ALEA put a senior special agent on mandatory leave Thursday after Huntsville police arrested him Wednesday and charged him with DUI, the agency said.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has placed a senior special agent on mandatory leave after Huntsville police arrested him on a DUI charge, the agency said.

ALEA named the agent as Special Agent, Senior, Billy Pruitt, 51, of Huntsville. He is assigned to the agency’s Protective Services Division.

An arrest or charge is an accusation. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in court.

What ALEA said

The agency issued a statement Thursday, Oct. 29. It was carried in full by WAFF and The News Courier in Athens. It had not been posted on the ALEA newsroom as of Saturday.

According to the statement:

  • the Huntsville Police Department arrested Pruitt and took him into custody Wednesday, Oct. 28
  • he was charged with driving under the influence
  • ALEA placed him on mandatory leave Thursday, Oct. 29
  • the Huntsville Police Department will continue to handle the investigation

“No further details are available at this time,” the agency said.

We found no release on the arrest from the Huntsville Police Department, which posts its news on the city’s website.

What it means for you

ALEA is the state agency that runs the Alabama State Troopers and the State Bureau of Investigation. The arrest was made by city police, and the Huntsville Police Department, not ALEA, is investigating.

Neither agency has announced a court date. We will update this page if the Huntsville Police Department or ALEA releases more, including the outcome of the charge.

Arrests made by Huntsville police are also listed on our Police and Fire log. Anyone named on this site whose charge is dropped or who is cleared can ask for an update through our corrections and removal page.