Maylene woman killed in shootout with police in Clanton

A Maylene woman was killed in a shootout with police in Clanton on June 17.

Chilton County Coroner Aaron Ellison identified the woman as Wendy Michelle Chappell, 40, of Maylene, according to a press release from the coroner’s office.

According to a press release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Chappell was killed near Interstate 65 Exit 212 after a chase, brief standoff and shootout.

Chappell’s husband approached an Alabama State Trooper stationed at a construction zone near the 238-mile marker on I-65 shortly after 8 p.m. June 17, advising the trooper that his wife had threatened to shoot him, according to the release.

The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle in question, and the driver refused to stop.

Several law enforcement agencies, including some based in Chilton County, assisted as the driver brandished a firearm during the pursuit.

Spike strips were deployed to immobilize the vehicle, and the vehicle came to a stop at the Exit 212 ramp.

After a brief standoff, Chappell fired on officers, who returned fire, killing Chappell.

Chappell was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:14 p.m., according to the coroner’s office.

Local resident reports black bear sighting

A Clanton man received an unusual visit on his property June 19 from a black bear looking for food.

“I had thrown some pot roast off the back of my balcony that morning thinking that the raccoons would clean it up, like they normally do,” Jason Abraham said. “I heard a noise around 7 p.m. and looked out and it was a black bear.”

Abraham used his cell phone to capture a video and photographs of the bear.

“I was pretty shocked that I was seeing a bear on my property,” Abraham said. “We have seen turkeys, deer, raccoons, rabbits and even a coyote, but we have never seen a bear.”

Abraham’s property is located near Walnut Creek in the Refuge Community, and he said he thinks the bear might have been following the route of the creek as a water source for relief from the heat.

“The bear first trotted away when I walked outside, and then he walked back to collect the remnants of the pot roast,” Abraham said. “He must have followed the aroma of the pot roast I threw out and walked down the creek bank until he found it.”

Abraham estimated the bear was between 250-300 pounds, and could have been about 5’11”.

Abraham reported the bear sighting on Monday morning to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Chris Cook, Supervising Wildlife Biologist for District III with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said it is not unusual to spot a black bear in parts of Alabama during the summer months.

Cook said he received the video footage and photographs taken by Abraham, and confirmed that the bear in the footage was a black bear who was about 2 or 3 years old.

“Usually what you have is a young male who has dispersed from their natal range,” Cook said. “We will get calls about a bear sighting, and then a few weeks later we get calls and find out it is that same bear just traveling through different areas.”

 

Auction caps off Peach Festival activities

The Lucky 13 variety of peaches grown by Mark Knight with M&M Farms proved to live up to its name for the eighth straight year.

M&M Farms won first place for its basket of peaches at the 68th annual Chilton County Peach Auction on June 27.

Knight’s basket this year was bought by the Chilton County Farmers Federation for $2,100.

Kendal Elijah was crowned the 2015 Miss Peach Queen on June 25. Elijah joined Junior Miss Peach, Grayson Gann, Young Miss Peach Halle Sullivan and Little Miss Peach Lexie Deavers as the 2015 Chilton County Peach Queens.