Woman charged with manslaughter in dragging death

Keeley Maddox

A 28-year-old woman is facing manslaughter and DUI charges after allegedly driving the vehicle that dragged a man across a Gadsden bridge, ultimately killing him.  Keeley Maddox was booked into the Etowah County Jail on Thursday for the DUI charge. A manslaughter charge against her was added on Friday.  The victim, 45 year old Mathew Paul Goddard, was dragged across Meighan Bridge in Gadsden on Wednesday night. He was airlifted to UAB and later died of his injuries.  Police say the vehicle stopped in a restaurant parking lot on the east side of the bridge about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night.  Maddox is being held without bond in the Etowah County Jail.

Courtroom escapee captured after chase involving gunfire

David Jones

A 36 year old Gadsden man who escaped Thursday from municipal court is held today in the Etowah county detention center after leading authorities on a brief chase where shots were fired Friday afternoon.  Police say that David Jones escaped from city hall Thursday afternoon and police had said the believed he was responsible for the theft of a Chevy Malibu stolen shortly after his escape from a convenience store at 23^rd and Forest avenue.  The U.S. Marshalls service, the gulf coast fugitive task force had joined Gadsden police in the search for Jones.  Near 1 Friday^th and gardner and attempted to stop the vehicle which fled down 12^th street and turned across meighan blvd where shots were reportedly fired at the vehicle. The car then rammed a police vehicle and pulled thru the Mcdonalds parking lot where it was boxed in by police.  Jones was arrested without incident.  Jones had been in court on charges of attempting to elude, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and public intoxication.  Police say that he will now face multiple felony charges.

afternoon A Marshall spotted the stolen car at 12

PORTION OF BUSY GADSDEN INTERSECTION CLOSED AFTER INCIDENT WITH POLICE

Gadsden Police are advising motorists to avoid the area of 12th Street and Meighan Boulevard in Gadsden, where traffic is backed up because of a law enforcement situation.  Traffic is being rerounted thru the Nocalola plaza shopping center as police have the intersection as well as portions of 12th street cordoned off.  Initial reports indicated that gunshots may have been fired in the area.  Police are currently releasing no information.

Bodies recovered from colorado reservoir

Authorities recovered the bodies thursday of five people from Gadsden who were killed when a single-engine plane crashed into a southwestern Colorado reservoir.  Ouray  County officials identified the dead as 48-year-old Jimmy Hill, 30-year-old Katrina Barksdale, Barksdale's sons, 11-year-old Kobe and 8-year-old Xander   The bodies of Barksdale and the three children are being returned to Gadsden.  Officials say that Hills body is being held for an autopsy ordered by the NTSB who is investigating the cause of the crash.

, and Barksdale's 14-year-old nephew, Seth McDuffie.

Man dies after being dragged across bridge

Keeley Jane Maddox

A man died in Gadsden on Wednesday night after a vehicle dragged him across the Meighan Bridge.  Police say the vehicle stopped in a restaurant parking lot on the east side of the bridge about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night.  The victim, 45-year-old Mathew Paul Goddard, was flown to UAB where he died from his injuries.  The driver, his 28-year-old neice, Keeley Jane Maddox, was charged with DUI and booked into the Etowah County Jail.  Officials say additional charges may be filed in the case.

Body found in burned SUV in Altoona

Firefighters discovered a body inside a burned SUV while responding to a woods fire in Etowah County's Egypt community early Thursday morning. The Egypt Volunteer Fire Department got a call about a fire on an old logging road near the 200 block of Pine Trail in Altoona around 1:04 a.m.  At the scene, firefighters found an SUV that was fully engulfed in flames. They extinguished the fire and then found a badly burned body in the passenger seat of the vehicle.  The coroner says they are leaning towards the body being male, but they don't yet know the identity because of the extent of the burns.  The Etowah County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death as suspicious.  The remains have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to establish the identity of the person as well as the cause of death.

Gadsden police searching for court escapee

David Jones

Gadsden Police are searching for a 36 year old  Gadsden man who escaped Thursday from Municipal Court.  David Jones, was in court on charges of attempting to elude, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and public intoxication. Gadsden Police Capt. Paul Cody said Jones, who was in civilian clothes, took advantage of confusion for a bathroom break, covered his handcuffs with a sweater and exited City Hall.  Cody said police and the U.S. Marshals Service are involved in the search for Jones. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gadsden Police Department at 256-549-4500.