By Jesse Wright

Picayune Item

A car chase that originated in Bogalusa ended in Pearl River County Monday morning with a dent in the wall of Crossroads Seafood and Grill.

Bogalusa Police Chief Joe Culpepper said officers in his city initially wanted to stop a car driven by Judd W. Davis due to an expired inspection sticker. However, he didn’t pull over, and Culpepper said officers quickly recognized Davis as being wanted for felony warrants. 

Culpepper said Davis, 39, of Covington, is a former Picayune resident. Culpepper added that Davis was wanted for possession of OxyContin and heroin.

Culpepper said the chase began at around 9:35 a.m. when Davis drove up Highway 10, which turned into Highway 26 at the state lane. Davis then allegedly tried to go back to Louisiana.

“He turned around and came back toward Bogalusa and by then, the responding units caught up and somehow he ended up running (into) the building, the Crossroads restaurant, and he hit a lady who was sitting at a stop sign. He rear ended her. My officers fired at the vehicle in an attempt to disable it.”

Culpepper said the chase ended in a field near the restaurant, where officers used a Taser to subdue Davis. 

“The arrest was probably occurred right around 10,” Culpepper said. “I don’t actually know the time yet.”

Culpepper said the driver Davis rear-ended did not report any injuries and her car was drivable. 

Culpepper said the seafood restaurant was closed at the time of the collision, so no customers were injured. 

After he was subdued, Davis was taken into custody and booked into the Pearl River County Jail.

Culpepper said Monday afternoon he is not immediately certain what charges Davis could face because his officers, as well as the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, are still completing reports. However, Culpepper did say the charges would be serious.

“Numerous felony charges are pending,” Culpepper said during a phone interview Monday while on the way to get Davis.

Davis praised the cooperation from state and local law enforcement agencies. 

“I want to give kudos to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s office and Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation,” Culpepper said. “Because we’re all in this together.”

In an unrelated incident, Poplarville Police reported a two-vehicle collision Thursday that sent two people to Forrest General Hospital. 

Poplarville Captain James Steinkamp said a motorcycle carrying two people traveling north on Highway 11 at 5:15 p.m. struck a vehicle that was crossing the highway. The motorcycle had the right of way, Steinkamp said. 

The two riders were transported to the hospital and as of Monday, no charges have been filed.