HERNANDO, Miss. — A police chase turned deadly Saturday morning, when a stolen car struck a guard rail on the interstate, ejecting several passengers.
It all started around 4:20 a.m., when Hernando Police tried to conduct a traffic stop of a stolen car inside city limits. Instead of stopping, that car took off.
The chase started on Commerce street, with the driver evading officers before driving northbound onto Interstate 55 from a southbound lane, going the wrong way on the highway.
It traveled for about a mile before striking the guardrail near Mount Pleasant Road. You can still see the marks where that car made impact, and there’s a large drop-off underneath the bridge.
Hernando Police said that several passengers were thrown from the car when it made contact.
Several were hospitalized, and two were killed. They did not identify the victims.
No officers were hurt.
While the IDs of the suspects have not been released toWREG, authorities did confirm they were from Memphis.
Many DeSoto County residents said they were frustrated with the perceived rash of crime that comes from the city.
“The big thing is just awareness,” Joey Scola said. “And certainly, don’t just sit back and think that they’re just riding through. One to 4 in the morning is not an optimal time.”
And if you’re anywhere in DeSoto County and feel unsafe or concerned, you’re encouraged to contact authorities, said Bill Rasco, DeSoto County sheriff.
“They’re our eyes and ears out there. If you see anything that looks suspicious – I know we have a lot of people that go to work early in the morning – if they see anything that looks suspicious, I’d like for them to give us a call,” Rasco said.
WREG tracked the stolen car, a maroon Nissan Maxima, to an impound lot, and the car is barely recognizable.
