Picayune Police officers arrested two people from out-of-town earlier this week after they attempted to flee from officers.
At 7:50 a.m. Monday, officers were dispatched to Highway 11 south near the Winn Dixie parking lot in reference to a silver Crown Victoria driving recklessly, Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said.
When officers arrived, they spotted a vehicle matching the description in the parking lot. As officers began to approach, they noticed a female passenger and a white male get into the driver’s seat of the vehicle before fleeing at a high rate of speed, Magri said.
Officers pursued the vehicle north on Highway 11 where it turned right onto Whitfield Street. Even though the officers activated the vehicle’s blue lights and sirens, the suspect vehicle continued on Whitfield Street, running stop signs at several intersections.
During the pursuit, the vehicle turned north on South Haugh Avenue traveling in the center of the road. The driver ran stop signs at Mitchell and East Canal streets, almost striking another vehicle, Magri said.
The vehicle continued on East Canal Street before turning onto North Monroe Avenue where it came to a stop. The driver, later identified as William Cox, 37, of 206 Tuscaloosa Road, Columbus, got out of the vehicle and got into the passenger side. The passenger, later identified as Sara Patrick, 37, of 102 Loftin Road, Columbia, also exited the vehicle and got into the driver’s seat before she attempted to flee, Magri said.
Officers were able to stop the vehicle and both suspects were taken into custody. Inside the vehicle, which had a switched license plate, officers located a hand-rolled cigarette in the center console containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, Magri said.
Cox was arrested for no insurance, failure to yield to blue lights and sirens, reckless driving, three counts of careless driving, three counts of running a stop sign, driving while license suspended, switched tag and possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle.
Because Patrick also attempted to drive the vehicle, she was arrested for no insurance, driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, Magri said.