RED BAY
Search leads to meth, two arrests
A joint investigation into illegal drug activity resulted in the arrest of two men Thursday night and the seizure of more than $4,000 in methamphetamine, officials said.

Jordan Erik Jones, 22, 295 10th St., Red Bay, and Eric Duane Bryant, 34, 711 Newell Road, Red Bay, are each charged with first-degree manufacturing a controlled substance and tracking methamphetamine, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said.

Officers with the Sheriff’s Department and the Red Bay and Russellville police departments executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence. Officers found 40 grams of liquid methamphetamine and 20 meth labs, according to reports.

Investigators said most of them were inactive and were remnants, but there were some labs that were active when they entered the house.
The two men are being held in the Franklin County Jail.

HUNTSVILLE
Officer improving after accident
A Leighton police officer remains in Huntsville Hospital after being injured in a traffic accident Thursday night, officials said.

Jeff Jacobs, 59, of Moulton, is in fair condition as he recovers from injuries he sustained in the accident, Pam Sparks, a spokeswoman with Huntsville Hospital, said Friday.

Officials said Jacobs was attempting to stop a vehicle when the accident occurred.

The accident happened after 6 p.m. on Fennell Lane in Leighton, according to state troopers.

Jacobs was flown from the scene by AirEvac to Huntsville Hospital.

FLORENCE
Police say DNA leads to suspect
Forensic technology helped police identify a suspect in 14 car burglaries, authorities said.

Phillip Byron Randall, 41, 723 E. Mobile St., Florence, is charged with 14 counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, four counts of second-degree theft of property, 10 counts of third-degree theft of property and 14 counts of third-degree criminal mischief, police said.

Florence police detective Justin Wright said DNA testing proved to be key to making the arrest.

Wright said DNA found on a cigarette butt left near one car that was burglarized and in blood found at another where the suspect cut his arm while reaching into a car indicated Randall as the suspect.

Wright said nine of the car burglaries took place in October 2010 and five others took place in June 2011.

He said all of the car burglaries took place in the Sherrod Avenue, Pine Street, Woodland Road and Willingham Road areas in Florence.

“He’d smash the car windows and take what was inside,” Wright said.
Randall is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bail totaling $51,000.

ARRESTS
Lawrence County (Tenn.) Sheriff
Natalie Nicole Johns, 31, Killen; forgery.

Wesley Allen Atwell, 23, 241 Iron City Road, Iron City, Tenn.; aggravated burglary, theft of property and vandalism.

Florence police
Jennifer Nicole Cooper, 24, 2326 Wellington St., Florence; first-degree theft of property.