Williams charged; is still in jail

Passenger in car involving trooper shooting is wanted for shooting man in back in Georgia

Johndarius Christon Williams, one of two occupants of a vehicle who survived a shootout with an Alabama state trooper that left one person dead and the trooper injured has been arrested on drug charges after methamphetamine was found in his possession following the incident.

Williams, 21, of Georgia was a backseat passenger in a vehicle that was involved in the April 9 incident that left one woman dead and Trooper Cpl. Jeremy Alford injured.

Cpl. Alford attempted to make a traffic stop on Interstate 65 but the driver fled and took the Highway 41 exit with the trooper in pursuit. The vehicle crashed near Emmons Road and when Alford approached the vehicle the female driver opened fire and Alford was struck at least two times. Alford returned fire and the driver of the vehicle was killed. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has not released the name of the dead driver.

Two occupants in the vehicle, Jana Arnold, 32, and Williams were both injured and treated and released from D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital. Cpl. Alford was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola and released a few days later.

Although no charges have been filed against Arnold and Williams involving the April 9 incident, Williams was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance (meth) and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Court records show Williams was in possession of meth and multiple syringes and needles at the crash scene.

During a bond hearing Tuesday on the meth and paraphernalia charges, bond was set at $250,000.

District Attorney Steve Billy said cases against Arnold's and Williams' involvement in the April 9 incident will be presented to a grand jury.

Although Williams received a $250,000 bond on the drug charges, he remains in the Escambia County Detention Center with a hold from the state of Georgia.

At the time of the April 9 incident, Williams was wanted in Albany, Ga., on charges of aggravated assault and a firearm charge. Williams is accused of shooting a man in the back in early April.