WEST BAY — Deputies hunted a man suspected in several crimes for about 24 hours before arresting him after a fight Thursday morning at his home.
Two deputies sustained minor injuries after fighting with Randall Ralph Holley, 39, of 7029 Vinson Road, who dove out of a window in an attempt to escape arrest Thursday, despite having been shot in the leg with buckshot during an altercation in Washington County a day earlier.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Holley and his wife had a fight early in the week and she went to stay with friends at a home on Greenhead Road. Holley showed up Wednesday and demanded that his wife come with him, but they ended up fighting again.
Holley got into a vehicle and began driving erratically around the property; at one point he drove his vehicle straight at someone on the property. Holley missed, and his target, who was armed with a 12-guage shotgun, opened fire and shot the driver’s side door, apparently hitting Holley. Holley left after that.
Washington County Sheriff’s deputies learned from Holley’s family that he had made statements that he wouldn’t be taken alive and would kill anyone who tried to arrest him, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
SWAT teams from the WCSO and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office were involved in the ensuing hunt for Holley, as was the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force.
The BCSO helicopter spent much of the afternoon and evening looking for Holley in the area of Vinson Road, which is a dead-end street in a heavily wooded area between Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and the Washington County line.
Believing Holley was effectively pinned down, deputies searched Holley’s home and the woods Wednesday night to no avail, BCSO spokeswoman Ruth Corley said.
Deputies caught up to Holley Thursday in the home. After he was subdued he was treated for injuries, which included injuries from the buckshot load. Corley described Holley’s injuries as relatively minor.
Holley was arrested on warrants from the Panama City Beach Police Department and Escambia County for grand theft. Police Chief Drew Whitman said stolen property was recovered from Holley’s home.
He also is charged with aggravated assault and domestic battery in Washington County, four counts of resisting arrest with violence and two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer.
Holley will be booked into the Bay County Jail.