Fleeing driver gives officer peace sign during chase on I-55
Published 9:38 am Friday, May 26, 2017
By Ashley Crutcher
On May 17, Lieutenant Emily Griffin began pursuit on a maroon 2001 Dodge Durango SUV after observing the vehicle traveling easbound at a low rate of speed on Hwy. 35 North with the hazard lights activated.
“As I attempted to turn from James Rudd Dr. on Hwy. 35 North, the vehicle turned in front of me and faced me head on in the roadway on James Rudd Dr. for several seconds,” said Lt. Griffin.
According to the report, Lt. Griffin activated her blue lights and the SUV backed out onto Hwy. 35 and headed West with the hazard lights still on.
“The driver of the vehicle made several unknown hand gestures at me. I also observed the word ‘HELP’ written in the back glass of the vehicle in white chalk,” said Lt. Griffin.
The driver continued West on Hwy. 35, refusing to stop, and continuously crossed over the double yellow lines.
Upon entering Sardis, the driver abrubtly turned onto I-55 heading southbound.
“While traveling South on I-55 I pulled parallel to the vehicle and shouted a verbal warning to pull the vehicle over but the driver continued on.
I observed the driver giving me a ‘peace sign’ out of the window,” said Lt. Griffin.
According to the report, the driver exited I-55 onto Hwy. 6 West and Deputy Maurice Market attempted to assist Lt. Griffin in surrounding the vehicle in an effort to for the driver to stop, but the vehicle swerved onto Keating Drive.
The Deputies were joined by several Batesville Police Officers as the suspect turned East on Brewer Rd., driving in the wrong lane.The driver finally came to a stop in a driveway on Brewer Rd.
According to the report, several commands were shouted to the driver, but the female suspect turned up the radio volume, rolled up the windows and locked the doors.
Both front windows were broken out in an attempt to remove the driver, but the suspect clung to the steering wheel and refused to get out of the vehicle.
According to the report, Officers were forced to deploy a tazer in order to gain compliance but the suspect tried to escape to her front door where she was subdued and handcuffed.
The suspect stated she wouldn’t stop because she’s tried to get help from police but stated they put her in a mental hospital.
“You have no power over me because I’m in my yard and I haven’t been driving,” said the suspect.
The suspect was transported by MedStat to Panola County Hospital due to her stating she was off her prescribed medication and the vehicle was towed by Shiver’s Towing.
Sardis resident reported to Investigator Bryan Arnold his nine-year-old son told him that his mother and her boyfriend have been beating on him.
According to the report, bruises have been observed on the child’s body. The child reported his mom’s boyfriend put something in his rectum, according to the report.
The Panola County Sheriff’s Office received 45 calls requesting assistance from Panola County Deputies from May 10 through May 18.
May 10
• Hughes Rd. resident reported finding a shotgun on Hughes Rd. to Deputy Darryl House.
May 12
• Deputy Hunter Lawrence responded to Hadorn Rd. where the resident reported his green 2014 Honda Recon 250 Fourwheeler had been stolen.
• Wells Extension resident reported to Investigator Danny Beavers her ex-boyfriend and his mother are making threats against her and stated she is worried they will make good on the threats.
May 14
• Officer Louise Linzy spoke to an individual who reported she was at home with her 11-year-old child when her husband came home and began hitting her with a stick causing multiple injuries.
The victim stated she was afraid for her life and escaped, leaving the child behind. The victim was advised to call the Sheriff’s Office for a courtesy transport and given a victim’s rights package, according to the report.
• Deputy Steven McLarty was outside of Pope Cafe when a silver Pontiac traveling South on Hwy. 51 came by with loud music. Deputy McLarty conducted a traffic stop and was advised by the driver that he didn’t have a license.
“I noticed a strong odor known to me to be marijuana coming from the vehicle,” said Deputy McLarty. The driver advised there was some marijuana in the vehicle, according to the report.
During a search of the vehicle, Deputy McLarty found four pill which the driver identified as Ecstasy. The driver was placed under arrest and the vehicle was towed to the Panola County Jail.
