Hoover PD: DUI suspect charged with attempted murder after twice hitting man with Corvette
HOOVER, Ala. — A Hoover man is behind bars tonight on charges he was driving drunk when he hit a man not once, but twice with his Chevrolet Corvette, police said.
Mark Roland Ritchie, 59, is charged with attempted murder and DUI in connection with an incident on Jan. 6 in the 3400 block of Lorna Road. Hoover police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck. Upon arriving, it was apparent that a black Corvettte had crashed into a brick sign at The Place at Galleria Apartments. The driver of the car suffered injuries to his face and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
A short time later, a man arrived at the accident scene and told police that he was first struck by the sports car while crossing Lorna Rd. after the driver allegedly shout obscenities at him. The victim said he was struck a second time moments later after walking onto apartment property. Surveillance cameras captured the second incident on video.
Upon his release from the hospital, Ritchie was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $31,000 bond.
Full release from Hoover PD:
On Wednesday January 6th around 4:00 p.m. officers responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in the 3400 block of Lorna Road. Officers discovered a 1995 Chevrolet Corvette crashed into a brick sign at the entrance to The Place at Galleria Apartments. The driver and lone occupant, who suffered facial injuries, was transported to UAB Medical West in Hoover. He was later transferred to UAB Hospital.
Two male pedestrians also returned to the accident scene to report that one of them was struck by the vehicle before it crashed into the sign. The 34 year old victim and a friend were standing in the center lane of Lorna Road, attempting to cross. The Corvette driver, also in the center lane, pulled up to the pedestrians and shouted obscenities at them. As he pulled out of the turn lane, he swiped the 34 year old with his car. The two individuals on foot then crossed Lorna Road and walked into the entrance at The Place at Galleria Apartments. The Corvette driver then made a U-turn and entered the complex. He veered sharply and then drove his vehicle directly into the same victim he had previously swiped. The victim was struck and knocked away from the vehicle just before it crashed into the brick sign. He was transported to UAB Hospital and treated for a broken clavicle. He has since been released.
The suspect was transported to the Hoover City Jail upon his release from UAB. Detectives obtained arrest warrants on Friday, charging the suspect as follows:
Mark Roland Ritchie 59 years old Hoover, AL
Attempted Murder $30,000.00 Bond
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol 1,000.00 Bond
Total Bond $31,000.00
Ritchie has been transferred to the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, where he remains.
