Deputies with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department engaged in a high-speed chase after the driver of a vehicle sped away from a safety checkpoint late in October.

Chief Deputy Shane Tucker said deputies with the department were conducting the checkpoint on Oct. 28, along Old Kiln Road when a silver Saturn pulled up to the area at about 1:45 a.m.

As the vehicle approached, the deputy asked the driver, later identified as 22-year-old Lance Manton of 83114 Lee Settlement Rd., Folsom, La., for his driver’s license.

Tucker said at that time Manton sped off away from the deputies, who got in their vehicles and gave chase. Deputies also noticed that the tag on the vehicle was covered.

At times the suspect vehicle was clocked at speeds of about 85 miles per hour on the back roads and had caused other vehicles to have to leave the road, Tucker said. When another law enforcement officer attempted to stop the pursuit using spike strips on West Union Road, Manton tried to avoid the spikes, but ended up in the ditch. As he attempted to turn the vehicle around he allegedly almost hit another patrol vehicle.

With his vehicle blocked, he fled on foot into the woods where deputies eventually captured him and took him into custody.

Tucker said it was later determined that the vehicle Melton and his three passengers were in was stolen

Melton was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for almost hitting the officer with his vehicle, resisting arrest by fleeing, foreign fugitive warrant, possession of paraphernalia, driving while license suspended, two counts of disobeying a traffic device, careless driving, no seatbelt, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, receiving stolen property, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, improper turn at an intersection, no turn signal, reckless driving, no seatbelt, obstructing traffic, hit and run accident, parking of unattended vehicle, driving while license suspended, no insurance, DUI, speeding on state highway, interference with traffic control devices, causing or allowing a child under 16 to drive without authorization, obstructed tag, driving in more than one lane, failure to yield right of way and parking parallel with right hand curb.

His three passengers were also arrested for possession of paraphernalia. Tucker said one of the passengers was a female juvenile.

The other three passengers were identified as Irvin Guss, 20, 4301 West End Blvd., Slidell, La.; Richard Cox, 20, 982 Ashville Dr., Slidell, La. and Mandi Milton, 20, 603 Nicholson Ave., Kiln.