Moody man, and former TV meteorologist, jailed on felony domestic violence charge
From Journal staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY – Mark Prater, a former television meteorologist, is in the Jefferson County jail and has been charged with a felony.
According to the Trussville Police, on Dec. 4, a felony arrest warrant for Domestic Violence 2nd-Stalking was taken out on 49-year-old Prater of Moody. The bond was set at $100,000.
On Dec. 5, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department along with the Moody and Trussville Police Departments served the warrant and Prater was taken into custody by St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. The suspect was later transferred to the Jefferson County Jail.
Jail records indicate that the charges stem from an incident that took place on Nov. 29. Jail records also indicate that his current address is in Moody.
According to the Alabama criminal code, a person commits the crime of domestic violence in the second degree if the person commits the crime of assault in the second degree; the crime of intimidating a witness; the crime of stalking; the crime of burglary in the second or third degree; or the crime of criminal mischief in the first degree and the victim is a current or former spouse, parent, child, any person with whom the defendant has a child in common, a present or former household member, or a person who has or had a dating or engagement relationship with the defendant.
Domestic violence in the second degree is a Class B felony, except the defendant shall serve a minimum term of imprisonment of six months without consideration of probation, parole, good time credits, or any reduction in time for any second or subsequent conviction under this subsection.
Prater began his career with TSU-TV in Troy. He worked at WTVY in Dothan and at WSFA-TV in Montgomery before moving to the Birmingham market in 1994 to join WBRC.
Two years later he moved to ABC 33/40 where he remained until 2004. He then left the Birmingham market for several years before returning to accept a job with CBS 42 in 2008. He became chief meteorologist in 2010.
Prater ended his time with WIAT in April 2018.
