A Lowndes County deputy Friday fired his service weapon at the moving vehicle of a suspect who had rammed into his patrol unit, according to a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office investigative report.
Donnie Hall, 64, of Columbus is charged with felony aggravated assault, as well as multiple misdemeanors, in the incident on Granderson Drive that resulted in an officer-involved shooting. The sheriff’s office announced in a press release Friday the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was looking into the shooting, in which no one was injured.
The report, which The Dispatch obtained through a Public Records Act request, said Deputy Patrick Pearson responded to a disturbance call at a Granderson Drive address and attempted to make contact with an intoxicated Hall, who was in a vehicle. Hall turned back toward the residence and refused to stop.
Pearson later reported on his radio that Hall had attempted to hit him with his vehicle. Then Thomas Honnoll, who wrote the investigative report, responded to the scene to assist. Prior to Honnoll’s arrival, Pearson reported over the radio that Hall had rammed into his vehicle.
After Honnoll arrived, the report says Hall turned into a driveway and began driving through a yard to elude the deputies. At that point, Pearson stepped out of his vehicle and fired a single shot into Hall’s driver side door. Hall still refused to stop.
Both deputies continued to pursue Hall, who finally stopped in front of his residence and put his hands out of his car window. After the deputies ordered him out of the car and arrested him, they noticed Hall had a stab wound in his chest that he claimed he received from someone living in his home before officers arrived.
Hall was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for that injury.
Honnoll spoke with Hall’s girlfriend and her son, who both live at the Granderson Drive home, and they reported Hall was drunk and got into an altercation with his girlfriend, who called the police. The son left the house and returned to a confrontation in the road outside the house shortly before deputies arrived. During that confrontation, Hall attempted to stab the son with a screwdriver, the report said, and the son pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Hall in the left pectoral muscle.
Hall is also charged with failure to yield to a blue light, driving with no insurance and a suspended license, reckless driving and a seatbelt violation, all misdemeanors.
MBI spokesperson Capt. Johnny Poulos has not responded to a call and email from The Dispatch asking about the status of the investigation.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.