• Pope Crowder Rd. resident reported to Deputy George Renfroe the suspect got physically violent and angry after she asked him for grocery money.
According to the report, the resident stated the suspect put his hands around her neck and choked her although there was no evidence consistent with choking.
• Deputy McLarty responded to ACI for a fight between a male and female.
Upon arrival, the female reported she and her boyfriend got into an argument and she kicked him out of the vehicle.
According to the report, the female reported her boyfriend took her cell phone and wallet with $140 cash. The female was advised to go to Justice Court to file charges.
•Officer Linzy responded to a Dollar General where an unidentified white female was seen placing items in her bag.
According to the report, the suspect brought items to the register and stated she needed to go to her car to get more money, but never returned.
The store manager was able to retrieve the tag on the vehicle used in the incident. The incident is under further investigation.
• Deputy Maurice Market responded to a vehicle accident that occured on private property on Shiloh Rd.
According to the report, an individual ran into the resident’s trailer and fence.
• Asa Rd. resident reported to Deputy Lawrence her neighbor’s dogs attacked her dog on her property. The neighbors were asked to try to keep their dogs on their own property.
• Rock Hill Rd. resident reported to Lt. Griffin her son attacked her as she was trying to leave her residence.
According to the report, the resident stated her son held her down on her front porch steps and shook her several times, yelling to her husband that he should “Beat the **** out of her.”
• McKinney Rd. resident reported to Lt. Griffin an individual assaulted her by pushing chitterlings in her face and hitting her in her face and ear.
According to the report, Lt. Griffin was unable to get a report from the residence because she was highly intoxicated and did not observe any evidence of physical injuries.
• Deputy Tripp Williams spoke to a Hubbard Rd. residence about her fence being cut.
According to the report, the resident believes an individual is cutting her fence and reported the individual has asked to buy her paint horse from her on several occasions and has admitted to cutting the fence before stating ‘a horse was trapped.’
• Deputy Lawrence responded to Panola Medical Center where nurses reported an individual was dropped off at the emergency room by individuals in a red truck who just left him.
According to the report, the suspect tested positive for cocaine and reported he was jumped on and shot at with a .22 and had his wallet stolen on Hawkins Rd.
Deputy Lawrence responded to the residence and spoke to the resident who reported telling the individual to leave the property.
May 15
• Marilyn Ave. resident reported to Deputy House he had some friends over at his house and one of them stole his credit card. According to the report, the suspect returned the credit card.
• Deputy Harold Lewis spoke to a Northwood Dr. resident who reported the bottle of ADHD medication was emptied and is unsure what happened to the medication.
• Hwy. 310 resident reported to Investigator Beavers his mailbox and mail was stolen from his property.
According to the report, the resident stated the suspect has trespassed on his property several times and stolen pears from his pear tree and damaged his yard by doing donuts in his vehicle.
May 16
• Deputy Bill Furniss responded to a vehicle fire on Sees Chapel Rd. The Longtown Volunteer Fire Department had the fire put out upon Deputy Furniss’ arrival.
According to the report, the driver was not on the scene and the incident was reported by a passing driving.
The registered owner was contacted but advised they sold the truck to an individual in Senatobia. Eppenger Wrecker towed the vehicle from the scene.
• Captain Willie Harris spoke to a Senatobia resident who reported in August of 2016 the subject came to pick up the 1994 GMC truck to put in a motor.
According to the report, the resident stated the first time he asked the subject about the truck the subject stated the truck burned up and then stated he sold the truck when the resident asked a second time.
The resident reported hiring an attorney and gave the subject 10 days to pay $1,000 for the truck on April 10, 2017.
• Deputy John Still responded to Hwy. 3, Crenshaw and spoke with a resident who reported witnesses saw the suspect go inside the resident’s vehicle and take the battery from the vehicle.
Deputy Still spoke with the suspect who stated the battery was his and that’s all he took. The resident denied that the battery belonged to the suspect.
• Senatobia resident reported he and his wife have been separated since 2006 and continued to state that his wife used his social security number to open an account with Entergy Power Company and did not pay the bill.
