BAY ST. LOUIS — Five minutes of decision making has resulted in Scooter Robinson having to spend the rest of his life in jail after a jury found him guilty last week on two charges related to a jail escape in 2009.

On Jan. 17, 2009 Robinson escaped from Pearl River County deputies after receiving medical care at Highland Community Hospital. He was being held on possession of precursor chemicals and possession of a controlled substance charges at that time. He escaped as he was being escorted from the hospital in a vehicle his girlfriend, then 39-year-old Michelle Morris, who had parked next to the transport vehicle, according to an earlier story in the Item.

The crucial five minutes began Jan. 17 after Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper First Class Paul Fernandez passed a car speeding down Mississippi Highway 607 in Hancock County, prompting him to turn around and pull over the vehicle. Fernandez testified during the two day trial that prior to going on shift on Jan. 17, 2009, he was informed that then 31-year-old Robinson of Carriere had escaped from jail and he should be on the look out for the Robinson.

Fernandez said he pulled over the vehicle at the intersection of Miss. Hwy. 607 and U.S. Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis, and then noticed the vehicle was being driven by Robinson. Fernandez testified that when he asked for Robinson’s driver’s license, Robinson said he did not have one. That response prompted Fernandez to ask Robinson to get out of his vehicle, to which Robinson replied, “I can’t do that sir,” before speeding off.

A high-speed pursuit ensued. Fernandez said he remembers driving his vehicle at 130 miles per hour on U.S. Hwy. 90 in trying to catch up to Robinson.

Earlier in the day, Christa Groom, who was a detective with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department at the time, was informed of Robinson’s escape and had contacted Capt. Donnie Saucier with the sheriff’s department. Saucier, Groom and then Sheriff’s Department Deputy Russell Miller all met with law officers in Hancock County and checked out an address on Lakeshore Drive in Bay St. Louis where Robinson was believed to be hiding.

After checking the home and finding no one there, officers testified that they heard Fernandez on the police radio calling in the chase, and that the chase was heading right for the other law officers who had gathered at a school on Lakeshore Drive.

Groom, Miller, Saucier and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Matt Carver testified that they all got in their vehicles and headed up Lakeshore, seeing the chase coming towards them. A road block was set up in preparation for Robinson. Fernandez testified that he saw Robinson driving from one lane to the other, as though he was going to try to circumvent the road block, so he decided to nudge Robinson’s car. As Fernandez moved to nudge Robinson’s car with his patrol vehicle, they collided, causing Robinson’s vehicle to spin around, facing in the opposite direction, the trooper said.

At that point all of the officers testified during the trial that they descended on the vehicle, firing shots into the tires and engine compartment, all in an attempt to disable the car. Fernandez, Miller, Groom and Saucier all testified that as they were trying to disable the vehicle, Robinson was continuously moving the vehicle back and forth in an attempt to flee the scene, but was having trouble keeping the vehicle running. Saucier testified that he moved towards the driver’s side of the vehicle to pull Robinson from the car, saying, “It’s over Scooter, give it up!”, as he was trying to restart the stalled vehicle.

As Saucier reached into the vehicle to take Robinson into custody, Robinson got the vehicle started, grabbed Saucier’s arm and pulled him into the vehicle before driving off and dragging Saucier down the road. Saucier said when he realized he was being dragged by the vehicle, he shot Robinson in the leg to force him to let go. After Saucier shot Robinson in the leg, Robinson let the officer go, and Saucier rolled onto the pavement, suffering minor injuries.

Miller and Carver both testified that they saw Robinson grab and pull Saucier into the vehicle before accelerating down the street. Miller estimated that Saucier was dragged about 20 to 30 yards before breaking free from the vehicle.

Miller said as he saw Saucier being drug down the street, he pulled his weapon and put three shots into the rear windshield, holstering his weapon upon seeing Saucier roll free. The pursuit continued down the street, with Robinson attempting to control a vehicle with four flat tires, the deputies and trooper testified.

Saucier said he remembered seeing several vehicles fly past him in pursuit of Robinson after he rolled free of the car, causing him to think twice about lying in the road.

“I remember thinking I was going to get run over by a car so I rolled myself into the ditch,” Saucier said.

Saucier received care from EMS personnel at the scene and was taken to a hospital by Pearl River County Chief Deputy Shane Tucker. Robinson’s car died about a mile down the road from the road block, and caught fire. After the car died, Robinson put his hands out of the window and he and Morris were taken into custody. Morris has since been convicted of aiding and abetting in the escape.

Robinson, classified as a habitual offender based on six previous convictions, faced life in prison on the charges of failure to stop a motor vehicle and aggravated assault on a police officer. It took the jury only 30 minutes to find him guilty on both counts, according to a release from the Hancock County District Attorney’s office. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell said Robinson’s prior convictions included aggravated assault, burglary of a dwelling, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of precursor chemicals, felony fleeing and for the escape prior to the chase that took place on Jan. 17, 2009.

The guilty verdict led to Hancock County Circuit Court Judge John Gargiulo giving Robinson two life sentences without the possibility of parole.