Search ongoing for man presumed dead in creek after police chase

Search ongoing for man presumed dead in creek after police chase

A search continues today for the body of a man last seen going underwater at Flint Creek following a vehicle crash two days ago, as court documents reveal new details about the robbery that set off the deadly series of events in Morgan County.

Police have not publicly identified the man, who has been missing since Monday afternoon when he was riding in a vehicle that crashed into Flint Creek. But Decatur police investigators on Tuesday charged the driver, 21-year-old Ismael Tariq Smith of Huntsville with capital murder.

Smith’s arrest came as a result of what police say was an armed robbery that quickly developed into a chase, ending with the vehicle submerged in the creek, and one occupant missing in the water and presumed dead.

It all began when someone called 911 to report a robbery at Casa Santiago, a Mexican restaurant on Spring Avenue Southwest, just before 1 p.m. Monday.

According to court documents, a man told police he went to the location to trade an AK-47 for a Playstation 5, a transaction arranged through Facebook Marketplace. The man described the people he met, told police they were traveling in a brown KIA Soul and gave officers the license plate number, the court records state.

Officers soon spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one seen leaving the robbery and tried to stop it along U.S. 31, according to Decatur police. Police chased the vehicle, reaching speeds over 100 mph, according to the court records.

During the pursuit, the driver of the vehicle, identified as Smith, lost control, crossed over the median and eventually ran into Flint Creek near Bowels Bridge Road, the charging documents state.

Police detained Smith after he swam to shore. The other man was last seen struggling to stay afloat downstream, police said.

“The unidentified male soon went underwater and never resurfaced,” the court records state.