHOPE, Ala. A domestic situation turned into a whole lot more when a female assaulted her boyfriend by biting him and then hitting him with a shovel.
As police were arresting Shawny Lewis, she also kicked two police officers and resisted arrest according to police. Lewis, 27, kicked one of the officers in the face and the other in the chest during her arrest on Monday, April 13, 2026.
Lewis is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, one count of second-degree domestic violence assault, and resisting arrest, according to jail records.
Lewis was transported to the Baldwin County Detention Center and has a bond of $16,000.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. In recent weeks, Gov. Kay Ivey has signed new bills into law. Many were addressing law enforcement and highway construction workers safety.
But she has also signed several bills intended to improve health care and emergency medical services in the state, the governor’s office announced. And now the Governor has signed another bill covering the areas of EMS treat-in-place reimbursement, and rural healthcare.
The bills were passed during the legislative session that ended Thursday.
They include SB269 by Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, which updates payments to ambulance services by health insurance plans.
SB269 will allow ambulance service operators to be paid for providing basic life support without transporting patients, which the bill defines as “treat in place” services. So if a person has a cut, sprain or other minor medical issues that can treated on scene, an EMS provider will now be able to bill for their services.
Under the previous law, EMS providers were not paid unless they transported a patient to the hospital, even if the patient did not require full emergency department or inpatient care, the governor’s office said.
Removing the patient-transport mandate for reimbursement is expected to increase the availability of EMS care and reduce patient overcrowding in hospitals, the governor’s office said.
Other health-related bills signed by the governor include:
SB57 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, which requires the Alabama Department of Human Resources to request a federal waiver that would allow the state to ban candy and sugar-sweetened sodas from purchases that can be made with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) cards, also called food stamps. Alabama joins 22 other states that are seeking such a waiver.
SB9 by Sen. Gerald Allen, R- Cottondale, adds a vaping prohibition to the state law that bans smoking in enclosed public places.
HB300 by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R- Foley, requires that health benefit plans pay or reimburse for breast examinations, including mammography, without imposing a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance charge on the patient.
HB605 by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R- Russellville, helps rural healthcare providers collaborate by providing limited immunity from state and federal antitrust laws. The purpose is to maximize efficiency and to sustain and expand healthcare services in rural areas.
HB156 by Rep. Paul Lee, R- Dothan, streamlines license approval of out-of-state physician assistants to practice in Alabama, attracting more medical professionals to serve patients in the state. Alabama is the 24th state to approve the compact, joining Tennessee and Arkansas in the South.
“In December, I announced Alabama’s participation in a new Trump Administration program funded by the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ passed by Congress to expand rural healthcare delivery,” Ivey said in a press release Wednesday.
“Not wasting a moment, I worked with legislative leaders this session to remove legal barriers to ensure healthcare providers are able to work together to improve healthcare delivery in our rural areas.
“We have also freed first responders to deliver more life-saving services during ambulance calls, and we have joined other states in streamlining approval of out-of-state physician assistants to practice in Alabama.
“We are promoting healthier diets for Alabama SNAP beneficiaries by restricting the purchase of sugary foods that contribute to obesity and diabetes.
“These efforts along with several other pieces of legislation lay a solid foundation as we partner with the Trump Administration in improving rural healthcare delivery to better meet the needs of the public.”
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s current and final term ends in January 2027.
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LEE COUNTY, Ala. An Alabama deputy sheriff has been injured and a rape suspect killed after a woman notified law enforcement that had been held captive.
Sheriff Jay Jones said the investigation began when a school resource officer at a Loachapoka school was notified by a female that she had been victimized over the past several days by someone she identified as her boyfriend.
“She said that she had been held against her will and sexually assaulted multiple times,” Jones said.
The female victim, Jones said, had children at the school and seen the deputy at the school.
Lee County County Coroner Daniel Sexton on Thursday identified the slain man as Wilder Cobon Gomez. He was a 36-year-old Guatemalan national, Sexton said.
An investigation was immediately launched, and enough probable cause was established to obtain a first-degree rape warrant against Gomez.
Law enforcement proceeded to a mobile home community in the 900 block of Lee Road 188 in the Loachapoka community.
Jones said that deputies made entry and identified themselves and they were immediately met by the suspect who began shooting at the deputies and they returned fire killing Gomez.
A 3-year-old child in the home at the time the gunfire erupted was not injured.
At that point, the sheriff said, ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation was brought in to lead the probe, which is standard procedure for many officer-involved shootings.
One of the deputies was struck in the arm and transported to an area hospital.
