Misfire Saves Alabama State Trooper’s Life After Suspect Takes Taser, Handgun

A malfunctioning sidearm likely saved the life of a State Trooper with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency this weekend after a suspect he was transporting wrestled his Taser and his handgun away from him, according to new court documents filed Monday morning.

According to the recently filed deposition, the Trooper pulled over a 2003 Chevy Tahoe being driven by 57-year-old Randy Lee Wade near Livingston, Alabama for a headlights violation just after 11 o'clock Friday night.

The Trooper ran Wade's information and discovered he had half a dozen outstanding warrants, including some in Tuscaloosa County. He reportedly placed Wade in the back seat of his patrol car, unhandcuffed, and began to drive him from Livingston to the Tuscaloosa County Jail.

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Wade "began cursing and kicking windows from the back seat, requesting he be taken to the Livingston Jail," so the Trooper stopped at a Shell gas station on Alabama Highway 28 West in Livingston so he could calm Wade down and get him handcuffed.

The law enforcement officer told Wade to exit the vehicle and put his hands behind his back so he could be cuffed, but Wade allegedly refused and attacked the State Trooper.

As the two struggled, Wade reached for and won possession of the officer's Taser.

The Trooper then drew his sidearm, a 9 mm Glock 45, and tried to shoot Wade but the weapon did not discharge. Wade then overpowered the Trooper and took the firearm from him.

"[The Trooper] got down on ground; Wade pointed the gun at him and pulled trigger," according to the deposition.

Fortunately, the firearm malfunctioned a second time and did not fire, so Wade fled the scene on foot, running into the night with the Trooper's Taser and gun in hand.

ALEA issued a Blue Alert Saturday morning, asking civilians and law enforcement agencies across the state to be on the lookout for Wade.

The 57-year-old was ultimately arrested without incident in Sumter County later that day and charged with attempted murder, first-degree escape and second-degree theft of property.

It was not immediately clear where Wade was jailed or if a bond had been set for the new or pre-existing charges against him.