Escambia Man Arrested Days After Hitting Deputy, Pursuit

November 29, 2012

An Escambia County man was arrested Wednesday, days after a high speed pursuit in Santa Rosa County.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year old Alex Barnsdale fled from deputies during the early morning hours of November 22 after he struck and injured a deputy at a traffic stop. The deputy was hit by his own driver’s door as Barnsdale drove directly at the officer and hit the door with his truck. The deputy suffered injuries and possible fractures to his leg during the incident at an apartment complex.

Other deputies pursued Barnsdale from Milton into Pace on Berryhill Road before terminating the chase as Barnsdale reach speeds over 120 mph.  Although deputies were not able to see the driver or obtain a tag on the vehicle, the apartment complex captured the incident on surveillance video. Deputies were able to obtain the video, and also find the individual that Barnsdale was going to visit that night. Further investigation revealed that Barnsdale was sending messages to that person implicating him as being involved in the pursuit. One message from Barnsdale stated that he “had a cop problem”, deputies said.

Barnsdale’s Facebook page also displayed a picture of him posing with the truck that was chased by deputies.

The U.S. Marshal’s Task Force and deputies were able to locate Barnsdale’s truck at an apartment in Escambia County early Wednesday morning and take him into custody. He was charged with high speed fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on an officer, driving while license suspended and property damage.

Comments

7 Responses to “Escambia Man Arrested Days After Hitting Deputy, Pursuit”

  1. Jimbo on November 30th, 2012 3:20 pm

    Alex Barnsdale may be your name, A.B. may be your initials, but you’ve just tattooed a huge X on your back for the rest of your days. LEO’s have memorys like elephants. When you get out, consider moving.

  2. eeyore on November 29th, 2012 3:14 pm

    …in the words of forrest gump…”stupid is, is a stupid does”…

  3. jakec on November 29th, 2012 1:03 pm

    what a smart guy posting stuff about it on facebook.

  4. Mark on November 29th, 2012 11:52 am

    “The deputy was hit by his own driver’s door as Barnsdale drove directly at the officer and hit the door with his truck”

    Man we have some lousy laws when an incident like this is “aggravated battery” and NOT attempted murder!

    I’m sorry, but if you are driving a vehicle in excess of 2000lbs at me, that is attempted murder!!

  5. 429SCJ on November 29th, 2012 11:37 am

    120mph on Berrydale road, insane. Drove directly at the officer, sounds deliberate.

    That Cop problem is soon going to be a CO problem and a long drawn out one.

  6. ME on November 29th, 2012 8:06 am

    I graduated from high school with this guy! He never was the sharpest tool in the shed.

  7. WOW on November 29th, 2012 7:43 am

    Thank you for posting this! I live about a mile from where the chase happened (in Milton) and didn’t have a clue that anything had even occured! North Escambia is great!