Georgia Fugitive Is Apprehended
Johnson
Georgia Fugitive Is Apprehended
By David Howell
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – A Georgia man on the run was apprehended Saturday night in Yalobusha County following an hour-long man hunt in frigid temperature. Sheriff Lance Humphreys reported Stephen Johnson is wanted in Gwinnett County, Ga. for felony hit and run and aggravated assault with a weapon.
Humphreys reported his department received a BOLO (Be On The Lookout) on Johnson, as he was possibly trying to make it to his mother’s house in Coffeeville.
“He had also told police in Georgia that he may try to provoke a law enforcement officer to shoot him, or commit suicide by cop,” Humphreys told the North Mississippi Herald.
Shortly after receiving the BOLO, deputy Thomas West went to the residence where the suspect’s mother lives. Ironically while he was there a vehicle started to turn in the driveway, but sped off when the driver noticed West’s police cruiser in the driveway. The car traveled south on Hwy. 7 and West quickly caught up to the vehicle and attempted to stop it, the sheriff explained.
Johnson, who was a passenger in the vehicle, fled on foot after the driver stopped in the middle of the highway, just south of the Bryant entrance.
Chief Deputy Jerry Ferguson responded from his residence within minutes and deputies Jason Irby and Donald Wilson helped form a perimeter to contain the suspect while waiting for assistance from a K9 Unit from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Depart-ment.
Montgomery Sheriff Bubba Nix told the Winona Times that his department got the call around 7:15 p.m. requesting help from his county’s K-9 unit.
Nix sent deputy Jim Burton and K-9 officer Peti to assist. Burton, who was off duty when the call was received, told the Winona Times that it took almost 45 minutes to travel to the scene.
“It was a wide-open field, – muddy and wet,” Burton added. “Peti tracked him about 200-300 yards into the wood line. There were briars and it was pretty thick. We found him laying in a creek.”
Once the dog arrived, it took less than an hour to apprehend Johnson.
“Deputies could hear him shaking, he was so cold. He was hiding in several inches of water and was so cold it probably took the fight out of him,” Humphreys added.
Johnson was taken into custody and is currently in the Yalobusha County jail awaiting extradition back to Georgia.
“I want to thank the dedicated officers who helped apprehend Johnson without incident, deputies from our county, deputy Burton from Montgomery County and a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer. Their quick, professional response kept this situation from escalating,” Humphreys added.
Nix told the Winona Times his department is always willing to assist fellow law enforcement agencies.
“If someone calls, we are always glad to help,” Nix added.
