Man faces 14 charges after chase
Published 6:00 am Friday, December 28, 2001
A teenager faces 14 charges, with more possibe, after leadingWesson police on a high-speed pursuit through the town Thursdaynight.
The chase ended when Cedric Sutton, 18, of 1076 Tillman TownRoad, Hazlehurst, failed to make a turn, left the road and struck atree. Neither Sutton nor his three passengers, 15-year-old,4-year-old and 2-year-old juveniles, were injured in theaccident.
Sutton has been charged with five counts of reckless driving,one failure to yield to blue lights, one failure to yieldright-of-way, one running stop sign, one improper passing, onedriving on the wrong side of the road, two child restraint lawviolations and two no seatbelt violations.
“I’ve got to look at the videotape again and review it,” saidWesson Police Chief Jim Dykes. “There might be more, such asspeeding.”
Dykes said the chase through Wesson’s streets sometimes hit highspeeds.
“We were doing in excess of 80 mph,” he said.
The chase began when Sutton pulled the 2000 Chevrolet Impala hewas driving onto Highway 51 and cut off Officer Lance Falvey. WhenFalvey attempted to pull Sutton over, he accelerated.
Falvey followed Sutton north onto Main Street and onto EastRailroad Street, which turns into Beauregard Street, Dykes said.Dykes joined the chase and fell in behind the two as they raceddown Beauregard Street.
Sutton then turned left on Stegall Street. Approximatelyone-half mile down Stegall Street, the street makes a nearly 90degree curve, Dykes said.
“He couldn’t make that curve,” Dykes said. “He ran off the roadand hit a tree. It’s amazing no one was hurt.”
Falvey pulled Sutton from the vehicle while Dykes retrieved thethree passengers.
“That’s when I discovered the car was on fire,” Dykes said.
He put out a small fire on the underside of the Impala with afire extinguisher from his car.
When Sutton was questioned about his flight he said he wastrying to avoid a citation for child restraint law violation, Dykessaid.
“That’s what really makes this an extremely stupid case,” Dykessaid.
The chief said he appreciated the support of the Copiah CountySheriff’s Office. They had established a roadblock further up theroad, which proved unnecessary.