Crews hold little hope of finding chase suspect alive | News

GUNTERSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Search crews resumed searching the Tennessee River Monday morning, after a
suspect in a multi-city high speed chase dove into the river near
Guntersville. 

Rescuers returned to the river for the third day in a row, but crews said
there's not much hope left for finding the man. Officials said, at this point,
it's a recovery effort instead of a rescue effort.

Boaz Police attempted to serve a failure to appear warrant on 20-year-old
Deonta Markey Griffin at a home Saturday night.

No one was home, but officers noticed a vehicle leaving the residence,
so they followed it. They tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled. 

Police chased Griffin down Highway 431 from Boaz, through Albertville and
into Guntersville. Albertville Police and Guntersville Police laid spike
strips, but Griffin continued through them. Speeds reached upwards of 100 miles
per hour.

Police said Griffin drove northbound all the way through Guntersville on a
southbound only street.

Just before 11 p.m., police said he drove the vehicle over the
Veteran's Memorial Bridge. He bailed out right before the car hit the guard
rail and dove over the bridge, into the water. Officials said the drop was
about 80 feet. 

Police said they did see him briefly surface and attempt to swim, but he was
not located.

Guntersville Rescue Squad, Guntersville Fire, Union Rescue Squad,
Scottsboro-Jackson County Rescue Squad, Cullman County Rescue Squad, Morgan
County rescue Squad, Etowah County Rescue Squad and marine police were deployed
into the water to search.

Crews returned to the river to search Sunday morning, but did not locate
Griffin.

Officials said they are dragging the river, but the process is slow going
because there is debris from a bridge that was demolished.

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