The deputy taken to the East Alabama Medical Center free-standing emergency room in Auburn with a gunshot wound to the arm.
He was then airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham to be treated by a specialist.
“He was responsive and in stable condition,” the sheriff said.
The female victim was not at the home when the shooting happened.
Jones said the sheriff’s department received assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Auburn Police Department, and said multiple public officials offered support, including Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.
“I would ask the community to please keep our deputy in their prayers, and his wife and family” the sheriff said. “I know they would deeply appreciate the prayers. We certainly do.”
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MOBILE, AL. A Mobile man charged with a 2023 homicide found out his fate earlier this week.
According to a Mobile County District Attorney’s Office news release, 21-year-old Jaymon Deaaron Johnson was found guilty by a jury of murder, attempted murder, first-degree assault, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and two counts of reckless endangerment.
New details about the Partridge Street shooting in March that left a 36-year-old mother dead in her front yard were revealed during an Aniah’s Law hearing for the suspected shooter.
District Attorney Keith Blackwood said that 34-year-old Dajarra Jackson was killed during the March 2023 shooting on Partridge Street.
A 15-year-old was grazed by a bullet, and three other juveniles were targeted during the shooting, according to authorities.
“This verdict is the result of hard work by law enforcement, prosecutors, and a jury that carefully considered the evidence and delivered justice,” said District Attorney Keith Blackwood. “Violence of this kind has no place in our community. “Drive-by shootings don’t just target individuals — they put entire neighborhoods at risk, and the consequences must be clear.”
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2026.
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(Gray News) – Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the team seized thousands of dried shark fins across several U.S. ports.
According to the wildlife agency, about 50,000 shark fins were taken in from 20 shipments at ports, totaling more than 1,600 pounds and valued at over $1 million.
Inspectors say the first shipment was discovered in Anchorage, Alaska, which sparked a wider investigation. Their work led to the interception of additional shipments moving through Alaska, Kentucky and Ohio while the items were transiting from Mexico to Hong Kong.
The shipments were disguised as car parts found to be linked to a larger trafficking network.
The agency noted that the staggering number of fins was predominantly from silky sharks and bigeye thresher sharks, protected under the endangered species trade law.
All fins were seized for multiple violations of wildlife laws.
Officials said the violations have been shared with international partners to support appropriate enforcement actions.
MOBILE, AL. Four juveniles fled police on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at around 8 p.m. when officers attempted to stop a vehicle that they were in.
Police observed the vehicle on the reported stolen vehicle, which refused to stop while driving on Cottage Hill Road.
With sirens sounding and blue lights flashing, the vehicle led officers on a short pursuit which came to an end when the driver struck a guard rail and a telephone pole in the area of Cottage Hill Road and Demetropolis Road.
Police said that four juveniles exited the vehicle, and a short foot pursuit ensued but officers caught up with and apprehended all four juveniles without further incident.
A detective responded to the scene. The four juveniles were transported to Strickland Youth Center.
The driver has been charged with Receiving Stolen Property 1st, Attempted Breaking and Entering, and Attempting to Elude.
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FOLEY, Ala. Police made two recent felony drug arrests while on patrol.
On April 14, 2026, at approximately 11:50 p.m. police stopped Kenzie Ann Lee, 35 and during the stop police found drugs. Lee was arrested and charged with: Possession of Methamphetamine-Possess Drug Paraphernalia-1st Offense Dangerous Drugs-IPOPD Illegal Possession of Prescription Drugs
Lee was booked into the Baldwin County Detention Center.
Foley police also arrested Jared Thomas Dean on felony drug charges including: Possession Of Dangerous Drugs Drug Paraphernalia-1st Offense Dangerous Drugs-IPOPD Illegal Possession of Prescription Drugs Possession of Marijuana 2nd
Dean was also transported to the Baldwin County Detention Center.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
FOLEY, Ala. A small child nearly drowned in the swimming pool of a Foley apartment complex. 911 callers reported that a child had drowned after being found at the bottom of the swimming pool at an apartment complex at around 2:05 p.m.
The Foley police and fire department responded to the Sevilla Place Apartments located at 3151 Boulevard de Sevilla and found citizens performing CPR on the child.
Firefighters and EMS immediately began lifesaving measurements, and the child was rushed to a local hospital by ambulance.
The condition of the child is unknown, and police are investigating what happened.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
MOBILE, AL. Officers responded to 3250 Dauphin Street (Dauphin Gate Apartments) in reference to a shooting on Wednesday evening at approximately 7:15 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers discovered two individuals had been shot. Mobile Fire Rescue also were dispatched to the scene.
Officers determined that both people had already been transported by personal vehicle to area hospitals.
