High-speed chase suspect charged

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 3, 2017

NATCHEZ — A Brookhaven man has been charged by both the Natchez Police Department and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in connection with a February high-speed chase.

Marquis A. Flowers, 24, 426 East Independence St., Brookhaven, was charged Tuesday by the sheriff’s office for fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer. Natchez police charged Flowers Thursday with stealing a car.

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On Feb. 22, Flowers is accused of fleeing when a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop for a seat belt violation. Due to the high-speed chase entering an area of high traffic around Walmart, the deputy called the chase off.

Natchez police officers then spotted the vehicle traveling approximately 70 miles an hour and chased until Flowers allegedly abandoned the vehicle in the Melrose-Montebello area and fled on foot.

NPD Lt. Kenneth Stampley said when Flowers abandoned the vehicle, he allegedly ran into the Melrose-Montebello neighborhood and tried opening up vehicle doors until he found a 2014 GMC pickup truck with the keys inside. Flowers reportedly took the truck back to Brookhaven, Stampley said.

Stampley said the truck was recovered undamaged.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Jerry Brown said the warrant for arrest was originally issued for another Brookhaven man, Jawon Williams.

Brown said either because the vehicle was registered to Williams or because he had left some identification inside, deputies originally believed Williams to be the suspect and issued the warrant for his arrest.

However, Brown said Williams contacted the sheriff’s office to say he had reportedly allowed Flowers, who is a relative of Williams’, to use the vehicle. Flowers turned himself in Tuesday.

Flowers is wearing an electronic monitor and is on probation for vehicle burglary in Lincoln County, said Adams County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Lt. Cal Green.

Mississippi Probation and Parole officers verified with the monitor Flowers was in Adams County during the time in question, Green said.

Stampley said Flowers is a suspect for several items that went missing from unlocked vehicles in the area the truck was reportedly taken. Stampley said the vehicle burglaries are still under investigation, but Flowers could face additional charges.

Flowers was in the Adams County Sheriff’s Office Jail Thursday afternoon with no bond set.