‘Stacey, I just clock a U-Haul going forty over the limit. I’m a few car lengths behind it and in pursuit.’

Being elected as Marion’s Police Chief in 2000, Stephen Hogan constantly strove to keep illegal drugs off the streets but it was hard. This small rural central Alabama town consisted of only eight thousand residents and everyone in the town was mostly kin. When a crime happened, it took extensive police work to solve because the people of Marion were known not to cooperate with the police.

Tonight, the chief lucked up on a major drug bust as he patrolled Highway 5 on the edge of town. It started when a U-Haul truck suddenly appeared over the hill going eighty five miles per hour in a forty five mile per hour speed zone. After radioing the dispatcher at the station, the police chief’s black and white Crown Victoria police cruiser came to life and rapidly emerged from the hiding spot behind the large Marion Motel billboard. Chief Hogan aggressively pursued the fast moving U-Haul truck for four miles. While chasing the speeding truck, he noticed the suspicious actions of the driver of the truck.

Momentarily floating in the air, a half-full baggie smashed against the windshield of the Chief’s police cruiser and became snagged in the windshield wipers. The wind expelled the green budded contents from the open clear plastic sandwich bag across the glass before throwing it to the side of the road. Angered by the actions of the suspects, Chief Hogan’s Crown Victoria sped up, quickly decreasing the distance between the two vehicles. Getting right behind the truck, he turned on the loud speaker. The sound of his angry voice thundered through the speaker.

‘This is the Marion police. Pull your vehicle over to the side of the road.’

Adam spotted the police cruiser and started to drive into a residential area. Not wanting the truck to get too far and endanger someone, the chief drove to the side of the truck forcing it to turn the corner and then pull over. A few feet later, the truck slowly pulled to the side of the street. The police cruiser pulled behind the U-Haul and shined the spot lights on the truck.

Again, the chief’s bass voice thundered through the loudspeaker.

‘Turn off the vehicle and place your hands out the window.’

The driver complied as the chief radioed the dispatcher.

‘Stacey, send out Cedric and Spirit. I want to search the back of this U-haul.’

While waiting for an additional officer to arrive, the chief ran the tags but they came back clean. A few minutes later, another police cruiser appeared. Sergeant Cedric Milner stepped out of the cruiser.

‘What’s up chief; got here as fast as I could.’

‘Well, I don’t know yet Milner. I got hit by a bag of something while chasing them. I want to do a search of the truck.’

‘Okay, well if anything’s there Spirit will find it.’

The chief on the driver side and Sergeant Milner walking around to the passenger door; the two police officers carefully approached the truck. The chief slowly pulled out his gun, and pointed at Adam’s head.

‘Can I see your driver license? You know how fast you were going, back there?’

Taking the wallet and rental papers, he radioed the info to Stacey.

‘Ok, Mr. McKenna, taking your right hand, I want you to slowly open the door from the outside and step out of the truck.’

Adam listened and promptly got out and came to the chief. On the other side of the vehicle, Sergeant Milner noticed someone jumping out of the opened passenger side door.

‘Stop, Stop or I will shoot.’

The sergeant warned Billy before pulling his gun from the holster. He pointed it at the man’s head and again instructed him to stop and get on the ground. Billy immediately listened. Hearing the commotion on the other side of the truck, Chief Hogan, instantly, swept Adam’s feet from under him, forcing him face down on the pavement and handcuffed him to keep him from running. Angered that he was roughly forced to the ground, Adam started yelling insults at the chief.

‘Oh you think you’re fucking so tough since you got that badge, cop! Well, that badge don’t mean shit because you’re messing with the wrong load. Just wait till my boss get here, then we will see how tough you are. Come on let us go and we’ll just forget about this.’

Becoming tired of his attitude, the chief snatched the suspect up by the cuffs, making them cut into his wrist. When Adam screamed from the sudden sharp pain, Billy jumped up from the ground as the sergeant reached behind his back to retrieve his hand cuffs and ran across the curb toward the neighborhood. The sergeant was promptly on him, like a hungry lineman on a weak, defenseless running back, tackling him to the ground and the fight was on.

Billy, determined not to go without a fight, threw his hands and body everywhere to keep from being handcuffed. To stop him from fighting the sergeant punched him hard in the face splitting his lip. Billy still didn’t want to listen and punched the sergeant in the groans. The sharp pain rushed up the sergeant’s body but he fought to keep his composure. At that point Sergeant Milner pulled out his taser and shot him…..that worked! Billy and Adam stopped fighting, but continued to yell and curse as the chief and Sergeant Milner secured the two men in the back of the chief’s cruiser.

Opening the rear door of his cruiser, Sergeant Milner let the beagle out of cage. Hopping out, Spirit quickly ran over to Chief Hogan, sniffing around his feet. Leaning down, the chief gently rubbed the dog’s short and well groomed light brown fur on his back, letting his fingers trail down to his thick tail. He gently pulled Spirit’s tail, slightly picking the dog’s hind legs off the ground. The dog whimpered and nipped at the chief’s fingers. Attaching the leash to a now playful Spirit’s collar, the sergeant led the dog to the truck. Immediately he barked. His positive reaction led to the discovery.

‘Look like we got something here, Chief.’

After searching the back of the truck, the chief and Sergeant Milner discovered the truck was loaded with three tons of top grade marijuana. The marijuana was packaged in individual ten pound bales, wrapped tightly in gray cellophane and packed neatly inside the truck. This was the largest drug bust in the history of Marion. With a hint of excitement in his voice, the chief radioed Corporal Stacie King at the station.

‘Hey, we need three more cars ASAP.’