“Thugs” stay away, Midland City police chief warns

MIDLAND CITY, Ala. (WTVY) - Midland City’s police chief blames what he calls “thugs” for a crimewave that almost killed one of three suspects apprehended Friday.

Officers charged Deandre Montrez Lewis III, Demarious Dion Benton, and Deonte Jones with several car break-ins. All are in their 20′s.

Police Chief Jimmy Singleton revealed their arrests during a news conference, telling reporters how officers captured them during a brief search.

That search began when an alert homeowner spotted a man entering his vehicle.

He called the police, and as that suspect ran away, he dove into a pond.

Singleton believes he would have drowned had it not been for the heroic efforts of a pursuing officer who pulled him from the water.

Soon afterward, other officers captured the other two nearby.

All face multiple charges with other allegations pending.

The suspects have extensive criminal histories and served time, according to Singleton.

“It burns us up (because) we have good tax-paying citizens in Midland City,” he told reporters while announcing the arrests.

He expressed concerns that some young criminals are victims of their raising.

“I think it’s the upbringing, it’s the home life,” he angrily said. “Their dad is in prison; their mom is in prison, and nobody is seeing about them. Most of these kids don’t stand a chance.”

The chief said he wants out-of-town criminal infiltrators to stay out of Midland City.

“These are three thugs from Dothan, Alabama,” he said of those arrested Friday.

Singleton ranted about Alabama’s prison system, believing early release of inmates is a significant contributor to repeat crimes.

“The prison system in Alabama is awful,” Singleton said. “We lock them up, they let them out.”

Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.

Copyright 2023 WTVY. All rights reserved.