Alabama man hunt ends as officers tear gas house, find suspect hiding in closet
Published 10:36 am Friday, July 7, 2023
State and federal law enforcement officers caught a fugitive overnight after a day-long manhunt.
Agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s tactical team along with U.S. Marshal Service agents located and arrested Jerico D. Parker, 40, of Jones, Alabama, at approximately midnight, officials said.
Jones was the subject of a man hunt on Thursday, but officials at the time didn’t provide reasons why he was sought, just telling the public that he was considered “armed and dangerous.”
Jones was transported to the Perry County Correctional Facility and was being held Friday morning without a bond. Parker was charged with domestic violence in the first degree, aggravated stalking, stalking in the first degree, felony attempting to elude, and interference with a domestic violence emergency call.
Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum said that Parker was alone at a family residence on County Road 264 when the DCSO, United States Marshals Service and ALEA arrested him.
“We traveled through the woods and found the subject at a house,” Granthum said. “When Parker wouldn’t come out of a house, we deployed tear gas. When Parker wouldn’t come out of the house with the tear gas, we entered the house and found him inside a closet. He wasn’t hurt and none of the officers were hurt.”
Granthum said the incident began Thursday when the DCSO attempted to serve warrants on Parker, who shot at them before fleeing.
Law enforcement did not return fire, the sheriff said.
Granthum said more arrests will be made in the future with some of Parker’s family members.
“If you obstruct Government operations or obstruct justice to help a family member in a crime, you will be arrested.”
ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Tactical Team, Aviation Unit and Highway Patrol Division, Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, Selma Police Department, Alabama Department of Corrections’ (ADOC) K-9 Tracking Team worked with the United States Marshals Service and DCSO on the manhunt.