According to the report, the power company cut the resident’s lights and refuse to cut them back on until the bill is paid.
• Windover Dr. resident reported she moved to West Memphis, Ark. and she locked every entry to her Batesville home but upon checking the home found the doors unlocked.
• Lieutenant Chuck Tucker was conducting a traffic stop when an individual was placed into handcuffs and asked to stand in front of Lt. Tucker’s Tahoe.
According to the report, while standing there the suspect intentionally took his handcuffs and scratched the hood of the patrol unit.
• Terza Rd. resident reported to Investigator Beavers that an unknown individual came to his house to buy a tire and get a flat fixed.
According to the reporte, the suspect paid for the service with a counterfeit one hundred dollar bill and the resident gave the suspect $50 in change, not knowing the money was fake. The investigation is ongoing.
May 17
• Deputy McLarty responded to Hwy. 51 South and spoke to a resident who reported she was visiting her niece on Carlisle Rd. when she found both front and rear driver side tires cut on her red 2007 Pontiac. The resident was advised to go to Justice Court to file charges.
• Deputy Renfroe responded to Black Jack Rd. where an individual had threatened to kill himself. The suspect stated the doctors changed his meds and took him off his pain meds.
According to the report, the suspect stated the Veterans Hospital won’t help him and stated if they won’t help he knows how to take care of it and he’s not going to live in pain.
The suspect was offered to go to the hospital but refused.
• Atkins St. resident reported to Deputy McLarty she left her apartment and noticed an individual following her. According to the report, the resident had a problem with the suspect at her job at WalMart and stated she wanted a report done.
May 18
• Water Valley resident reported to Deputy Williams the gray 2005 Ford Escape she was driving began running hot on May 15 so she left the vehicle at The Lake Store on BlackJack Rd. According to the report, a friend rode by the store and noticed the vehicle was no longer there. After being asked why she didn’t report the vehicle missing earlier the resident stated she didn’t have phone service or a way to get to town. According to the report, there was no tag on the vehicle and the vehicle is registered to someone else.
• Deputy McLarty responded to a church burglary where three wall air conditioners and two unknown speakers were stolen. Lieutenant Edward Dixon was notified of the incident.
• Haire Rd. resident reported someone stole a weedeater and chainsaw from under his shed.
• Crenshaw resident reported in the year 2014 someone charged $575 to his credit card and is unsure who could have made the charge.
• Haire Rd. resident reported to Deputy Lawrence he was an certain individual driving by his residence at 8:40 a.m. According to the report, the resident stated he told the suspect that he was going to call the law if he was on his property and the suspect sped off and left.
• Mt. Olivet Rd. resident reported to Investigator Beavers her ex-boyfriend damaged her 2005 Tahoe by tearing out the key switch and hood latch.
• Northwood Dr. resident reported to Deputy Lawrence he was traveling down Coles Point Rd. when he noticed the suspect following him on his fourwheeler. According to the report, the suspect followed the resident homeand flipped him off as he passed by, then turned around and passed by a second time while yelling at him. Deputy Lawrence went and spoke with the suspect who reported he was driving to his friends house when he passed the resident standing in his yard flipping him off.
Mortor Vehicle Accidents
• May 10, car struck a horse on Ballentine Rd.
• May 11, car swerved to avoid hitting a deer on Barnacre Rd. An injury was reported.
• May 12, vehicle sideswiped another vehicle on Benson Rd. An injury was reported.
• May 14, fourwheeler accident occured on Nash Rd. An injury was reported.
• May 14, vehicle backed into another on Pleasant Grove Rd.
• May 15, car lost control and hit a tree on Rock Hill Rd. An injury was reported.
• May 16, vehicle backed into another vehicle in a private parking lot.
• May 18, hit and run occured on Hwy. 51 South.
• May 18, vehicle hit a deer on Macedonia Rd.
Juvenile Incident Report
• May 13, 12-year-old lands in trouble for malicious mischief on Nash Rd.
• May 16, 13-year-old finds himself in hot water for a family disturbance on Barnacre Rd.