DOTHAN: 8:49 PM Dothan 911 dispatched a medical emergency unit at Dothan Airport terminal at 8:49 PM. Dothan Airport Fire Department was on the scene scene in 3 minutes.
Dothan Fire Engine 6 ( Napier Field ) was on the scene in 6 minutes. From the station on Napier Field Road until near Highway 231 to the Dothan Airport terminal.
The intial call was a 2 year old child not breathing. The mother was performing CPR.
Dothan Airport Police and Dothan Police responded.
As Dothan Airport Fire arrived it was reported the child was breathing. Pilcher Ambulance is also responding.
Emergency units are on the scene. The response time was above EXCELLANT. It was absolutely fantastic.
At the initial dispatch Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum was also scrambling Dale County Sheriff Deputies. The Dothan Airport is in the city limits of Dothan but in Dale County.
GREAT JOB to the 911 Dispatchers and responding units.
UPDATED @ 9:13 PM
At 9:10 PM Pilcher Ambulance has transported the 2 year old child to a Dothan Hospital, non emergency. Child is breathing.
DOTHAN: 09:37 AM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire Engine Company 8 ( Highlands ) to North Brannon Stand Road to a medical emergency. Reports to Dothan 911 a man in his 30’s had fallen off the roof and was bleeding from the head.
Dothan Fire Engine 8 had been on another emergency and was at Hodgesville Road and Ross Clark Circle. Due to distance Dothan Fire Engine Company 6 ( Napier Field Road ) responded.
At 10:00 AM Dothan Fire Engine 6 amd Pilcher Ambulance transported the patient, trauma alert, to a Dothan Hospital.
COWARTS: Houston County 911 dispatched deputies to Glenn Lawrence Road. The petson reporting could hear someone screaming “help me”.
Houston County Sheriff Deputies arrived and slowly patrolled the area and walked the area. The person was located.
Ashford Rescue and Cowarts Volunteer Fire were dispatched. At this time the exact location is unknown, other than the area of Glenn Lawrence Road near Mills Street.
Emergency units are on scene treating medically and determining exactly what they have.
UPDATED @ 9:32 PM.
This was a accident involving a motorcycle. Reported to be a dirt bike.
There were two dirt bikes riding on a dirt road in area of Jordan and Mills Street. One of the drivers crashed. The other driver started rendering medical assistance performing CPR. While performing CPR he was screaming for help. Nearby residents heard someone screaming for help and called 911.
Deputies arrived and quickly spread out, locating the emergency. Ashford Rescue and Cowarts Volunteer Fire responded. Emergency units continued CPR until Medical Control ordered it stopped.
ALEA-Troopers were dispatched to the scene. Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd was dispatched to the sof Mills Streetcene.
ALEA-Troopers are in charge of the investigation.
Some family members were on the scene. The victim’s name has not been released but is reported to be in late 40’s to 50’s.
UPDATED @ 11:38 AM SATURDAY
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd has identifed the victim of the Friday night accident as Kenneth Preston II, age 55, of Mills Street in Cowarts.
DOTHAN: 6:35 PM. Dothan 911 dispatched a structure fire at 802 Mandarin Avenue.
On arrival of Dothan Fire and Dothan Police it was reported smoke and flames visible. This was a working structure fire. Dothan Fire conducted an offensive attack on the fire.
This was reported to be a garage.
As fire engines were responding to the scene they reported smoke visible from downtown.
ALABAMA: The law is interesting to me. In the recent Federal Court ruling in the case where Escambia County District Attorney and Escambia County Sheriff arrested journalist, the Federal Court made an interesting finding.
“A prosecutor is not entitled to absolute immunity when he ‘performs the investigative functions normally performed by a detective or police officer,’” Moorer wrote, noting that “Billy was participating in an investigation … and share the results of his investigation (with a sheriff’s deputy).”
