Two felons with local connection arrested in separate events

Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards has informed NAnewsweb.com of two felons arrested earlier this week:

The first arrest involved Gary Bruce Locke, age 45, of Toney, AL.

Readers may recall that on January 31, 2019, a Union County deputy sheriff attempted to stop Locke, who was driving a stolen vehicle on Highway 30 in the eastern part of Union County. Locke fled from the deputy and there ensued a high speed chase through Keownville and Jericho. Several law enforcement vehicles joined the pursuit.

Gary Bruce Locke, arrested in Decatur AL for attempted murder of police officer.

Locke turned down a driveway, which he had mistaken for a public road, and ran the vehicle he was driving off the road and into a creek. He then fled on foot. Police officers searched for him through the freezing night, but he eluded them.

His luck ran out Monday afternoon, Nov. 4, about 2 p.m. in Decatur, AL. A Decatur motorcycle police officer attempted to stop Locke for a traffic violation. Locke, who was driving an older model Ford F-150 pickup truck stopped. Then he backed the old pickup over Police Officer Robbie Willis and his motorcycle before fleeing the scene. He was finally captured after a 40-mile chase and is currently lodged in the Morgan County, AL jail under a $100,000 bond. He is charged with attempted murder for the assault on the motorcycle traffic officer.

Officer Willis is expected to make a full recovery.

Sheriff Edwards said Locke may be extradited to Union County, if and when Alabama authorities release him to face charges for the January incident here.

The second, and unrelated, of the two felons arrested also occurred Monday night. Destiny Nicole Higginbotham, age 22, of Vardaman, MS was arrested in Calhoun County by that county’s sheriff’s office.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office and Myrtle police officers responded Tuesday, October 29th, to a report that a child needed medical care. The eight-month-old female child was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital – Union County and then transported by helicopter to LeBoneur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

Sheriff Edwards said LeBonheur doctors had told his officers that the child suffered from “shaken child syndrome” and had had extensive internal bleeding. The child is still in the hospital. The sheriff said the child was that of Higginbotham’s boyfriend.

HIgginbotham charged with felony child abuse with serious bodily harm. She is being held in the Union County jail under a $250,000 bond.