Just after midnight on March 30, 2023, deputies with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on Hwy 79 on a vehicle clocked at 84 mph in a 55 mph zone.
As the deputy was conducting the stop, the driver, later identified as Alexander Butterfield, fled the stop and a pursuit ensued.
The suspect vehicle reached speeds in excess of 140 mph while headed southbound on Hwy 79 and entered Bonifay city limits, where a BPD officer was able to successfully deploy spike strips at the intersection of Hwy 79 & 90.
The pursuit continued another mile when the occupants exited while the vehicle was still in motion, and fled on foot.
The vehicle was secured, and both Holmes CI and NWFRC K9 teams responded and began tracking. Ultimately, the track was lost and the pursuit called off.
Early this morning, the suspect entered the Tom Thumb store near I-10, where an observant clerk identified him and contacted dispatch.
An officer with the Bonifay Police Department responded and took the suspect into custody.
Butterfield, who is on state probation in Indiana, now faces numerous charges stemming from the pursuit.
Sheriff Tate would like to thank the Holmes CI and NWFRC K9 teams, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bonifay Police Department for their assistance in apprehending Butterfield.