One victim is a juvenile male and the other is an adult female.
According to hospital personnel, both have non-life-threatening injuries.
No one has been arrested but this is an active investigation.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. A new bill to protect workers called the Alabama Work Zone Safety Act has been signed into law by Governor Ivey on Tuesday but not before a lot of debate and controversy. Nonetheless, the Governor touted it as a safety mechanism for workers and motorists.
This new law establishes the Alabama Work Zone Safety Act as a pilot program and authorizes the Alabama Department of Transportation and Alabama Toll Road, Bridge, and Tunnel Authority to procure, install and operate an automated photographic speed enforcement system in one segment of interstate highway declared to be a work zone. The cameras would issue $250 tickets to those exceeding the work zone speed by more than 10 miles per hour over the limit.
The controversy came among legislators when some argued that a speed doesn’t identify who is driving the vehicle but that the owner of the vehicle will get the ticket regardless of who was behind the wheel when the violation occurred.
The House version of the bill, by State Rep. Mike Kirkland (R-Scottsboro), failed in March to garner the 60% support needed to pass the budget isolation resolution before a vote on the bill could occur.
The House then passed the Senate version of the bill, sponsored by State Sen. Josh Carnley (R-Ino), in April, but added an amendment removing $250 civil fines for speeding in a highway construction zone after a surprise amendment by State Rep. Jim Hill (R-Moody). The Senate voted not to concur with the House changes, and members of both bodies met in a joint conference committee. The conference committee version reinstated the $250 fine, and it passed both legislative bodies on the final day of the session.
Police can’t be everywhere one legislator stated and the cameras will remind people to slow down in these work zones and protect all of those working.
“Currently in Alabama, there is roadwork ongoing in all 67 counties, including on our major roadways. It is just critical that we all drive carefully through work zones,” Ivey said. “I was proud to put my signature on the Alabama Work Zone Safety Act that will help us improve safety around our roadwork and the enforcement mechanisms going forward. As we are rebuilding Alabama in all 67 counties, let’s keep the men and women doing the hard work, as well as our fellow motorists and ourselves, safe!”
“The Alabama Work Zone Safety Act is about protecting the men and women who work hard each and every day to keep our roads safe and functional,” Carnley said. “The Alabama Work Zone Safety Act gives us a smart, data-driven approach to improving safety in some of the most dangerous areas on our roads while holding reckless drivers accountable. I appreciate my colleagues in the Legislature for their support in advancing this measure and thank Governor Ivey for her leadership in signing this important legislation into law.”
The proceeds of the fines would be distributed evenly between the Public Safety Fund and the Public Road and Bridge Fund. The new law goes into effect immediately, and Ivey’s office said full enforcement should begin by the end of the year.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
FAIRHOPE, Ala. A controversial arrest during a protest in Fairhope has ended with all charges being dropped against Renea Gamble.
The Fairhope women was arrested on October 18, 2025, while attending a NO Kings protest on Greeno Road near Fairhope Avenue and wearing a “Penis” costume that some deemed to be vulgar.
Fairhope police asked Gamble to remove the costume because some people were offended by it and when she refused and walked away from a Fairhope police officer, she was arrested. And it was then that Gamble is accused of resisting arrest and defying a lawful order.
But on Wednesday, Gamble was found not guilty of giving officers a false name, breaking a city ordinance related to disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
“Free speech wins,” Gamble said as she made her way out of the courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
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DAPHNE, Ala. A new recreation facility will soon take shape near the entrance to Bayfront Park on the site of the old Thomas Hospital Center.
On Monday, April 6, 2026, the Daphne City Council authorized Mayor Robin LeJeune to utilize a GoMESA grant agreement to be used toward turning the old Thomas Medical Center into a new recreation center.
The $27 million project will be built in a convenient location for our citizens and offer facilities for sports such as basketball and pickleball and walking tracks and space for offices, senior center rooms and concession areas, along with a repaved parking lot.
Mayor Robin LeJeune told GCM a new recreation center will help elevate local recreational opportunities within the community.
“We currently have zero indoor sports recreation for our recreational basketball leagues,” LeJeune said. “We have to use the schools and their gymnasiums. This would be a real boost to what we’re able to do recreationally for our kids here in Daphne.”
The site is in an area where there are a lot of residences, apartments, and businesses and close to where the new Daphne amphitheater is being built which is partially funded by a $7.2 million GoMESA grant, with construction expected to be completed next year.
Daphne was awarded $4 million in Gulf of Mexico Energy and Security Act (GoMESA) funds. The grant was first announced by Gov. Kay Ivey in September of last year.
