Man charged in Dayton fatal hit-and-run to appear today for arraignment

Douglas Edward Alvey
Douglas Edward Alvey
photo Walter Hale

The Rhea County man charged in September in a hit-and-run incident that killed a thrift store employee in Dayton, Tenn., will appear today for arraignment in Rhea County Circuit Court.

Douglas Edward Alvey was charged with criminal homicide in the Sept. 6 hit-and-run of Walter Hale, who had worked for six years at the We Care Thrift store on Market Street in Dayton. Store surveillance video helped lead to Alvey's arrest.

On Sept. 6, Hale was behind the center when a man in a pickup truck pulled around at a loading dock, Dayton Police Chief Chris Sneed said during the investigation.

"It appears a gentleman gets out of his car and starts walking around behind the building, "Sneed said in September. "Then the truck drives out, and it appears the truck accelerated, hit [Hale] and drove out on Iowa Avenue and turned left as if going toward Market Street."

Hale fell off the hood of the pickup truck and into some rocks near the Krystal restaurant across the street, Sneed said. He died from his injuries on Sept. 10.

Mike Taylor, 12th Judicial District attorney general, said Alvey will be arraigned on a charge of criminal homicide. The court will ask if Alvey has an attorney and schedule a hearing for plea and assignment of a tentative trial date.

In the weeks after the incident, a $1,000 reward was offered for the arrest of the driver and the community held fundraisers for the Hale family.

Dayton police distributed still shots from surveillance video that showed the man they say is Alvey walking inside the store and of the pickup truck.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

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