One hundred and twenty days after a single-vehicle crash killed Citronelle Police Officer Dylan Chase Owen, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) has yet to release its findings. The investigation into the May 14 incident remains pending, leaving the Mobile County District Attorney's Office without the necessary reports.
The first line-of-duty death in Citronelle's history
The death of Officer Dylan Chase Owen marks a somber milestone for the Citronelle Police Department,representing the first time an officer in the small Alabama city has died while on duty. Owen, who had served the department for two years , was a standout professional who had previously topped his class at the Mobile Police Academy.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Mobile Street and Laird Drive, where a single-vehicle collision claimed the life of the 26-year-old. The community responded with significant mourning, including a funeral at Restoration Church on May 21 and a local blood-drive fundraiser to honor his service.
120 days of silence from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
As FOX10 News reported, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) has remained largely silent regarding the specific details of the crash that killed Officer Owen. While the agency has confirmed that the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) launched a death investigation on the day of the accident, a formal report has yet to be handed over to local prosecutors.
The delay has left Citronelle Mayor Jason Stringer and other local officials in a state of uncertainty. during a news conference shortly after the May 14 crash, Mayor Stringer assured residents that more information would be released once investigative hurdles were cleared, but the community remains waiting for clarity. the impact on the Citronelle area has been profound , with residents gathering at the crash site to leave a solemn cross and blue ribbon in memory of the fallen officer.
The 'SBI Death Investigation' and the missing crash report
The lack of immediate information stems from how ALEA classifies the incident. following an inquiry by FOX10 News in June,ALEA stated that there is no standard crash report for this incident because the entire matter is being handled under the umbrella of an "SBI Death Investigation."
Citronelle Police Chief Chris McLean has attempted to bridge the communication gap between the state and the local community. In a statement released through City Clerk Lori Bryan on July 1, Chief McLean noted that he had spoken with ALEA's Captain Rigby, who confirmed that the case was still pending and that evidence was still in transit. While Chief McLean assured the public that a complete copy would eventually be provided to the Mobile County District Attorney's Office, the promised documentation has not materialized as of the 120-day mark.
Unanswered questions regarding the Mobile Street and Laird Drive site
Several critical details regarding the May 14 crash remain unverified by official state channels. While the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences performed an autopsy, the specific results of that examination have not been released to the public or the District Attorney.
Furthermore, the investigation faces scrutiny over its initial lack of transparency. It was only after media pressure in June that ALEA acknowledged the incident, and even then, the identity of Officer Owen was first disclosed by Citronelle Mayor Jason Stringer rather than the state agency itself. It remains unclear why the state agency did not immediately identify the fallen officer or provide a definitive timeline for the completion of the SBI investigation.
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