A Clay County man is in custody after leading deputies on a pursuit Saturday night, according to Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott.
Carl Haughton, 56, is charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest, felony fleeing of a law enforcement officer, no insurance, running a red light, suspended drivers license, improper lane usage, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a Justice Court bench warrant and malicious mischief over $1,000.
About 11 p.m. deputies allegedly tried to pull over Haughton, of West Point, Scott said.
“They hit the blue lights and he took off,” Scott said.
The chase led down Highway 50 West, and “it was getting into an open area going out of town so they stayed with him,” Scott said.
Haughton hung a right onto Lone Oak and then hit the brakes, Scott said.
“Apparently he was trying to make a turn,” Scott said. “The deputy locked down and slid right into him.”
Nobody was injured, Scott said.
“(The deputy) was shook up,” he said. “He had a part-time deputy riding with him, but both of them were OK.”
Scott said he thought the suspect was trying to go home.
“When he hit the brakes it was turning to go back towards where he lived,” Scott said. “They always do that. For some reason or another they think if they run home and get in the driveway, they’ll be safe.”
The pursuit hit speeds of “60, 70, 80 miles per hour,” Scott said. “It wasn’t just tremendously fast, but that’s still pretty fast.”
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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