A 32-year-old Birmingham woman is behind bars after an alleged robbery at a Chick-fil-A in Leeds that dramatically escalated into a casino visit and a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash, authorities say.
Police identified the suspect as Kaudija Shondrelle Haynes, who is accused of using mace to rob an employee at the Chick-fil-A on Ashville Road shortly after 9 a.m. on Friday, January 2.
According to Leeds law enforcement, Haynes pulled into the restaurant’s drive-thru window and threatened a worker with mace, demanding the cash bag. The employee complied, handing over the money before Haynes sped out of the parking lot — “recklessly,” police said.Using surveillance footage and investigative tools, detectives were able to track Haynes’ vehicle to the Wind Creek Casino in Wetumpka. Officials believe she was gambling with the stolen money when officers located her.
When authorities approached her outside the casino, Haynes resisted arrest and fled in her vehicle, leading Leeds officers, Wetumpka Police, and the Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department in a pursuit that ended when her vehicle crashed into multiple trees.
Haynes was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Elmore County Jail with bond set at $116,000, according to jail records.
Authorities say she faces an array of charges, including:
Attempting to elude law enforcement
Resisting arrest
Unlawful possession of a controlled substance
Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia
Additional charges linked to the Chick-fil-A incident — including first-degree robbery, reckless endangerment, and fourth-degree theft of property — are pending. Once released from Elmore County, she is expected to be transferred to the St. Clair County Jail to face those counts.
Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin praised the Chick-fil-A employee for complying with training procedures by handing over the money to avoid injury. He noted that no employees or customers were harmed during the robbery.
Irwin also stressed the dangers posed by the suspect’s actions during the pursuit, saying she endangered others on the road and could have caused serious injuries.
As the case moves through the court system, investigators continue to review the incident and the factors that may have contributed to the suspect’s actions.
A Dothan man has been arrested in connection with a weekend shooting that left one person injured, and police say additional arrests may follow.
Court records show Craig Bernard Parker is charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling. He also faces two additional charges of shooting into unoccupied dwellings.
According to Dothan Police Lt. Scott Owens, investigators determined Parker fired multiple shots from a vehicle Sunday afternoon.
“Our investigation revealed that Mr. Parker drove a vehicle from which shots were fired,” Owens said, adding that the investigation remains active and further arrests are possible.
One of the bullets struck a man inside a residence at the Johnson Homes apartment community, causing a non-life-threatening injury to his leg. Police say two other bullets hit nearby residences that were unoccupied at the time.
Investigators initially received conflicting descriptions of a suspect vehicle leaving the area. However, through continued investigative efforts, officers were able to identify and locate Parker.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Houston County Sheriff Criminal Investigators have arrested Noble Halona Bey, AKA Latonya Dorsey AKA Mama T.
Dothan Police or the FBI has nothing to do with this case or arrest. This case has been investigated and arrest made by the Houston County Sheriff Department.
The defendant is the one which made allegations against the City of Dothan on the food contract bidding.
The defendants son, Joshua Mikael Bighems has been in Houston County Jail since October 23, 2024. Bighems son is in jail for multiple SORNA Violations, attempt to elide, Receiving Stolen Property, Possession of Forged Instrument, and failure to appear on driving while suspended.
The suspect is booked in on 20 counts. Those include 2 counts of Possession of Forged Instrument, bonds $ 20,000 each: 2 counts of Tampering With A Witness, bonds $ 3,000 each; Unlawful Practice of Law, 10 counts at $ 500 each; 5 counts of Offering False Instrument for Record at $ 15,000 each.
The defendant is currently in the Houston County Jail.
The Dothan Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual(s) shown in the photo below.
Anyone who recognizes the subject(s) is urged to contact the Dothan Police Department at 334-615-3632 or 334-793-0215.
Police officials stress that all information provided can remain completely anonymous, and the identity of anyone who assists will be strictly protected.
