Rossville man arrested in dragging of woman

A Rossville man was arrested Thursday on 4-month-old warrants accusing him of dragging a woman across a parking lot with his car, then fleeing from police.

James Ahlquise, 27, who had been sought since July, was found at a Rossville home on James Street, Walker County Sheriff's Office Maj. Mike Freeman said.

On July 10, a deputy tried to arrest Ahlquise, but Ahlquise wrestled handcuffs away from the deputy and ran away, an incident report said.

Warrants then were issued for Ahlquise accusing him of aggravated assault and obstruction of an officer.

The incident began when 19-year-old Brittany Paige met Ahlquise at a Mapco, the report shows. Paige told police she had left her cellphone at his house and agreed to meet at the gas station.

But when Ahlquise refused to give back the phone, Paige told police, she tried to snatch it from his lap. Ahlquise grabbed Paige's arm and began to drive off, holding her, according to the report.

A man who had ridden with Paige grabbed a tire tool and smashed the glass in the rear driver-side door to stop Ahlquise, the report states. As Paige and the man tried to get away, another person in Paige's car told police, Ahlquise nearly ran over them.

The three jumped into a car and fled as Ahlquise chased them, waving a hammer out the window, according to the report. But when they found a deputy in the nearby parking lot of Rossville Elementary School, Ahlquise drove off.

After the deputy convinced Ahlquise over the phone to meet him at the school, Ahlquise told authorities a different story.

He said Paige owed him money and that, when she was at his home she had stolen some cash lying on his countertop, the report states. He also denied dragging Paige across the parking lot.

As the deputy tried to interview Ahlquise, Mallory Felisch, who had ridden with him, pestered the deputy, the report states. The deputy arrested Felisch and charged her with obstructing police.

When the deputy tried to handcuff Ahlquise, he became violent, knocked the deputy to the ground and fled, authorities said.

Upcoming Events