2/25/21 Pearl, MS – Handcuffed Man Steals Police Car – Wrecked The Police Car And Escaped – Massive Search

February 25, 2021

www.wlbt.com

Pearl Police have called off a manhunt that began Thursday morning after authorities say a teen stole a police vehicle, fled and wrecked it near East Metro Parkway.

Pearl police were attempting to serve a warrant at a home on Reynolds Street for a stolen vehicle when the suspect, who was handcuffed, was able to get into the front seat of an officer’s vehicle and drive away, according to Public Information Officer Greg Flynn.

The suspect drove to the East Metro Parkway area, where he wrecked the vehicle, got out, and ran into a wooded area nearby, Flynn said.

“There were three juveniles detained or in custody. They were about to transport this one juvenile, the one juvenile in the back of the car and somehow he got- he was handcuffed from behind and somehow he got obviously the hands in front and got in the front seat and took off in police car,” explained Flynn.

The suspect is described as a white male about six feet tall weighing 120 pounds. He was last seen handcuffed wearing a white shirt and black pants.

Daphne Tait and Ariel Meadows were driving west on Old Brandon Road when they said they were almost hit by the teenager.

“We just saw a cop car and when we saw him we didn’t think anything about it because he had no lights on,” said Tait. “And then all of a sudden he turns in front of us, kinda cuts us off. So when he cuts us off, if we would have been probably five seconds on toward him he would have hit us.”

The search moved around 12:15 to the woods off Old Brandon Road. Officials said a Pearl Police officer spotted the teen suspect in the woods.

The manhunt was called off Thursday evening. It was not known if the manhunt would continue Friday.

Several agencies participated in the manhunt, including the Pearl Police Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service and Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.

Officials have K9s, helicopters and drones assisted in the search. They say the suspect is still handcuffed. City officials said he is not believed to be armed.

Brandon and Flowood police are assisting.