Pair arrested after passengers flee on foot during traffic stop

According to reports filed through the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, the traffic stop was initiated by a deputy traveling along North Brace Road when he noticed that the driver of a blue Honda Accord was not wearing a seatbelt.

The deputy reports that he followed the vehicle onto Cleve Staggs Road, which is a dead end road, and initiated his emergency equipment to signal the driver to stop. Before the car came to a complete stop, he said two passengers opened their doors and fled on foot through a nearby field.

The deputy gave chase to one of the men, later identified as twenty-seven year old William Gable Attkisson of Metalford Road, Hohenwald, and was able to detain him near a wooded area. The driver of the car was identified as thirty-eight year old James Brian West, of 267 Davis Street in Summertown. At the time reports were filed deputies had been unable to locate or identify the third vehicle occupant.

Deputies obtained consent to search the vehicle. Reports show that a narcotics dog detected drugs in the rear of the vehicle and inside of a backpack in the back seat. During the search deputies seized several items of contraband into evidence including a plastic container bearing marijuana residue, digital scales, rolling papers, and a marijuana roach.

Deputies conducted a search of the field and report that the K-9 located a 410 sawed-off single shot shotgun in a leather holster in some tall grass approximately fifteen feet from the car. During a pat-down, they found that Attkisson had four 410 shotgun shells in his pocket.

Both Attkisson and West were placed under arrest and transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center for processing. Attkisson was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon and evading arrest. West was arrested on charges of possession of a prohibited weapon and was issued citations charging him with simple possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to wear a seatbelt.