The allocated GoMESA funds will be used to cover $1 million in engineering and design work, while $3 million will be used for the actual renovations and parking lot rework.
The project is still in the early design phase, with city council needing to approve a contract with a design firm, but LeJeune told GCM construction could begin as early as 2027.
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MOBILE, AL. A new proposal that would change how private ambulances would respond in Mobile and shift all emergency medical call responses to the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department is being considered.
Mobile city leaders said that they are considering a new ordinance that could change how the city responds to medical emergencies.
The proposal, introduced on Tuesday, would place Mobile Fire-Rescue Department in charge of all ambulance calls. For years, Mobile has used multiple private companies to respond primarily to (BLS) Basic Life Support calls while dispatching Mobile Fire-Rescue ambulances to (ALS) Advanced Life Support priority calls such as gunshot wounds, trauma incidents, or other life-threatening emergencies.
Mobile Fire Chief Barry Glisson says the updated ordinance is focused on creating consistency across providers.
“The new ordinance is going to change where everybody has to have a certificate and a system,” he said. “And that essentially allows us to make sure that the service that’s given to the citizens is the same for both companies.”
He emphasized that the goal is not to push private companies out, but to ensure a high standard of care.
“We’re not trying to drive any company out of the city,” Glisson said. “We’re trying to make sure that these companies that are working for the citizens are providing the highest level of care and are the same.” The chief also stated that current providers are already performing well.
“Medevac and Newman’s have been doing an outstanding job,” he said.
“There’s no cost that changes with this ordinance,” Glisson said. “Everything is still dictated by the state and what’s available from the insurance companies.”
This is not the first time that a proposal for changes in the EMS system has been made including having the Mobile Fire Department respond to all EMS calls in the city.
Kenneth Newman, president of Newman’s Medical Services, says he’s concerned about changes to existing protections for long-standing providers.
“They’re trying to take away that grandfather clause now because they think that it should be an equal playing field,” Newman said. “Versus somebody that’s put 87 years into the City of Mobile taking care of the citizens, and I am opposed to that.”
Newman also raised concerns about new data-sharing requirements included in the ordinance.
“Now they’re wanting us to hand over that data to them,” he said. “I don’t want any personal medical information getting out.”
He added that protecting patient privacy is a top priority.
“I don’t want any personal medical information getting out that we control or maintain and keep safe,” Newman said.
But as with other private ambulance services in other cities, they are subcontractors and employed by the city under a contract. Therefore, it’s the city who controls what an ambulance service can and cannot do and that includes having frequent audits of records, employee certifications and equipment maintenance.
Mobile City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance next week.
If approved, Mobile Fire-Rescue would take over dispatching ambulance services citywide effective immediately.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. A two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 12:35 p.m. Sunday, April 12, 2026, has claimed the life of a Mobile man.
David E. Hopkins, 75, of Mobile, was fatally injured when the 2006 Harley-Davidson Night Train motorcycle he was driving was struck in the rear by the 2014 Ford Flex driven by Kayla A. Sauer, 28, of Dixon, Mo.
Hopkins was transported to USA University Hospital in Mobile for medical treatment. Hopkins succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased while at the hospital.
The crash occurred on Alabama 193 near the 7-mile marker, approximately four miles north of the Dauphin Island city limits, in Mobile County.
Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division continue to investigate.
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FOLEY, Ala. A standoff ended in Foley with the arrest of two men for assault.
On April 13, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Foley Police responded to the 13000 block of McGaster Trail for a reported assault with a weapon.
When officers approached several men the two barricaded themselves inside a residence. Officers were able to talk the men into surrendering and they were later identified as Nikeyl Jones, 33, of Foley and Zackarree Robinson-Rowlan, 19, of Mississippi
Both men were arrested and charged with second-degree assault, according to police.
Authorities said the victim was treated for their injuries and released.
Police have not released any further details.
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BAYOU LA BATRE, AL. Two motorcyclists have been injured during a traffic collision that appears to have been intentional.
The Bayou La Batre Police Department said that they have arrested 68-year-old Ted Gillespie of Coden for his role in the crash.
Officials say that Gillespie purposefully hit two motorcyclists with his car separately and then left the scene on Wednesday, April 8, on Coden Belt Road.
Additionally, police said that Gillespie allegedly knew the two cyclists prior to the crash.
One of the cyclists was taken to the hospital for their injuries, while the other was treated at the scene of the crash.
Gillespie was transported to the Mobile County Metro Jail and faces charges of reckless endangerment, first-degree assault, and violating his probation from a previous arrest..
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