A 31-year-old Villa Rica, Georgia man is facing multiple charges after allegedly leading Cullman police on a high-speed chase that topped 130 mph, drove on the wrong side of the road, and ended only after officers deployed two rounds of spike strips along Alabama Highway 157. Kenyon Joiner was taken into custody without further incident and booked into the Cullman County Detention Center following the pursuit early on August 29.
According to WSB-TV, Cullman police said the chase began around 12:19 a.m. when an officer tried to stop a 2012 Nissan Maxima on Highway 157 near County Road 1188. Instead of pulling over, Joiner sped away from the officer, and per authorities, he turned off the vehicle's headlights as he drove south on the highway at speeds exceeding 130 mph. A records check reportedly turned up active Georgia warrants against Joiner for evading and resisting arrest, according to police cited by the station.
The Cullman Tribune reports that Cullman Police Officer Eli Carnes initiated the traffic stop, with officers from CPD Patrol Shift 2B and deputies from the Cullman County Sheriff's Office assisting in the response. Highway 157 is a northern and northwestern Alabama highway with a four-lane section.
Spike Strips Bring the Chase to a Stop
Officer Jake Lambert deployed the first set of spike strips, puncturing one tire on Joiner's Maxima, the Tribune's report notes. When that wasn't enough to stop the car, Sergeant Zane Pounders deployed a second set that disabled the remaining three tires, finally forcing the vehicle to stop, according to RocketCityNow's account of the pursuit.
Pounders brought specialized experience to the scene: the Tribune's earlier coverage noted he completed 80-hour Traffic Homicide Investigation training in May 2024 to join the department's crash investigation unit and was promoted to sergeant in January 2025. Cullman police and sheriff's office personnel then took Joiner into custody without further incident, and the chase resulted in no reported injuries.
Charges Filed After DA Consultation
While fleeing, Joiner allegedly threw items from the car, which officers later recovered and identified as a controlled substance. The Tribune's report states that Cullman police withheld the specific drug classification and quantity, leaving that detail unresolved for now.
Cullman Police Department officers consulted with the Cullman County District Attorney's Office before transporting Joiner to the detention center to finalize his charges, the outlet reports. He was ultimately charged with attempting to elude, reckless endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Police also issued additional traffic citations.
What Alabama Law Says About the Charges
Under Alabama Code Section 13A-10-52, intentionally fleeing or attempting to elude an officer after a signal to stop is a Class A misdemeanor, according to The Stoves Law Firm, which notes that 2026 state legislative proposals aim to escalate penalties for aggravated eluding. The source discusses imprisonment, fines, and license suspension as possible consequences.
Reckless endangerment under Section 13A-6-24 is likewise a Class A misdemeanor when a person's conduct creates a substantial risk of serious injury to others, per the same firm's account, though a 2026 legislative proposal would reclassify the offense as a Class C felony when multiple people are exposed to risk. Tampering with physical evidence under Section 13A-10-129 is also a Class A misdemeanor, according to FindLaw, and commonly accompanies drug possession charges when suspects discard evidence during a pursuit.
Villa Rica, Georgia, is identified as Joiner's city, while the pursuit took place in Cullman, Alabama. The article does not specify which underlying Georgia offenses are tied to the warrants that turned up in Joiner's records check.
