Man arrested, charged in Walker Drive shooting

HALEYVILLE  -  A 37-year-old man originally from the Leeds area, has been arrested and charged with second degree assault in connection with the shooting of a man over a domestic dispute occurring on Walker Drive at the Haleyville Housing Authority early Saturday, Dec. 15.
Llewellyn Jomon Prater, was arrested at 3:37 p.m. on Dec. 18, on an arrest warrant executed at his residence at 111 Walker Drive in the housing authority, by the Haleyville Police Department and Winston County Sheriff’s Office.
Prater was transported to the Winston County Jail, Double Springs, where his bond was to be set pending a 72 hour hearing, according to jail officials.
Prater reportedly fired a single shot from a small caliber handgun that shot Willie Alford Cook, 53, of 2814 Jordan Street, Haleyville, in the shoulder area, police indicated.
The shooting occurred when Cook approached the residence on Walker Drive and Prater answered the door, with an altercation resulting in the shooting of Cook outside the apartment near the porch area, noted Lt. Tim Steien, investigator with the Haleyville Police Department.
However, the shot fired by Prater went through Cook’s shoulder, and police have yet to locate the bullet, Steien said.
“This guy (Prater) has an extensive criminal record in the Leeds/Birmingham area,” stressed Police Chief Kyle Reogas, noting such charges include first degree robbery.
Prater was reportedly patrolled in June after serving time for first degree robbery, according to Reogas.
The shooting between Prater and Cook was over a domestic relationship in which they were both involved, the chief added.
Police were dispatched around 1 a.m.  Dec. 15, to Walker Drive, in the housing authority just off Newburg Road, due to the caller reporting a possible fight and hearing a gunshot, noted Reogas.
Upon arrival at the scene, Officer Eddie Collins was informed by a female that an individual had been beat up and she was transporting the person to the emergency room at Lakeland Community Hospital, Chief Reogas indicated.
Officer Collins went to the ER at Lakeland to interview the victim, and upon arrival at the ER found the victim and two females who appeared to have knowledge or have witnessed the shooting, Reogas said.
*When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.