UPDATE: 12:07 p.m. Monday

NATCHEZ — A Natchez man was booked on a charge of aggravated domestic violence in connection to a Sunday night high-speed chase where he reportedly shot at Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

But the man’s family says a medical issue stemming from a change in his prescription medication is to blame for the entire situation.

Laney Wayne Dawson, 61, of Natchez, was booked at the Adams County Jail at 11:58 p.m. Sunday on a charge of aggravated domestic violence following a high-speed chase with deputies that included Dawson firing a pistol at a truck driver on U.S. 61 North and ACSO deputies.

Dawson eventually wound up back at a Forest Home Road house, where deputies originally responded to a reported dispute at approximately 7:45 p.m.

Dawson began shooting at the house after the chase and eventually had a short standoff with deputies.

Dawson was eventually taken in to custody and transported to jail.

Jamie Herrington, Dawson’s daughter, said Monday morning that the behavior of her father Sunday was nothing normal.

Herrington said a recent change in her father’s long-time prescription medication has caused Dawson to not act like himself lately.

“My dad has been thrown out to the wolves with nobody to help him,” Herrington said. “It’s been very, very hard to see him go through all this.

“My youngest daughter was there when they were arresting him and she told me she looked at his face and it was a blank stare and she said, ‘That wasn’t my papa.’”

Herrington said her family was in constant communication with the sheriff’s office Sunday during the incident informing them of her father’s recent mental health issues.

“That’s why they followed him that whole time without shooting back at him,” Herrington said. “My dad was severely mental at that time.”

Sheriff Chuck Mayfield did not immediately return telephone calls about the incident.

 

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By Thomas Graning

NATCHEZ — A man reportedly shot at Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies Sunday night during a high-speed chase before he was caught and taken to jail.

ACSO deputies responded to a reported dispute at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Forest Home Road.

As deputies were responding, the suspect passed them in a vehicle going northbound on U.S. 61 North toward Jefferson County. ACSO deputies pursued the vehicle, at points reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph.

According to deputies speaking on the police scanner at the time, a driver attempted to use his 18-wheeler to block in the suspect and slow down the pursuit. The suspect reportedly waved, then fired a pistol toward the trucker, who then moved out of the way.

The suspect also reportedly turned the pistol toward ACSO deputies during the chase.

As the vehicle driven by the suspect began to overheat and slow down, he turned around and returned to Adams County on U.S. 61.

The suspect returned to the original Forest Home Road scene, where the victims of the dispute were still inside. He began to shoot at the house, before a short standoff with deputies.

He was eventually taken in to custody and transported to the Adams County Jail.

No injuries were initially reported, and the suspect’s name was not released as of press time Sunday night.

Sheriff Chuck Mayfield did not immediately return telephone calls about the incident.