A 13-year-old boy reportedly defended his mother and held his stepfather down with a bicycle after deputies say the man attacked his wife during a domestic dispute near Foley.
According to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a home on Underwood Road in reference to a domestic violence complaint.
When deputies arrived, they found the 13-year-old boy in the yard holding down his 32-year-old stepfather, Darnel Hernandez-Lopez, with a bicycle. Authorities said Hernandez-Lopez had multiple injuries to his face.
Investigators say Hernandez-Lopez’s wife told deputies the couple got into an argument that turned physical when he allegedly grabbed her by the neck and began choking her. The incident reportedly happened in front of her son.
According to officials, the woman told her son to go get help, but Hernandez-Lopez allegedly followed the boy outside and attempted to violently engage him in the front yard.
The boy then defended himself, striking his stepfather several times in the face and subduing him until deputies arrived, authorities said.
Hernandez-Lopez was arrested and charged with felony assault by strangulation. He was booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center, where he is being held on a $30,000 bond. Officials also say an immigration holdhas been placed against him.
DOTHAN: 9:32 PM Dothan 911 dispatched multiple Dothan Fire Engine Companies to First Baptist Church, Community Center, 207 N. Lena Street. The person reporting stated they could see lights flashing and looked like smoke inside the buidling.
Dothan Fire Engine 10 ( West Main ) was first on the scene as they were near the scene. Upon arrival Engine 10 reported nothing visible, investigating.
Dothan Fire Truck Company 1 ( Central ) was second engine company on the scene.
Two minutes after Engine 10 arrived they reported they had done a 360 survey ( 360 is a total walk around ) and through the windows could see no smoke or flames. Engine 10 cancelled all response and declared no structure fire at this location. All units, except Engine 10 were returning to service.
Dothan Police and Pilcher Ambulance responded also. And Dothan 911 doing a fantastic job as they have been slammed tonight.
Two suspects taken into custody after a traffic stop escalated into a pursuit and crash have now been identified as brothers from Pensacola.
According to an update released at 3:38 p.m., the suspects are 21-year-old Max Lewisand 26-year-old Blake Lewis.
Earlier Thursday, authorities said the incident began as a routine traffic stop on the Foley Beach Express north of U.S. Highway 98. Baldwin County Sheriff Anthony Lowery said that after the initial stop, the driver fled, leading deputies on a chase before crashing into a motorcyclist.
After the crash, both the driver and passenger ran into nearby woods but were captured a short time later.
The motorcyclist was reported to be conscious and alertwhen taken by ambulance to a hospital in Pensacola.
Sheriff Lowery said both suspects had warrants from other agencies and are not from Alabama. Deputies also found a gun and drugsinside the vehicle during an initial search.
Houston County grand jurors have indicted the suspected shooter in the killing of Dothan businessman Perry Griffin nearly 20 years after the deadly shooting.
Kendrick Bryant, identified by investigators in 2020 as the alleged gunman, was not immediately charged at that time because he was already serving a lengthy prison sentence on unrelated charges.
The case has slowly moved forward in the years since, with one co-defendant already sentenced and another still awaiting retrial.
Kevin Thornton pleaded guilty in December to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to one year in prison.
Jessie Jerome Swain’s case ended in a mistrial in January after a judge determined jurors had heard testimony that could have unfairly influenced the case. Swain is awaiting retrial.
Bryant’s indictment marks the latest development in the long-running case surrounding Griffin’s death.
A Tuscaloosa man has been charged with possession of child sex abuse material after authorities say he used artificial intelligence to create an illegal image of a juvenile.
According to court documents filed Monday, the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force received a tip indicating that 40-year-old Richard Wayne Smalleywas in possession of an image depicting a child in a state of nudity.
Investigators responded to Smalley’s residence in McCalla and conducted a search of his phone. Authorities say they discovered the image during that search.
Court documents state Smalley allegedly used artificial intelligence to modify a normal photo of the victim by digitally removing the clothing the juvenile was wearing in the original image.
Smalley was arrested Friday and charged with one count of possession of child sex abuse material. He was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail with bond set at $30,000.
Captain Phil Simpson, commander of the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, said the case is among the first the unit has encountered involving AI-generated images.
However, Simpson noted that the Alabama Child Protection Act of 2024makes the creation or possession of such material illegal.
“Even when these images are created using artificial intelligence, the victim is still being exploited, and it’s something we’re taking very seriously,” Simpson said. “We want people to understand that this can and will lead to criminal charges.”
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing.
