An Alabama man trying to escape from police jumped over a railing, climbed down a steep embankment of boulders, jumped into the lake and swam quite a distance last Thursday evening. All of this while in handcuffs.
On Aug. 13 Christopher Paul Ashlock, 35, of Muscle-Shoals was stopped by a sheriff’s department deputy after being dispatched for a possible drunk driver. Ashlock was driving a white tractor trailer truck traveling east on Highway 70. The deputy witnessed him drift over the white line of the shoulder of the road narrowly missing multiple street signs and mailboxes, then drift back over the center line of the highway. After stopping the vehicle near Sligo Marina, the deputy noticed a strong odor of alcohol and marijuana inside the vehicle along with several empty alcohol containers. Ashlock had blood shot eyes, and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He was placed under arrested, handcuffed and put into the back of a patrol car. He somehow managed to open the door of the patrol car and ran refusing to stop as deputies commanded him to do. He jumped over a guard rail then into the lake. Sheriff department deputies had to use a boat to retrieve Ashlock from the water. He was charged with DUI, resist/halt/frisk, and escape. He was also cited for open container, driving on roadway lane for travel, simple possession of a marijuana. His bond was set at $8,500, and he is to appear in court on Sept. 3.