Graceville Police Department Has “Hot Pursuit”

On Monday, May 3 authorities with the Graceville Police Department stopped a blue in color 1997 Ford Explorer at the intersection of Jordan Street and Pelham Avenue. After giving the tag number displayed to dispatch and receiving the info back, the officer exited his vehicle and began approaching the Ford SUV. At that time the SUV then sped off in a westerly direction on Pelham Avenue.

Officer’s then attempted to catch the fleeing vehicle. The SUV sped down the roadway, disobeying all traffic control devices, with complete disregard for the public’s safety. Graceville Officer’s followed the fleeing vehicle west on State Road 2, crossing over into Holmes County, Florida. Holmes County Sheriff Department was notified and their units began responding. The SUV lost control approximately one and a half miles west of Hwy 171 and Graceville Officers then attempted to block the SUV from re-entering the roadway.

The SUV made several attempts to pull onto the roadway and rammed a Graceville Police cruiser causing minor damage to the left side of the cruiser. Officers then attempted to remove the unknown operator from the vehicle but were unsuccessful in making an entry to the vehicle. The SUV then began another effort to get back on the roadway and almost struck a Graceville Police officer. The officer then fired two shots at the vehicle’s right rear tire, causing it to begin loosing air. The vehicle then got on the roadway and traveled in a westerly direction. The Graceville Officers followed at a safe distance and relayed the vehicles direction to Holmes County authorities.

Approximately one half mile west of Hwy 173 a Holmes County deputy overtook the Graceville officers and began pursuing the fleeing vehicle at reduced speeds of 40 to 50 mph due to the right tire coming off and the vehicle riding on the rim. The vehicle proceeded through the intersection of S.R. 79 with complete disregard to other traffic and traffic control devices. Approximately two miles west of S.R. 79 the fleeing vehicle began to loose control and collided with the left side of an oncoming vehicle. There were no injuries reported.

The SUV finally came to rest at a culvert along the south side of the roadway. At that time officers observed a black male turning up what appeared to be a can of beer, and drinking it. The subject was then removed from the vehicle and taken into custody without incident. The occupants of the struck vehicle were checked on and refused medical treatment.

The following day, Tuesday, May 4, the subject advised authorities that his name was Kenneth Earl Macon. Authorities then discovered that Macon was a fugitive from the state of Mississippi and also a person of interest in an Strong Armed Robbery and Aggravated Battery (February 4, 2010 in Mississippi) in which the victims were beaten with a claw hammer, leaving one victim with part of the scalp torn from the skull and stabbed in the right side with a knife. It was disclosed that a Statewide “Manhunt” had been initiated for Mr. Macon in Mississippi, and he was being sought by the U.S. Marshall Services.

Authorities can now breathe a huge sigh of relief to have discovered the fugitive and removed this ‘alleged’ extremely violent criminal from the community.