UPDATED: Man accused of exchanging gunfire with deputies, taking hostages

Published 10:34 am Monday, October 22, 2018

A Leighton man remains in jail after he led deputies on a pursuit Sunday in a stolen vehicle, exchanging gunfire with deputies before taking hostages and setting fire to a home.

According to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a stolen vehicle shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday. The stolen vehicle was spotted around 6:25 a.m., but the driver, 25-year-old Ronnie Tyler Gwynn Parker, led deputies on a pursuit instead of stopping, Public Information Officer Stephen Young said.

“During the pursuit, Parker presented a .380 pistol and fired at deputies,” Young said. “Two of the five pursuing deputies returned fire. No one involved was struck.”

Young said Parker rammed a patrol vehicle at one point but was able to elude deputies. The stolen vehicle was abandoned in a pasture west of Alabama 127 and south of Sewell Road.

“K9 units from the Limestone Correctional Facility along with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office helicopter responded to assist in the manhunt,” Young said.

Young said Parker’s girlfriend was with him, held against her will.

“The two traveled north on foot and approached a residence on Sewell Road, where they asked two elderly residents if they could use their phone because they had broken down,” he said. “The couple allowed them into the residence and shortly afterward, heard the helicopter overhead.”

The husband walked outside as deputies pulled into the driveway, Young said. When Parker saw the deputies, he locked the door and took the wife as a hostage.

“Parker began barricading the doors in the home and asked the victim where her guns were, saying that he needed one,” Young said. “She advised him she did not have a gun and asked to leave, but he refused.”

Instead, Parker sprayed the home with accelerant and set it aflame, Young said. Sheriff Mike Blakely was able to negotiate the release of the elderly woman, but it wasn’t until the fire spread through the home that the girlfriend was able to escape through a window, he said.

“Deputies were also able to pull Parker from the window and take him into custody,” Young said. “Investigators discovered that Parker was armed with improvised explosive devices in addition to his pistol.”

LCSO reported the home was a total loss.

Parker is charged with five counts attempted murder, two counts first-degree kidnapping, first-degree arson, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and first-degree theft. Bond has not been set on the arson, kidnapping or attempted murder charges but is set at $7,500 for the shooting into an occupied vehicle and theft charges.

Young said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.