Last week, while patrolling the city, a Picayune Police officer thwarted a suspect’s alleged further domestic abuse after a car chase ended in an arrest.
On Nov. 13 at 10:56 a.m., the officer saw a female passenger attempting to flag him down from a vehicle headed south on South Beech Street, Picayune Police Department Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said.
In an attempt to assist the female, the officer pulled up behind the vehicle, Magri said.
The officer then observed the male driver, later identified as 36-year-old Elvis Parker of 1520 Blades Road, Picayune, speed up in what appeared to be an attempt to flee from the officer, Magri said.
Next, the officer initiated the patrol vehicle’s blue lights and siren to get the suspect to stop, the assistant police chief said.
During his attempts to flee from the officer, the driver drove through the intersection of South Beech Street and Palestine Road without stopping at a red light, Magri said.
The officer continued his pursuit and observed the suspect driving in a reckless manner as he ran through the stop sign at South Beech Street and Jackson Landing Road, Magri said.
During the pursuit, the vehicle ran off the road many times and knocked over several mailboxes on South Beech Street, Magri said.
After passing through Williamsburg Road, the officer observed the vehicle veer off the road into a ditch, but still continued down South Beech Street, Magri said.
The officer saw the vehicle turn on Oliver Davis Road and cut through a vacant lot running through a wooded area, the assistant police chief said.
The officer observed the man exit the vehicle and flee on foot through the woods, ignoring the officer’s commands to stop, Magri said.
The officer caught up with the suspect and took him into custody, Magri said.
After the arrest, the officer spoke to the passenger who was having trouble exiting the vehicle due to a bush thicket, the assistant chief said.
The female informed the officer that prior to her seeing the officer on patrol, she and the suspect had gotten into an argument and that he had allegedly struck her several times in the face with a closed fist. She also reported there had been other instances of alleged domestic abuse in their relationship, Magri said.
The officer saw several lacerations to the female’s face and a large laceration on the right side of her face just above her eye. The officer also observed bruising on her left temple, where it appeared she had had been struck, Magri said.
An ambulance was dispatched to the scene and the victim was transported to Highland Community Hospital where she was treated for her injuries, the assistant police chief said.
Parker was charged with reckless driving, speeding in a school zone, driving while license suspended, running a red light, running a stop sign, failure to yield to blue lights and siren, no insurance, simple assault domestic violence and felony fleeing from a police officer, Magri said.
During the investigation, officers learned that the Mississippi Department of Corrections had active warrants on Parker for probation violation, which he has also been charged with, the assistant police chief said.
Picayune Police Chief Bryan Dawsey said he would like to commend the officer for a job well done for being observant and vigilant while on patrol, due to the fact that he was able to rescue a woman who was being physically assaulted and arrange treatment for her injuries.