Man arrested after early-morning chase

A New Jersey man was arrested after leading deputies on a high-speed chase through town that ended at a dead end near Weyerhaeuser last Monday.

The man, Ronald Alexander Aquirre, 56, 114 Braynt Avenue in Cranford, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with felony pursuit, reckless driving, failure to yield to blue lights and resisting arrest, according to Investigator Matthew Winstead with the Neshoba County Sherrif’s Department.

Deputies first encountered Aquirre on Monday, June 3, at about 5:53 a.m. on Highway 15 South near the city limits. Winstead said deputies could see the black SUV was swerving across the roadway.

After initiating blue lights, the vehicle took off, exited Highway 15 onto Fork Road, and kept going east into town, where it runs into Gum Street.

Winstead said the driver kept going south on Lewis Avenue before continuing through the intersections at Beacon and Main.

“He took them all over town,” Winstead said, at speeds reaching up to 70 miles an hour.

Aquirre continued down Lewis Avenue and attempted to turn around when he hit a dead end.

Winstead said Aquirre almost hit a patrol car while attempting to turn around and lost control after hitting a pothole. The vehicle then struck a telephone pole and was stopped.

Winstead said they have not been able to determine why Aquirre fled and said he initially told deputies he was with the Secret Service.