Teen leads police on chase to Jackson

A juvenile accused of stealing a car from a Philadelphia restaurant is in custody in Rankin County after leading authorities there on a high-speed chase into Jackson.

The 16-year-old Neshoba County male is accused of stealing the vehicle from the Popeyes on Beacon Street.

PPD responded to Popeyes at about 4 p.m. on Saturday to a report of a stolen vehicle.

At about the same time, they received a report that a juvenile had been reported missing from the same restaurant.

“It was believed that the missing juvenile had taken the vehicle while the food delivery driver went inside to pick up food,” said Philadelphia Police Chief Eric Lyons.

Lyons said surrounding law enforcement agencies were notified, and the vehicle was entered into a national database. The vehicle was spotted in Scott County, but law enforcement could not make contact.

The vehicle was then spotted in Pearl about an hour and a half after the incident was first reported in Philadelphia.

Pearl Police attempted to stop the vehicle on I-20, but the juvenile fled, leading them on a high-speed chase into Jackson, where the juvenile was taken into custody after crashing the car in the Fondren neighborhood west of State Street.

Media reports said the juvenile wrecked at the intersection of Hartfield and Downing streets.

Lyons said they are working with Pearl Police to bring the juvenile back into local custody this week, where he will face motor vehicle theft charges. Lyons said the juvenile has “numerous other” charges pending in Pearl.