Two arrested after chase in stolen vehicle

Published 11:25 am Friday, August 28, 2015

Two Warren County men accused of multiple burglaries waived extradition and were returned to face charges here after leading deputies on a chase over the Mississippi River bridge in a stolen car Thursday and crashing near Delta, La.

Jessie Lumpkin, 22, and Darrell Thomas, 21, both of 80 Dunigan Road, were arrested shortly after 12:30 p.m. Thursday after Lumpkin led deputies on a chase in a Honda that had been stolen Aug. 18, Sheriff Martin Pace said.

“As they approached the westbound rest area in Louisiana, the driver of the vehicle lost control, and the vehicle overturned in the parking lot of the rest area,” Pace said.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Both men were to be charged Friday with felony eluding, three counts of burglary and a single count of possession of a stolen vehicle, Pace said.

The three burglaries happened Thursday, Pace said. At least two guns were stolen during the crime spree that included burglaries on U.S. 80 near the county line, on Mississippi 27 and in the 4000 block of Redwood Road, Pace said.

Lumpkin and Thomas were bought back by Vicksburg police who already had warrants for their arrests. Both are being charged with at least one count of residential burglary, and will face additional charges, police Capt. Sandra Williams said.

“We’re sorting it all out right now,” Williams said at 8 a.m. Friday. “We were up here until 2 o’clock in the morning working on it.”

The chase began at Vicksburg Mall on Pemberton Square Boulevard.

“The car was spotted at the mall at Goody’s,” Pace said.

Investigator Stacey Rollison and several deputies went to investigate the tip and tried to pull over the vehicle but the driver would not stop, Pace said.

The chase continued west on Interstate 20 as police and Constable Glenn McKay joined in and the sheriff’s office notified Louisiana State Police, Madison Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Delta Marshal’s Office for assistance.

Following the crash, Lumpkin and Thomas were taken to a hospital in Tallulah where they were treated and released for what appeared to be minor injuries, Pace said.

The guns stolen Thursday, a television and jewelry were found in the car after the crash Pace said.

After being released from the hospital, both men were turned over to Madison Parish authorities. They waived extradition Thursday night.

Both were held at Vicksburg police headquarters Friday morning awaiting an initial appearance in municipal court.