BOLIVAR, Tenn. — A Mississippi man man drove his vehicle into the police department in Bolivar, Tennessee on Sunday, resulting in a stand-off with police.
Police say James Bass of Etta, Mississippi, drove his vehicle into the building Sunday morning. A stand-off with police followed, before he was arrested after a short pursuit.
The car pushed down walls and caused major damage, but no one was injured in the incident.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation initially investigated the incident and determined it was not a hate-related crime. Witnesses reported James was yelling racially insensitive comments during the incident.
Bass was charged with aggravated assault, evading arrest, reckless endangerment, resisting stop, frisk and halt, and felony vandalism.
He continued circling the police department parking lot, his car riding on rims and leaving deep gashes in the asphalt, all while the church next door was having Sunday service.
The incident came to an end about a mile down Highway 64.
Tracy Howell was recording when the man drove by her business, making eye contact for a brief and very scary moment.
The suspect’s car crashed and Howell’s video shows the man running from police.
“He’s got his arm up, and it shows it in the video where he’s got his arm up and then they Tase, and he goes down and then they put him in the cop car,” Howell said.