This is very intresting to me. You have heard District Attorney’s and Attorney General’s say they are the “CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER” of the county or state. I have long disagreed. There are cases where the courts have ruled the Sheriff is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer and the District Attorney is the Chief Prosecutor.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall combined with ALEA and went to Birmingham and raided bingo places. According to the federal court ruling in this Escambia County case, well you can read the ruling of the court. The question is now, can prosecutors and attorney generals conduct investigations and share the results of the investigation?
Honestly, I do not know the answer. Some District Attorney Offices around Alabama have investigators. And some are needed in obtaining investigative information from law enforcement, locating witnesses and preparing the case for trial. There is a huge difference in “investigating the crime” and “preparing the case for trial”. No disrespect to law enforcement officers, but there is a huge difference in investigating the crime and organizing the case for trial.
Alabama prosecutor loses key immunity claim in journalist’s arrest lawsuit
A Trump-appointed federal judge has dismissed most of the federal civil charges filed against an Alabama county prosecutor, sheriff, and four deputies for their roles in the controversial arrests of journalists and school board members in 2023.
But the judge allowed several claims tied to the seizure of cell phones to move forward, ruling that those actions may have fallen outside the prosecutor’s protected role.
U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer issued the mixed ruling Wednesday in a 52-page opinion, concluding that Escambia County District Attorney Stephen Billy is shielded by absolute immunity for most of the conduct his legal team sought to dismiss. Still, Moorer found that Billy may have crossed a legal line when he became directly involved in investigative work.
“A prosecutor is not entitled to absolute immunity when he ‘performs the investigative functions normally performed by a detective or police officer,’” Moorer wrote, noting that “Billy was participating in an investigation … and share the results of his investigation (with a sheriff’s deputy).”
Moorer declined to dismiss two key sets of claims:
First and Fourth Amendment allegations involving the seizure and search of cell phones belonging to Sherry Digmon, Ashley Fore, and Cynthia Jackson.
Claims tied to Jackson’s role in arresting Digmon for a third time in early 2024.
lly’s legal team has long argued that he should receive “absolute immunity” as an elected prosecutor, a doctrine that protects government officials from civil liability regardless of motive. Moorer agreed in large part, dismissing a wide range of claims and finding that most of Billy’s actions fell within his official duties.
But attorneys for the plaintiffs—known as the “Atmore 4”—say the case against Jackson and his deputies will continue because many allegations were never challenged in the motion to dismiss. A preliminary scheduling order is set for April 24.
The lawsuit, filed in November 2024, was brought by Digmon, former Atmore News journalist Don Fletcher, school board member Cynthia Jackson, and school employee Ashley Fore. Digmon was also a former publisher with The Atmore News. Their attorneys argue the group was targeted for exposing misconduct and participating in local government.
“Americans must be able to participate in their government without fear that they’ll be labeled as political enemies, investigated and punished for exposing corruption,” said IJ Senior Attorney Jared McClain. “Sherry, Don, Cindy and Ashley were just doing their jobs and what they knew was right. But because that got in the way of the district attorney and sheriff, they ended up in jail.”
The arrests of Digmon and Fletcher in late 2023 drew national attention, raising questions about press freedom and the extent to which prosecutors can pursue journalists for publishing confidential information. The lawsuit centers on the conduct of Billy, Jackson, and their deputies, including the seizure of phones and alleged violations of the plaintiffs’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
The Institute for Justice described the case as “a plot worthy of a John Grisham novel,” noting that the Atmore 4 were “all hauled to jail, in some cases strip-searched, and had their mugshots aired on the local news.” Each faced felony charges carrying potential three-year prison sentences.
All criminal charges were eventually dismissed, including a separate impeachment charge against Digmon.
“We’re glad that our case will finally move forward,” said Cindy Jackson. “The district attorney and sheriff have not been held accountable for trying to silence us. The lawsuit is important to get us all justice for wrongful arrests, but also to make an example of what happens when government officials abuse their power.”
Attorneys for Billy and Jackson could not be reached for comment. Neither official returned calls seeking comment.
Billy’s term runs through 2028. He had previously announced plans to retire but reversed that decision before the end of 2024, according to local reports.
