By Carol Robinson
AL.com
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — A north Jefferson County man has been charged after police say he struck a Warrior police officer with a vehicle and then drove that vehicle off a cliff to elude capture.
Dantrell Dujuan Purifoy, 29, of Warrior, is charged with attempted murder of a police officer, along with several other crimes stemming from Wednesday incident.
At the time of his arrest, Purifoy had an outstanding warrant, which carried no bond, from the Alabama Department of Corrections for parole violation, said Warrior Det. Sgt. Tim Evans.
On Wednesday, Warrior police officers were searching for a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Birmingham. A detective spotted the vehicle in the area of the city’s Mimosa Street.
The detective, Evans said, pulled in front of the stolen vehicle. He activated his emergency lights and attempted to block in the vehicle.
The detective got out of his Tahoe and initiated a felony stop.
Purifoy, Evans said, backed up his car and sped toward the detective. The officer got back into his Tahoe, and it was then that the suspect struck the SUV’s door, pinning the detective’s foot in the door.
Evans said the detective is expected to make a full recovery.
Police then pursued the suspect, which led them to River Road. Purifoy, authorities said, drove to the end of the road, which is a dead-end street and leads to a steep cliff.
He drove off the cliff, Evans said, traveling about 75 yards down the cliff before the vehicle flipped. Purifoy, uninjured, managed to escape and took off running toward the river.
After a six-hour search, Purifoy was taken into custody.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Star 1 helicopter, Kimberly police and Morris police assisted in the search.
Purifoy is also charged with receiving stolen property and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court records show he has a lengthy criminal history dating back nearly a decade.
As of Thursday afternoon, he was awaiting transfer to the Jefferson County Jail.
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