Dewuan Clanton.jpg

Dewuan Clanton

(Irondale Police)

A convicted felon is back behind bars after authorities say he tried to run over at least two police detectives trying to arrest him on drug charges.

Dewuan Clanton, a 40-year-old Irondale man, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance, criminal mischief and attempting to elude law enforcement. He was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon.

Irondale Det. Sgt. Michael Mangina said narcotics investigators for two weeks have been involved in a probe of the sale of heroin and cocaine at Rime Garden Inn in the 5300 block of Beacon Drive. On Tuesday, about 3 p.m., the suspect - later identified as Clanton - tried to deliver drugs to the extended stay. He was in a Honda Accord and refused to stop when an officer in a marked patrol cruiser tried to pull him over.

Officers chased Clanton into Birmingham, but lost sight of him on Dublin Avenue. On Wednesday, however, confidential informants told investigators the man would again be delivering drugs to the Rime, this time driving a Buick Park Avenue.

About 12:30 p.m., narcotics detectives saw him sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot. Mangina said the officers positioned their vehicle behind Clanton's Buick and approached him. That's when he put the car in reverse and accelerated quickly, hitting the police car and nearly pinning one of the detectives between the vehicles, Mangina said.

He then drove forward onto the sidewalk and grass, once again nearly hitting another detective, Mangina said. He continued on the grass, and off of a retaining wall, stopping at the 3000 building. Clanton then fled on foot into the woods.

He was taken into custody after a short foot chase in the 500 block of Danton Lane.

Court records show Clanton was convicted of drug possession in 2014 and sentenced to 104 months in jail, with 18 months to serve. He is expected to be transferred from Irondale to the Jefferson County Jail today where he will be held on $180,000 bond.