PIKE COUNTY AL: Early this morning in Pike County, a vehicle struck a deer on Highway 231 at mile marker 88 in Pike County. A child in the car with his parents stepped out of the vehicle and reports are the child was struck by a semi.
Calls were made to Pike County 911 and Haynes Ambulance, Pike County Sheriff Department and ALEA – Troopers responded. Haynes Ambulance requested Haynes Aircraft responded. The child was flown to a trauma center.
The injuries are described as critical, but stable. The child is expected to survive the injuries.
Over the last couple of years it seems there have been more deer verses vehicle accidents.
DOTHAN: 5:01 PM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Police to 812 Monroe Street in Dothan. Responding Dothan Fire Engine Companies reported smoke visible from Range Street.
This is an offensive attack by Dothan Fire Department. On arrival of the first Dothan Fire Engine Company they reported smoke and flames visible. The first engine company reported a single story residential structure.
The residence was occupied and patient removed and Dothan Fire is working on the patient.
Anyone with additional information or scene pictures TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729.
UPDATED @ 5:35 PM
Dothan Fire has declared fire under control. Dothan Fire Chief David Hasty and Dothan Fire Prevention Investigators are on the scene.
The person which was found inside has been transported to Southeast Health.
UPDATED @ 8:13 PM
Within 5 minutes of the call coming into Dothan 911, fire departments had been dispatched, Dothan Fire Engine Companies were on the scene, patient was being removed from house and CPR in progress. Which is excellant response time for both fire and police department. Dothan Fire Paramedics did everything possible to save the patient. The patient also suffered second degree burns.
Dothan Fire Paramedics and Pilcher Ambulance transported emergency, trauma alert and CPR in progress to Southeast Health where the victim did not survive.
Dothan Fire Deputy Chief Pete Webb was on the scene.
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd responded to Southeast Health.
Dothan Fire and Dothan Police Criminal Investigation conducted an investigation which is standard protocol. There is no foul play suspected and the fire, preliminary, is beleived to have started in the kitchen.
HOUSTON COUNTY: On behalf of the citizens of Houston County, the family and friends, and staff of Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza, we wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Donald Valenza moved to Dothan from New Orleans to play baseball at George C. Wallace Community College. He fell in love with Dothan – Houston County and stayed.
Serving the citizens of Houston County since 1979, Donald Valenza began working with Houston County Sheriff Department under then Houston County Sheriff A.B. Clark as a Corrections Deputy. It was not long before Donald Valenza’s work ethic was noticed by Sheriff A.B. Clark and Donald Valenza was promoted to a Patrol Deputy Sheriff.
Since 1979, Donald Valenza has worked patrol, narcotics investigation, criminal investigations, Commander of Criminal Investigations, Chief Deputy Sheriff and then was appointed Sheriff, in 2014, on the resignation of then Sheriff Andy Hughes. Now Sheriff Donald Valenza sought election as Sheriff when the office was up for re-election and has been overwhelmingly elected and re-elected each time. Donald Valenza was first appointed in August 2014 and has 10 years of service as Sheriff.
During Donald Valenza’s 10 years as Houston County Sheriff he served as President of the Alabama Sheriff Association. This association represents all 67 County Sheriff’s across Alabama.
Currently, Sheriff Donald Valenza has a passion to establish a Alabama Sheriff Boys and Girls Ranch in Houston County or surrounding counties. Former Houston County Sheriff A.B. Clark helped start the Alabama Sheriff Boys ad Girls Ranch when he served as Sheriff. This ranch is not for troubled youth, but youth removed from home situations that have terrible home situations. The ranch takes care of the boys and girls and provides stable home enviornment.
In 2025, Donald Valenza marked 46 years of continuous service with Houston County Sheriff Department. He has worked under Sheriff A.B. Clark, Sheriff Lamar Hadden, Sheriff Lamar Glover and Sheriff Andy Hughes.
During his many years in Criminal Investigation, Donald Valenza has worked most murders that fell under the jurisdiction of Houston County Sheriff Department. As Sheriff, Donald Valenza is an active working Sheriff. While he handles Administrative Duties, he responds with the SRT unit into dangerous scenes, and at times is in the field on routine patrol. Almost every day, in the early morning you will hear “3801 10-8” ( 3801 is his call number 10-8 is in service ) and lates at night you will hear 3801 is 10-7 ( 10-7 is out of service ). Then somehting will happen and you will hear, 3801 10-8 and off he goes to support the men and women in a dangerous situation or major crime that has taken place.
The Sheriff Department has an estimated 100 Deputies with about 70 in the Houston County Jail. As Sheriff he is responsible for the Houston County Jail that has a daily inmate count of app. 450 to 475.
Sheriff Valenza is seeking re-election in the elections of 2026. And RSN does not know of anyone currently strong enough to beat him.
Urgent message to the Covington County Community and neighbors.
This is Chief Deputy Todd Grimes. This message is especially relevant to all Churches in our community. It was recently brought to my attention that two of our local Churches in two different communities, that had a suspicious person walked into their Churches armed with a pistol strapped to his chest. The male person was driving a white Wrangler Rubicon Jeep with Arizona license plate. The man didn’t stay but 10 minutes or so and left the Church.
The man then left in the Jeep and went to another Church in the north part of the County and the same type of activities were carried out there.
This post is to hopefully create public awareness to our Community. It is not illegal for anyone to open carry and it is not illegal for anyone to attend Church as a new Visitor. BUT… I will say giving these times we live in, it is very suspicious and dangerously ignorant for ANYONE to walk into a Church in south Alabama with a pistol strapped to your chest, when nobody there knows you!
CLIO: 10:10 PM The University of Alabama, Nick Saban, and the Alabama Department of Corrections have something in common: The University of Alabama, Nick Saban, made Alabama NUMBER 1 in football. A goodthing.
The Alabama Department of Corrections made Alabama number 1; in the murder rate in prisons. Not a good thing!
Moments ago, in keeping up with their quest to keep their title on violence in prisons, in Barbour County, Clio, EMS has been called to Eaterling Prison. Reports are a 42 year old male has been assualted and both arms are possibly broken.
