By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — The trial date for youth ministry The Basement security director Vince Lovell, originally scheduled for today in Trussville, has been moved to March 14.
Lovell is charged with two misdemeanors stemming from an October incident in which Lovell, according to a witness statement, allegedly was driving southbound and was over the center line on Chalkville Road in front of The Mall when the white Chevrolet Tahoe he was driving, emblazoned with “#FreePitt” logos, sideswiped a Ryder moving truck.
Trussville police Lt. Jeff Bridges said at the time of the accident that the moving truck pulled over, according to the witness’ statement. According to Lovell’s statement, Bridges said, Lovell drove down The Mall area, onto Parkway Drive and waited at the Trussville Public Library. No one showed up at the library, according to Lovell’s statement. Lovell did not call police, Bridges said. Lovell drove home and called his insurance company, according to his statement, Bridges said.
A white Chevrolet Tahoe emblazoned with the Free Pitt hashtag in Montgomery
photo via www.freepitt.com
“Out of nowhere, I heard a big bang,” Lovell said at the time. “My mirror whipped around and hit my driver’s window and shattered my window. When it did, I looked up in my rearview mirror and I saw the vehicle was continuing in the opposite direction and it didn’t stop.”
There were no injuries in the accident.
Lovell said he took the next left next to The Mall and still didn’t see the vehicle. He then proceeded to the library, where he saw a police officer leaving and tried to get his attention, but to no avail.
“When I didn’t see the vehicle any longer and I didn’t see any other options, I drove home, which is like a mile away,” Lovell said. “I didn’t have my cell phone with me. So, I came home to get my cell phone. I was literally there five seconds, and my wife said, ‘I think there’s somebody outside.’ I go outside and the Trussville police are in my driveway.”
Bridges said the driver of the moving truck filed two complaints against Lovell. Lovell is charged under the Section 32-10-2 and Section 32-10-1. Section 32-10-2 says that the “driver of any motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall give his name, address and the registration number of the vehicle he is driving, shall upon request exhibit his driver’s license to the person struck or the driver or occupant of or person attending any motor or other vehicle collided with or damaged and shall render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including the transportation of, or the making of arrangements for the transportation of such person to a physician or hospital for medical or surgical treatment, if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such transportation is requested by the injured person.”
Section 32-10-1 states that the “driver of any motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person, or in damage to a motor vehicle or other vehicle which is driven or attended by any person, shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible and shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of Section 32-10-3. Every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.”
Under Section 32-10-1, the state’s public safety director “shall revoke the driver’s license of a person convicted under this section.”
The Basement founder and youth evangelist Matt Pitt remains jailed in Shelby County on a probation revocation after his second charge of impersonating a peace officer.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
