According to information contained in a news release from Ft Payne Police Chief Randy Bynum, officers went to 806 Godfrey Avenue North at approximately 8:00am on Wednesday (September 4th) in response to a 9-1-1 call.  

Upon arrival they discovered a distraught woman with blood on her right hand and she identified the suspect as 29 year old Lee Dale Blevins of Ft Payne.

Officers immediately canvassed that area, and witnessed the suspect leaving the alleyway behind the home; they attempted to stop him in the 600 block of Godfrey Avenue north but he continued – committing several traffic violations.  He eventually turned onto First Street headed toward the Five Points area and then headed toward Adamsburg with officers in pursuit.

Chief Bynum said Blevins approached the intersection of Highway 35 and County Road 295 and lost control of the vehicle going airborne and landing in a yard before crashing the passenger side of his pickup truck into a tree; the passenger in the vehicle, identified as 32 year old Leanna Ivey, of Huntsville – was pronounced dead at the scene.

Blevins was transported to DeKalb Regional Hospital, and then air-lifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga for treatment.  He will possibly face felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with the incident.

That case remains under investigation by the Ft Payne Police Department and the Alabama State Patrol.