FROM CHIEF P.K. JOHNSON
MILLBROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Top Photo: Tonijay K. Woodard is now in custody after warrants were issued for his arrest in connection with a New Year’s Eve shooting in Millbrook.
On Monday, March 7, 2022, Millbrook detectives placed Tonijay K. Woodard, a 25-year-old Illinois resident, under arrest on outstanding warrants stemming from the shooting of an individual, Timothy J. Davis, which occurred December 31, 2021. Woodard was placed under arrest, being charged with Attempted Murder and Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle. Woodard was processed and transported to the Elmore County Jail, where he remains under a $100,000.00 bond.
We are extremely pleased to announce the arrest of the second suspect in this case, that being Mr. Woodard. From speaking with our detective working this case, Mr. Woodard, who has family here in Millbrook, apparently left the city and at some point left the state after the shooting occurred.
After obtaining warrants of arrest for the two alleged suspects and following the arrest of the initial suspect, we were having difficulty locating Mr. Woodard. At that point we requested the assistance of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. As everyone knows, finding wanted fugitives is what they do and they do it very well.
Apparently, task force officers got close to him both here in Alabama and in Illinois. Mr. Woodard made contact with our detectives and made arrangements to turn himself in. Apparently he got tired of running and looking over his shoulder.
I want to thank the United States Marshals Service and the men and women assigned to their Fugitive Task Force for their assistance in this case. As is evident in this case, they are relentless professionals and very good at what they do. Even though he wasn’t apprehended, this young man felt enough pressure, he decided that he needed to turn himself into law enforcement. All law enforcement personnel are safe, he’s safe and in custody. I’ll count that as a win every time.
I hope this serves as an example to anyone considering engaging in this type of violent behavior. When you commit these type of violent crimes, you can run, you can avoid jail and consequences for a time……. you can even leave the state and cross several state lines in the process. Our detectives will work their cases, they’ll identify the suspects, obtain warrants and then we are coming for you. That can be today, tomorrow, next week, etc.
It can be Millbrook police officers, another surrounding local, county or state law enforcement agency, or it could be the United States Federal Marshals Service. At the end of the day, we work closely with all of our local, county, state and federal law enforcement partners every day and we’ll continue to do so to apprehend those who want to commit these violent crimes and then flee from the consequences of their actions.
Below is the original article that ran ran in January, 2022 shortly after the arrest of the first suspect, Demetri R. Pernell, 29, of Elmore, related to the shooting on New Year’s Eve, 2021 –
On December 31, 2021, Millbrook police responded to a subject reported shot in the 4500 block of Lakeshore Drive. Officers encountered the victim, Timothy Davis, a 43 year-old Millbrook resident, who stated that he was leaving the 3000 block of Boxwood Drive when several individuals fired towards his vehicle, as he was traveling eastbound towards Main Street. The victim stated that several rounds struck his vehicle, and that he’d been struck as well. The victim continued out of the area and drove to a family member’s residence, where police and medics were called for assistance. Davis was treated by Millbrook fire-medics and transported to Baptist South Emergency Room, where he was treated for his injuries.
Millbrook police responded to the 3000 block of Boxwood Drive, where a crime scene was identified and secured. The crime scene was turned over to detectives from the Millbrook Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit. During the subsequent investigation detectives were able to develop two suspects in this case and felony arrest warrants were obtained.
On January 19, 2022, a Millbrook police officer observed one of the suspects in the 4300 block of Maxie Drive, where the suspect was taken into custody without incident. The suspect, Demetri R. Pernell, a 29-year-old Elmore resident, was placed under arrest, being charged with Attempted Murder and Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle. Pernell was transported to the Elmore County Jail under a $100,000.00 bond.
