A disorderly person call at the Dollar General in Broxton took a bizarre turn on Friday night when the subject, James Brent Morton, 49, of Broxton, allegedly pulled a handgun on a police officer then fled the scene.
According to an incident report from the Broxton Police Department, a Broxton police officer responded to the call and found several people arguing at the store. The officer asked everyone to be quiet and then had Morton step to the side with him. The report says that the officer could smell alcohol on Morton’s breath and Morton appeared to be intoxicated. The officer told Morton to call someone to come get him and his truck.
Morton agreed and opened the passenger side door of his truck. From there, he reached over and opened the driver side door. The report says he walked around to the driver’s side, got in, cranked the truck, and put it in drive to leave the store. The officer opened the door, threw the truck in park, and removed the keys from the ignition. He then ordered Morton out of the truck and told him he was under arrest. The officer was trying to pull Morton out of the truck but Morton wouldn’t comply. The report says that Morton was reaching to his right as though he was trying to grab something. The officer got a handcuff on Morton’s left wrist and used that to try to pull him out of the vehicle. The report says that Morton continued to pull away.
Eventually, Morton pulled away from the officer, according to the report. The officer then noticed that Morton had a pistol in his hand, the report says. The officer backed away and drew his weapon. He informed Morton to drop the gun but, the report says, Morton refused. He backed up and kept the gun pointed at the ground. Then Morton ran off into bushes next to the store. The officer couldn’t see Morton but could hear him in the bushes. The report says that Morton got out of the bushes and began to run north on Alabama Street. A deputy had arrived by this point and he found Morton in the woods between 900 and 906 North Alabama Street. At the time he was captured, Morton had dropped the weapon.
The Broxton PD officer returned to the Dollar General and spoke to several witnesses. They said they were in front of the store talking when Morton stepped out of his truck and just stood there. The report says that Morton then called the witnesses a “bunch of ignorant bitches.” He then made disparaging and suggestive remarks to two juvenile females. The report also says that Morton claimed to be the police and God. He then said he would knock out two females, according to the report.
The officers then searched Morton’s truck. They found several prescriptions, all with Morton’s name on them, as well as several guns. All were loaded with chambered rounds, according to the report. The weapons were a Taurus 9mm, a .45 ACP, Remington Model 700 .308, Savage 7mm-08, .300 Blackout with non-serialized suppressor, and a ballistic vest with armored plates. According to the report, the Blackout had been modified to fully automatic.
Morton was charged with DUI; possession of a sawed-off shotgun, rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer (two counts); possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime; obstruction by the use of threats or violence; and public drunkenness. He was transported to the Coffee County Jail.