Manhunt ends, suspect in custody

Published 2:09 pm Tuesday, June 19, 2018

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A 24-hour Chilton County Sheriff’s Office manhunt has reeled in its catch with the arrest of theft suspect Christopher Lloyd Ray on the evening of June 18.

Ray was apprehended on foot at a location on Samaria Road in Clanton after allegedly stealing another ATV from property near Walmart before getting it stuck by nearby railroad tracks, according to Assistant Chief Deputy Shane Mayfield of CCSO.

“He ran from [K9] Traffic but wasn’t quite fast enough,” Mayfield said, adding that CCSO only enforces K9-bite capture for felony offenses and such cases as this one where a subject has been under constant pursuit and continually stealing property.

Ray suffered minor injuries to his legs and arm, but required no hospital attention.

Ray is charged with theft, two counts of attempting to elude law enforcement officers, one count each of resisting arrest and harassing or interfering with a police animal and eight prior counts of failure to appear/comply/pay.

Several of his bonds have been revoked.

Mayfield said Ray has “tough charges” from Calera Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office as well.

CCSO had been searching for Ray since the theft suspect fled on foot into the woods upon deputies’ arrival at the scene of the crime on June 17.

As they perused the area of Alabama Highway 191 and County Roads 15 and 87 for Ray, the Sheriff’s Office instructed the public to be on the lookout for the 30-year-old “slender white male” with a tattooed chest and shoulder blades and possibly wearing either a red and gray shirt with black shorts or a stolen wetsuit.

CCSO Sheriff John Shearon said deputies had no reason to believe the suspect was a danger to the public.

According to Mayfield, Ray is a skilled runner and has been the subject of approximately 12 pursuits in the past two weeks and even more over past years.

“Really, if he would turn his athleticism in the right direction, he could be a triathlete,” Mayfield said. “We don’t employ a human being that can catch him, and we’ve got some pretty quick guys.”

Now that Ray is in the custody of the Chilton County Jail and facing numerous charges from various agencies, Mayfield said he does not expect Ray to “be going anywhere anytime soon.”